Cossutia gens

The gens Cossutia was a minor plebeian family of equestrian rank of ancient Rome. Only a few members of this gens appear in history, but many others are known from epigraphy.

Origin

Based on the forenames () and epithets () used by the , Rawson suggests that they originated in the highlands of central Italy. The , mentioned by Cicero near Caesena in Cisalpine Gaul, may indicate that the Cossutii were an Umbrian family of that area.

Branches and cognomina

Besides the architect Decimus Cossutius, other Cossutii lived throughout the Greek world during the first and second centuries BC, including at Erythrae and in Eretria, and on the islands of Delos, Ios, Kos, and Paros, the latter of which was known for its marble. These Cossuti often worked in the stone industry, in which the family was involved in various capacities until at least the second century. Coins of the Cossutii include the cognomina Maridianus and Sabula, but nothing is known of the persons bearing these surnames.

A branch of the family, possibly including Decimus Cossutius, may have been resident at Athens from the early second century BC; an inscription from the city's Kerameikos cemetery commemorates "Marcus Cossutius, son of Gaius, a Roman", rendering the name "Marcus" in Greek letters as : the double-alpha spelling is most common in inscriptions from around the turn of the first century BC.

Three first-century BC statues from Italy, two depicting the god Pan from a villa at Lanuvium and one from Rome depicting a fragment of drapery, were signed by freedmen of this gens. A late first- or early second-century funerary inscription for a member of this family from Rome shows stoneworkers' tools, and two of its members are known to been active at Chemtou in North Africa in the second century. From the late second century BC, freedmen of the gens are known to have served as magistrates in Campania, and to have lived at Puteoli; Cossutii are also attested at Pompeii, probably early in the first century AD, and in undated inscriptions in and around Campania. Other inscriptions place a freedman of the gens in Etruria and two freedmen of the gens as marble-workers.

