The gens Naevia, occasionally written Navia, was a plebeian or patrician family at ancient Rome. Members of this gens are first mentioned at the time of the Second Punic War, but the first of the Naevii to obtain the consulship was Lucius Naevius Surdinus, in AD 30.^[1]

Origin

The nomen Naevius is generally regarded as a patronymic surname derived from the praenomen Gnaeus, indicating a birthmark.^[2] Gnaeus and naevus, the usual form of the Latin word for a birthmark, were pronounced similarly, and a number of other Latin words could be spelled with either gn- or n-, such as gnatus and natus, "born".^[3]

Branches and cognomina

In the time of the Republic, the principal cognomina of the Naevii were Balbus and Matho.^[1] Balbus, a common surname, originally signified one who stammers.^[4] Chase regarded Matho as a borrowing of the Greek Μαθων.^[5] Cicero stated that it was pronounced Mato, and sometimes spelled without an 'h'.^[6] Other Naevii bore the surnames Crista, Pollio, and Turpio, while Capella and Surdinus are found on coins.^[7][1] Crista refers to a crest or plume;^[8] Pollio is thought to mean "polisher", and to refer to the occupation of polishing arms.^[9][10] Turpio describes someone ugly, deformed, or foul.^[11] Capella refers to a she-goat, while Surdinus probably described someone who was deaf, hard of hearing, stubborn, or silent.^[12]

Members

This list includes abbreviated praenomina. For an explanation of this practice, see filiation.

• Gnaeus Naevius, a poet and dramatist of the Old Latin period.^[13]
• Quintus Naevius Crista, a prefect of the allied forces, under the command of Marcus Valerius Laevinus, served with courage and skill against Philip during the First Macedonian War, in 214 BC.^[14]
• Quintus Naevius,^[i] a centurion serving under the proconsul Quintus Fulvius Flaccus at the siege of Capua in 211 BC, during the Second Punic War. Naevius displayed conspicuous bravery and tactical skill in helping to repel Hannibal's forces. He might be the same person as Quintus Naevius Crista.^{[15][16][17][18]}
• Quintus Naevius Matho, appointed one of the triumvirs for establishing a colony in Bruttium, in 194 BC. Praetor in 184, he received the province of Sardinia. Before setting out for his province, Matho was instructed to investigate all reports of poisoning in Italy, an endeavour which occupied him for four months. Valerias Antias states that two thousand people were condemned in the course of the investigation.^[19][20][21]
• Marcus Naevius, tribune of the plebs in 184 BC, was, according to some authorities, induced by Cato the Elder to accuse Scipio Africanus of having accepted a bribe from Antiochus in exchange for lenient treatment at the end of the Syrian War.^{[ii][22][23][24][25][26][27]}
• Lucius Naevius Balbus, one of the quinqueviri^[iii] appointed in 168 BC to resolve a dispute over the lands claimed by the inhabitants of Pisae and the Lunenses.^[28][29]
• Gaius Naevius Balbus, triumvir monetalis in 79 BC, was a supporter of Sulla and may have been a prefect in Sulla's army at the Battle of the Colline Gate in 82.^{[iv][30][31][32]}
• Naevius Turpio, a quadruplator, or public informer, who in 75 BC was condemned by Gaius Licinius Sacerdos, while the latter was propraetor in Sicily. During the administration of Verres, Naevius was instrumental in helping to extract all that the new praetor could from his province.^[33]
• Naevius Pollio, an extremely tall man, whom Cicero is said to have described as being a foot taller than the tallest man who ever lived.^[v] A similar description was given by Pliny the Elder.^[34][35]
• Sextus Naevius, the accuser of Publius Quinctius, whose defence by Cicero was the subject of the oration Pro Quinctio.^[36]
• Servius Naevius, accused by Cicero, was defended by Gaius Scribonius Curio.^[37]
• Lucius Naevius L. f. Surdinus, triumvir monetalis in 15 BC. He was praetor circa 10 BC and consul suffectus in AD 30.^[38][39]
• Gaius Naevius Capella, quadriumvir monetalis in 4 BC.^[40]
• Lucius Naevius Surdinus, consul suffectus from July to December in AD 30.^[41]
• Quintus Naevius Cordus Sutorius Macro, praetorian prefect under the emperors Tiberius and Caligula.^[42]
• Ennia Naevia, according to Suetonius, was the wife of Macro and the mistress of Caligula.^[vi] Although Macro was said to have murdered Tiberius in order to bring Caligula to the throne, the new emperor had him and Ennia put to death, so that he would not be under obligation to them.^[43][44][45]
• Lucius Naevius Aquilinus, consul in AD 249.^[46]