Accoleia gens


The gens Accoleia, also spelled Acoleia, Acculeia, and Aculeia, was a minor plebeian family at Rome during the latter part of the Republic. Most of what is known of this gens comes from various coins and inscriptions.

Origin and meaning

The origin of the nomen is obscure, but the gens apparently shared its name with one of the thirty curiae, or wards, which formed divisions of the three Romulean tribes, suggesting that the family might have been of great antiquity, although if so it was exceedingly obscure. One tradition states that the curiae were named after the Sabine women carried off in the time of Romulus. Of the few whose names are known, several correspond with particular neighborhoods of Rome, although this does not establish whether the wards were originally named after historical or mythological personages.
One such person, Acca Larentia, was the foster-mother of Romulus and Remus, suggesting that perhaps Acculeia was a nomen derived from Acca. This might account for the fact that the curia Acculeia carried out a sacrifice in honor of Angerona, the tutelary goddess of Rome itself, during the Angeronalia. A denarius issued by Publius Accoleius Lariscolus, pictured above, may represent the worship of Acca Larentia, although the figure has also been identified as that of Diana Nemorensis, depicted as a triple goddess.
Perhaps less romantically, the nomen could be derived from the noun aculeus, meaning a thorn or needle, or the corresponding adjective, with the additional meaning of sharp.

Praenomina

The main praenomina of the Accoleii were Lucius and Publius. The family used a few other names, including Marcus and Quintus. All were among the most common names throughout Roman history.

Branches and cognomina

All of the cognomina borne by members of this gens appear to have been personal surnames, such as Lariscolus, Euhermerus, and Abascantus.

Members