The Egnatii were of Samnite origin, and at least some of them had settled at Teanum. At the end of the Social War, the greater part of these appear to have removed to Rome, where two of them were admitted into the senate, though a branch of the family seems to have remained at Teanum.
Praenomina
The first of the Egnatii known to history bore the OscanpraenominaGellius and Marius. The Egnatii who settled at Rome favoured Gnaeus, but also made use of Gaius, Lucius, Marcus, and Publius.
Branches and cognomina
The Egnatii do not seem to have been divided into distinct families during the time of the Republic. Most of the Egnatii bore no cognomen, but individuals are known with the surnames Celer, Maximus, Rufus, and Veratius. Celer means "swift," while Maximus is "great" or "greatest." Rufus, meaning "red," was typically given to someone with red hair or a ruddy complexion.
Gnaeus Egnatius, a man of somewhat disreputable character, was admitted into the Roman senate, but was subsequently expelled by the censors.
Egnatius Cn. f., like his father a member of the Roman senate, he retained that dignity when his father's name was struck off the rolls. He was disinherited by his father.
Gaius Egnatius Cn. f. Cn. n. Maximus, appears on several coins apparently struck during the time of Gaius Julius Caesar. He is probably the same Egnatius Maximus mentioned by Cicero in 45 BC, and the same Egnatius mentioned without any surname in one or two other passages of Cicero.
Lucius Egnatius Rufus, an eques, and friend of Cicero, who carried on an extensive business as a farmer of the taxes, and a money-lender in the provinces. Both Cicero and his brother, Quintus, had pecuniary dealings with him. Cicero frequently recommends him to the governors of the provinces.
Egnatius Sidicinus, mentioned by Cicero as having had some money transactions with him.
Egnatii, father and son, were included in the proscription of the year 43 BC, and were slain by a single blow, while locked in each other's arms.
Marcus Egnatius Rufus, aedile in 20 BC, and praetor the following year, in contravention of the laws; he sought the consulship of 18, but the consul Gaius Sentius Saturninus refused to receive his name as one of the candidates. He then joined a plot to murder Augustus, but was detected, imprisoned, and executed.
Egnatius, a poet who wrote before Vergil. Macrobius quotes some lines from his poem, De Rerum Natura.
Egnatia Maximilla, a descendant of that branch of the Egnatia gens which bore the surname of Maximus, is mentioned by Tacitus as the wife of Glicius Gallus, who was banished by the emperor Nero. She accompanied her husband in his exile.
