Caecinia gens

The gens Caecinia was a plebeian family of Etruscan origin at ancient Rome. Members of this gens are first mentioned in the time of Cicero, and they remained prominent through the first century of the Empire, before fading into obscurity in the time of the Flavian emperors. A family of this name rose to prominence once more at the beginning of the fifth century.

Origin
The Etruscan roots of the Caecinae are indicated by the form of their nomen, which in the masculine form ends in -na, typical of Etruscan names. The feminine form, Caecinia, is formed as though the masculine form were Caecinius, which is also encountered, though rarely, in inscriptions. The Caecinae seem either to have derived their name from, or given it to, the river Caecina, which flows by the town of Volaterrae, one of the ancient cities of Etruria. A sepulchre belonging to the Caecinae has been discovered near Volaterrae; a beautiful sarcophagus, now in the Museum of Paris, was found inside. The poet Caecina had a villa in the same neighbourhood, and families of the name have resided at modern Volterra until the present day. From the tomb of the Caecinae, we learn that Ceicna was the Etruscan form of the name.

Praenomina
The chief praenomina of the Caecinae were Aulus, Gaius, and Lucius, all of which were common throughout Roman history. Other common praenomina are occasionally found, including Quintus, Publius, and Sextus.

Branches and cognomina
The family was divided into several branches, and we accordingly find on the funeral urns the cognomina Caspu and Tlapuni; in Latin inscriptions we also meet with the surnames Quadratus and Placidus, and various others occur.

Members

 * Aulus Caecina, a native of Volaterrae, whom Cicero defended in his oration, Pro Caecina, in 69 BC.
 * Aulus Caecina A. f. Severus, an orator and scholar of Etruscan culture. He was a political opponent of Caesar, but was pardoned at the end of the Civil War.  He was the author of a work on Etruscan religious practices, which was an important source of information for Pliny the Elder and Seneca the Younger.
 * Caecina, a native of Volaterrae, and friend of Octavian.
 * Aulus Caecina Severus, suffect consul in 1 BC and legate of Germanicus, triumphed over the Cherusci in AD 14.
 * Gaius Caecina Largus, consul suffectus in AD 13.
 * Aulus Caecina Paetus, consul suffectus in AD 37; put to death by the emperor Claudius in AD 42.
 * Gaius Caecina Largus, consul in AD 42, close friend of Claudius, inhabited the magnificent house which formerly belonged to Marcus Aemilius Scaurus, a contemporary of Cicero.
 * Quintus Caecina Primus, consul suffectus in AD 53, probably in the middle of the year.
 * Gaius Caecina Tuscus, governor of Egypt, was banished by the emperor Nero.
 * Aulus Caecina Alienus, one of Vitellius' generals in AD 69.
 * Licinius Caecina, a senator attached to Otho's party, in AD 69.
 * Gaius Laecanius Bassus Caecina Paetus, consul suffectus for the months of November and December in AD 70, and subsequently governor of Asia.
 * Gaius Caecina Largus, governor of Thracia c. AD 198.
 * Caecina Largus, praefectus annonae c. AD 250.
 * Aulus Caecina Tacitus, governor of Hispania Baetica, and consul, possibly ordinary consul in 273.
 * Antonius Caecina Sabinus, consul in AD 316.
 * Caecinia Lolliana, a priestess of Isis, and the wife of Gaius Ceionius Rufius Volusianus Lampadius.
 * Publilius Ceionius Caecina Albinus, presumably the son of Lampadius and Lolliana, was governor of Numidia between 364 and 367.
 * Caecina Decius Albinus, son of Publilius, was praefectus urbi of Rome in AD 402.
 * Caecina Decius Aginatius Albinus, praefectus urbi of Rome in AD 414.
 * Albinus, praefectus urbi of Rome in AD 426, consul in 444, and praetorian prefect of Italy from 443 to 449. Possibly identical to Aginatius Albinus.
 * Caecina Decius Basilius, consul in 463 and twice praetorian prefect of Italy.
 * Caecina Decius Maximus Basilius, consul in AD 480 and praetorian prefect of Italy in 483.
 * Caecina Mavortius Basilius Decius, consul in AD 486.
 * Caecina Decius Faustus Albinus, son of Maximus Basilius, was consul in 493 and praetorian prefect of Italy around 500.