Members

Decimus Cossutius, a Roman architect, was retained by Antiochus IV Epiphanes about 168 BC to rebuild the Temple of Olympian Zeus at Athens. Cossutius' reconstruction featured splendid decoration in the Corinthian style, but the temple was left unfinished after the death of Antiochus in 164. Parts of Cossutius' pillars were later removed by Sulla.
Gaius Cossutius M. f., buried at Aquileia in Venetia and Histria, in a tomb dating from the first half of the first century BC, built by Titus Cossutius, apparently his brother.
Titus Cossutius M. f., built a tomb at Aquileia, dating from the first half of the first century BC, for Gaius Cossutius, apparently his brother.
Marcus Cossutius M. ÃÂ. l. Antiochus, a freedman buried in a first-century BC tomb at Rome, along with his fellow freedman, Marcus Cossutius Eros. The inscription is thought to be modern.
Marcus Cossutius M. ÃÂ. l. Eros, a freedman buried in a first-century BC tomb at Rome, along with his fellow freedman, Marcus Cossutius Antiochus. The inscription is thought to be modern.
Marcus Cossutius, an eques of Sicily, defended Xeno before Verres during the latter's administration of that province. Cicero describes him as and a man of great integrity and respectability.
Cossutia, the fiancÃÂ©e and perhaps the first wife of Caesar, belonged to a very wealthy equestrian family. Caesar's parents arranged their marriage when he was but a child, but when he was sixteen, he either repudiated or divorced her in order to marry Cornelia.
Gaius Cossutius Maridianus, triumvir monetalis under Caesar in 44 BC. Rawson suggests that his branch of the family had a rural equestrian background.
Quintus Cossutius P. f., one of the municipal quattuorvirs at Tarquinii in Etruria, paid for the local ludi, according to an inscription dating from the late first century BC.
Marcus Cossutius C. f., buried at Athens around the beginning of the first century.
Aulus Cossutius, a priest of Apollo Soter on Ios at some point before the middle of the first century.
Cossutius, together with Minucia, former master and mistress of the freedwoman Primigenia, named in an inscription from Rome, dating from the first half of the first century. The inscription is thought to be modern.
Gnaeus Cossutius, together with Quintus Cossutius, former masters of the freedwoman Fabia Prima, according to an inscription from Rome, dating from the first half of the first century.
Quintus Cossutius, together with Gnaeus Cossutius, former masters of the freedwoman Fabia Prima, named in an early first-century inscription.
Gaius Cossutius Calidius Celer, named in an inscription from Rome, dedicated by his freedman, Cossutius Epaphroditus, dating from the first half of the first century.
(Gaius) Cossutius Epaphroditus, the freedman of Gaius Cossutius Calidius Celer, for whom Epaphroditus dedicated an inscription at Rome, dating from the first half of the first century.
Sextus Cossutius Euschemus, named in an inscription from Tergeste in Venetia and Histria, dating from the first half of the first century.
Gnaeus Cossutius Faustus, buried at Rome, in a tomb dating from the first half of the first century.
Quintus Cossutius Optatus, buried along with Cossutia Tertia and others in a tomb located at the present site of Meana di Susa, formerly part of Alpes Cottiae, dating from the first half of the first century.
Cossutia Tertia, buried along with Quintus Cossutius Optatus and others in an early first-century tomb at the present site of Meana di Susa.
Cossutia M. l. Tryphera, a freedwoman named in an inscription from Rome, dating from the first half of the first century.
Cossutius, the master of Euhemerus Hilas, a young slave buried in a first-century tomb at Ostia.
Gnaeus Cossutius Eros, buried in a first-century tomb at Aquileia.
Cossutia Q. l. Lepida, a freedwoman buried in a first-century tomb at Firmum Picenum, along with the freedman Gaius Isidius Philerotis.
Gaius Cossutius C. f. Myrmex, one of the aediles, named in a first-century inscription from the Temple of Diana Nemorensis in Latium.
Cossutia Cn. l. Tryphera, a freedwoman buried in a first-century tomb at Rome, dedicated by her contubernalis, or tent-mate, Publius Attius Helius.
Gnaeus Cossutius Agathangelus, dedicated tombs at Rome for his wife, Cossutia Arescusa, and brother, the freedman Gnaeus Cossutius Cladus, dating from the first or early second century. The inscriptions are thought to be modern.
