Pontiliena gens

The gens Pontiliena was an obscure plebeian family at ancient Rome. No members of this gens appear in history, but a few are mentioned in inscriptions.

Origin
The nomen Pontilienus appears to be formed from Pontilius, another nomen gentilicium. The philologist George Davis Chase describes a class of such nomina, ending in -enus and nearly always derived from other gentile names, rather than places. The root of the name appears to be the Oscan praenomen Pompo or Pomptus, a cognate of the Latin praenomen Quintus. Thus, Pontilienus and similar nomina, such as Pompilius and Pomponia are the Oscan equivalents of Latin names such as Quinctius and Quinctilius.

Members

 * Gaius Pontilienus M. f., named in an inscription from Volubilis in Mauretania Tingitana.
 * Gaius Pontilienus M. f., named in several inscriptions from Mal di Ventre in Sardinia.
 * Gaius Pontilienus M. f., named in an inscription from Carthago Nova in Hispania Citerior.
 * Marcus Pontilienus M. f., named in several inscriptions from Mal di Ventre, and one from Capo Carbonara in Sardinia.