The Annii claimed a descent from the goddess
Anna Perenna, the sister of
Dido, portrayed on the coins of Gaius Annius Luscus.[3] The
nomenAnnius was classified by Chase as one of
Picentine origin, while the first of the Annii appearing in history (in 340 BC) was praetor of
Setia, originally a
Volscian town, captured by the Romans in 382 BC. Both the Picentes and the Volsci spoke
Umbrian languages, so it may be that Annius was a member of an old Volscian family, rather than one of the
Latin colonists, on whose behalf he spoke.[4][5] It seems the gens acquired the citizenship soon after, since a Roman senator named Annius is recorded a generation later.
Praenomina
The main families of the Annii at Rome used the
praenominaTitus, Marcus, Lucius, and Gaius. Other names occur infrequently, although in imperial times several of the Annii used Appius, an otherwise uncommon praenomen chiefly associated with the
Claudii.
Branches and cognomina
A number of Annii during the
Republic bore no
cognomen. The main family of the Annii was surnamed Luscus, "bleary-eyed" or, "one-eyed". One member of this family bore the additional surname Rufus, probably in reference to his red hair.[6][7] A variety of surnames were borne by individual Annii, including Asellus, a diminutive of asinus, a donkey; Bassus, stout; Cimber, one of the
Cimbri; Faustus, fortunate; Gallus, a
Gaul or cockerel; and Pollio, a polisher.[8][9]Bellienus or Billienus, sometimes described as a cognomen of the Annii, was in fact a separate gens, although
Cicero refers to a Gaius Annius Bellienus; it is not certain which of the Bellieni mentioned below actually belong to the Annia gens.[10]
Members
This list includes abbreviated
praenomina. For an explanation of this practice, see
filiation.
Annii Lusci
Marcus Annius (Luscus),
triumvir for the founding of colonies in
Cisalpine Gaul in 218 BC, obliged by a sudden rising of the
Boii to take refuge in
Mutina.[11]
Titus Annius M. f. Luscus, sent as an envoy to
Perseus in 172 BC, and triumvir for augmenting the colony at
Aquileia in 169.[12]
Titus Annius T. f. Milo, the son of Celsus and Annia, was adopted by his grandfather, Titus Annius Luscus, whose name he assumed. He was
tribune of the plebs in 57 BC, and became a staunch opponent of
Publius Clodius Pulcher, for whose murder he was unsuccessfully defended by Cicero in 52.[17]
Lucius Annius Bellienus, whose house was burnt down after the murder of
Caesar in 44 BC.[22]
Annii Polliones
Gaius Annius (Pollio), father of the Pollio attested from the columbarium of his freedmen. Maybe the Annius who was triumvir monetalis in 9 BC.[23]
Gaius Annius C. f. Pollio, a senator known from the
columbarium of his freedmen. Believed to be the father of Gaius Annius Pollio, consul in 21 or 22.[24] Maybe the Annius who was triumvir monetalis in 9 BC.[23]
Gaius Annius C. f. C. n. Pollio, consul suffectus in either AD 21 or 22. Accused of majestas during the reign of
Tiberius.[25][26]
Gaius Annius C. f. C. n. Pollio, son of the consul of 21 or 22, himself consul suffectus circa AD 66. An intimate friend of
Nero, banished after being accused of participating in
the conspiracy of
Gaius Calpurnius Piso.[27]
Annia C. f. C. n., daughter of the consul of 21 or 22 AD, wife of an Atratinus,[28] possibly either a Sempronius Atratinus or
Marcus Asinius Atratinus the consul of 89
(Lucius) Annius L. f. C. n. Vinicianus, son of the conspirator against Caligula, was involved in a plot against Nero. He took his own life rather than defend himself.
(Gaius) Annius L. f. C. n. Pollio, son of the elder Vinicianus and husband of
Marcia Servilia.
Marcus Annius Verus, great-grandfather of the emperor
Marcus Aurelius, was a senator from a family that had risen to prominence through olive oil production at
Ucubi in
Hispania.
Marcus Annius M. f. Verus, the grandfather of Marcus Aurelius, obtained the consulship in an uncertain year under
Domitian, and twice under
Hadrian, in AD 121 and 126. He married Rupilia Faustina.[34]
Marcus Annius M. f. M. n. Verus, the father of Marcus Aurelius, attained the praetorship, but died circa AD 124, leaving his children to be raised by their paternal grandfather.
Gaius Annius C. f., a senator in 129 BC, should probably be distinguished from the Gaius Annius of 135, who was a member of the tribus Camilia, while the senator of 129 was from Arniensis.[44]
Marcus Annius P. f., quaestor in Macedonia circa 119 BC, won a victory over the Celts who had killed the
propraetor Sextus Pompeius.[45][46]
Lucius Annius, tribune of the plebs in 110 BC, possibly the son of Lucius Annius, senator in 135, wished to continue in office the next year, but was resisted by his colleagues.[47]
Publius Annius Asellus, a
senator who died in 75 BC, leaving his only daughter as his heiress. His property was seized by the praetor
Verres. He was quaestor in Sicily soon before.[51][52][53]
Quintus Annius Chilo, a senator, and one of
Catiline's conspirators in 63 BC.[54]
Lucius Annius, a quaestor in Sicily before 50 BC.[52]
Sextus Annius, a quaestor in Sicily before 50 BC.[52]
Quintus Annius, an officer of Sextus Pompey in Sicily between 43 and 36 BC.[55]
Annius Faustus, a man of
equestrian rank, and one of the informers (delatores) in the reign of
Nero, was condemned by the Senate in AD 69, on the accusation of
Vibius Crispus.[56]
Publius Annius Florus, a poet and rhetorician from the time of
Domitian to
Hadrian, wrote a dialogue titled Vergilius orator an poeta. He is possibly identical with the historian Annaeus Florus.[58]
^Syme, "Missing Senators", p. 55. Syme explains that the praenomen Gaius found in the manuscript of Cicero is a mistake, as the other mentions of his name in the rest of the book mention him as Publius.