Cossutius Arescusa, buried at Rome, aged forty-five, in a first- or early second-century tomb built by her husband, Gnaeus Cossutius Agathangelus. The inscription is thought to be modern.
Gnaeus Cossutius Cladus, a freedman buried at Rome, aged thirty-five, in a tomb dating from the first or early second century, built by his brother, Gnaeus Cossutius Agathangelus. The inscription is thought to be modern.
Cossutia Prima, buried in a first- or early-second century tomb at Rome, dedicated by one or more of her children.
Cossutia, the wife of Sextus Valerius Valerianus, who built a sepulchre at Aquileia, dating between the middle of the first century and the middle of the second for himself, his wife, his mother, Valeria Secunda, and several close friends.
Cossutia Arescusa, built a first- or second-century tomb at Rome for her son, Felix, aged thirteen.
Gnaeus Cossutius Cn. l. Felix, a freedman born the third day before the Kalends of February, AD 62, and buried at Rome.
Gnaeus Cossutius Atimetus, named in an inscription from Pompeii in Campania, dating from just after the middle of the first century.
Gnaeus Cossutius Atimetus, a paenularius, or cloak-maker, buried in a late first-century tomb at Puteoli in Campania.
Marcus Cossutius Zeuxis, a freedman working as a sculptor at Rome, according to an inscription from the Forum of Caesar, probably dating from the late first century.
Cossutia, the mother of Flavia, a woman buried at Ostia in Latium, in a tomb dating from the late first or early second century.
Gaius Cossutius Epaphroditus, a freedman, was a sculptor at Rome in AD 79.
Sextus Cossutius Sex. f. Primus, a veteran of the thirteenth urban cohort, buried at Lugdunum in Gallia Lugdunensis, in a tomb built by his friend, Titus Silius Hospes, signifer of the same cohort, dating from the first half of the second century.
Cossutia Tyche, buried at Tergeste, in a family sepulchre built by the freedman Lucius Usius Philippus, dating from the first half of the second century.
Cossutia Acme, named in a second-century inscription from Rome, along with her husband, [...]ius Ph[...], and their child or children, whose names have not been preserved.
Cossutius Adjectus, dedicated a second-century tomb at Rome for his wife, Fictoria Prisca.
Cossutia Sex. f., flaminica of the cult of Faustina at Aquileia, and at Iader in Dalmatia, named in a second-century inscription from Iader.
Gnaeus Cossutius Hermes, buried at Rome along with his wife, Cossutia Onesime, in a second-century tomb built by their son, Gnaeus Cossutius Super.
Marcus Cossutius Hermes, dedicated a second-century tomb at Rome for his children, Cossutius Hemetianus, Cossutius Honoratus, and Cossutia Victorina.
(Marcus) Cossutius Hermetianus, along with his siblings, Cossutius Honoratus and Cossutia Victorina, buried at Rome in a second-century tomb built by their father, Marcus Cossutius Hermes.
(Marcus) Cossutius Honoratus, along with his siblings, Cossutius Hermetianus and Cossutia Victorina, buried at Rome in a second-century tomb built by their father, Marcus Cossutius Hermes.
Cossutia Onesime, buried at Rome along with her husband, Gnaeus Cossutius Hermes, in a second-century tomb built by their son, Gnaeus Cossutius Super.
Gnaeus Cossutius Cn. f. Super, built a second-century tomb at Rome for his parents, Gnaeus Cossutius Hermes and Cossutia Onesime.
Cossutia Victorina, along with her siblings, Cossutius Hermetianus and Cossutius Honoratus, buried at Rome in a second-century tomb built by their father, Marcus Cossutius Hermes.
Gaius Cossutius C. l. Gentius, one of a number of freedmen named in an inscription from Casilinum in Campania, dating from AD 105, recording the building of an arch, steps, and drains by the masters of the cults of Castor and Pollux and Mercury.
Sextus Cossutius Secundus, one of the municipal officials at Aquileia in AD 105, who was present at the dedication of a statue in honour of Gaius Minicius Italus.
Publius Cossutius [...] P. n. Amatus, a priest of Jupiter Optimus Maximus at Misenum in Campania, commemorated in an inscription from the middle or later part of the second century.
Cossutius Rufinus, one of the local officials who in AD 187 dedicated a statue in memory of Gavia Marciana at Puteoli in Campania.

Undated Cossutii

Cossutia Cn. l., a freedwoman named in an inscription from Rome, along with fellow freedwomen Cossutia Acris and Cossutia Plebs, and the freedmen Gnaeus Cossutius Philomusus and Cossutius Plebeius.
Cossutia P. f., named along with Numerius Vibius Flaccus in an inscription from Potentia in Lucania.
Cossutius, buried at Rome along with Lucia Florentina and their family, with a wall around their graves.
Gnaeus Cossutius, named in the funerary inscription of his freedwoman, Cossutia Helpis.
Gnaeus Cossutius, along with his wife, Cossutia Trophime, dedicated a tomb at Rome for their son, whose name has not been preserved.
Cossutius Cn. l. Acris, a freedwoman named in an inscription from Rome, along with fellow freedwomen Cossutia Plebs and another Cossutia, and the freedmen Gnaeus Cossutius Philomusus and Cossutius Plebeius.
Gnaeus Cossutius Atimetus, buried at Rome, aged forty, in a tomb dedicated by his daughter, Cossutia Epictesis.
Cossutia M. l. Bela, named in an inscription from Rome.
Cossutia Callytyche, buried at Rome, in a tomb dedicated by her husband, Tiberius Claudius Hid[...].
Cossutius Cerdon, dedicated a tomb at Massilia in Gallia Narbonensis for the freedwoman Cossutia Epictesis.
Cossutia Cinura, named in an inscription from Rome.
Cossutia Cn. f. Epictesis, dedicated a tomb at Rome for her father, Gnaeus Cossutius Atimetus.
Cossutia Epictesis, a freedwoman buried at Massilia, in a tomb dedicated by Cossutius Cerdon.
Marcus Cossutius Heliodorus, built a family sepulchre at Rome, adjacent to or combined with the one built by Pedania Paetina for her son, Gaius Pedanius Successus, and his wife, Caepia Glypte.
Cossutia Cn. l. Helpis, the freedwoman of Gnaeus Cossutius, was buried at Rome, aged thirty-five.
Cossutia Hygia, dedicated a tomb at Massilia for her daughter, Julia Quintina.
Marcus Cossutius Macrinus, made an offering to the cult of Aesculapius at Olisipo in Lusitania.
Marcus Cossutius Menander, in whose honour Fuficia Helena dedicated three pots at Rome for herself, Menander, and Marcus Perelius Neo.
Cossutius Myrmex, the master of Promus, a slave named in an inscription from Rome.
Decimus Cossutius Nicia, named in an inscription from Rome, along with the freedwoman Canuleia Prima, probably his wife.
Marcus Cossutius Phoebus, buried at Rome.
Gnaeus Cossutius Philomusus, a freedman named in an inscription from Rome, along with fellow freedman Cossutius Plebeius, and the freedwomen Cossutia Acris, Cossutia Plebs, and another Cossutia.
(Gnaeus) Cossutius Plebeius, a freedman named in an inscription from Rome, along with fellow freedman Cossutius Philomusus, and the freedwomen Cossutia Acris, Cossutia Plebs, and another Cossutia.
Cossutia Cn. l. Plebs, a freedwoman named in an inscription from Rome, along with fellow freedwomen Cossutia Acris and another Cossutia, and the freedmen Gnaeus Cossutius Philomusus and Cossutius Plebeius.
Marcus Cossutius Protus, one of the Seviri Augustales at Ostia, commemorated in an inscription left by his client, the freedman Agathopus.
Marcus Cossutius Rufio, buried at Arelate in Gallia Narbonensis, along with Cossutia Soteria.
Publius Cossutius S[...], named in an inscription from Valentia in Gallia Narbonensis.
Marcus Cossutius M. f. Severus, buried at Rome.
Cossutia Soteria, buried at Arelate, along with Marcus Cossutius Rufio.
Gaius Cossutius C. l. Status, a freedman named in an inscription from Rome.
Marcus Cossutius M. l. Stephanus, a freedman named in an inscription from Rome.
Cossutia Symferusa, buried at Rome, in a tomb dedicated by her daughter, Anencletis.
Marcus Cossutius Titullus, buried at Rome, aged thirty-five. The inscription is thought to be modern.
Cossutia Trophime, along with her husband, Gnaeus Cossutius, dedidated a tomb at Rome for their son, whose name has not been preserved.
Cossutia Tyche, buried at Rome.
Cossutia Tyrannis, the wife of Marcus Cossutius Zosimus, who built a sepulchre at Rome for himself, Tyrannis, and their family.
Cossutia Victoria, buried at Massilia in a tomb dedicated by her husband, Pompeius Abascantus.
Gnaeus Cossutius Zoilus, buried in a family sepulchre at Rome, built by Septimia Beronice for herself and her husband, Tiberius Claudius Fronimus, their son, Tiberius Claudius Beronicianus, and Zoilus.
Marcus Cossutius Zosimus, built a sepulchre at Rome for his wife, Cossutia Tyrannis, and their family.

Notes

References

Bibliography

Ancient sources

Athenaeus, Deipnosophistae (The Banquet of the Learned).
Titus Livius (Livy), History of Rome.
Gaius Plinius Secundus (Pliny the Elder), Historia Naturalis (Natural History).
Strabo, Geographica.
Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus, De Vita Caesarum (Lives of the Caesars, or The Twelve Caesars).
Marcus Tullius Cicero, Epistulae ad Familiares, In Verrem.
Marcus Velleius Paterculus, Roman History.
Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, De Architectura (On Architecture).

Modern sources

RenÃÂ© Cagnat et alii, L'AnnÃÂ©e ÃÂ©pigraphique (The Year in Epigraphy, abbreviated AE), Presses Universitaires de France (1888Ã¢ÂÂpresent).
Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, William Smith, ed., Little, Brown and Company, Boston (1849).
Theodor Mommsen et alii, Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum (The Body of Latin Inscriptions, abbreviated CIL), Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften (1853Ã¢ÂÂpresent).
Elizabeth Rawson, "Architecture and Sculpture: The Activities of the Cossutii", in Papers of the British School at Rome, Cambridge University Press (2013), vol. 43, pp. 36Ã¢ÂÂ47. .
Ben Russell, The Economics of the Roman Stone Trade, Oxford University Press (2013), .
David R. Sear, The History and Coinage of the Roman Imperators 49Ã¢ÂÂ27 BC, Spink (1998), .