The gens Asinia was a plebeian family at Rome, which rose to prominence during the first century BC. The first person of the name who occurs in history is Herius Asinius, in the Social War, BC 90.
The Asinii came from Teate, the chief town of the Marrucini, and their name is derived from asina, which was a cognomen of the Scipios, as asellus was of the Annii and Claudii. The Herius, spoken of by Silius Italicus in the time of the Second Punic War, about 218 BC, was an ancestor of the Asinii.
The first of the Asinii bore the Oscan praenomen Herius, which was apparently of long standing amongst their ancestors. However, at Rome the family used the common Latin praenomina Gaius, Gnaeus, Lucius, Marcus, and Servius.
Branches and cognomina
The principal cognomina of the Asinii are Agrippa, Celer, Dento, Gallus, Pollio, and Saloninus. Of these, Pollio is the first, and gave rise to many of the others. Gaius Asinius Pollio, consul in 40 BC was the father of Gaius Asinius Gallus Saloninus, whose sons bore the cognomina Pollio, Agrippa, Saloninus, Celer, and Gallus. The Asinii Marcelli were descended from Marcus Asinius Agrippa.
Another family of the Asinii, perhaps related to the Polliones, bore the surnames Rufus, Bassus, Frugi, Nicomachus, and Quadratus. It is not clear whether the Asinius Dento, a centurion under Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus, or the Gaius Asinius Lepidus Praetextatus who was consul in AD 242, belonged to either of these families.
This list includes abbreviated praenomina. For an explanation of this practice, see filiation.
Herius Asinius, commander of the Marrucini during the Marsic War, perhaps the grandfather of Gaius Asinius Pollio.
Gnaeus Asinius, only known as the father of Gaius Asinius Pollio.
Gaius Asinius Cn. f. Pollio, a distinguished orator, poet and historian of the Augustan age, consul in 40 BC.
Asinius Cn. f. Marrucinus, known for his practical jokes.
Asinia C. f. Cn. n., wife of Marcus Claudius Marcellus Aeserninus.
Asinius Pollio, a sophist and philosopher, who succeeded Timagenes in his school.
Lucius Asinius Gallus, celebrated a triumph in 26 BC.
Gaius Asinius C. f. Cn. n. Gallus Saloninus, consul in 8 BC.
Gaius Asinius C. f. C. n. Pollio, consul in AD 23.
Marcus Asinius C. f. C. n. Agrippa, consul in AD 25.
Gnaeus Asinius C. f. C. n. Saloninus.
Servius Asinius C. f. C. n. Celer, consul suffectus in AD 38, apparently put to death by the emperor Claudius.
Asinia Agrippina Ser. f. C. n.
Lucius Asinius C. f. C. n. Gallus, exiled for conspiring against Claudius.
Marcus Asinius M. f. C. n. Marcellus, son of M. Asinius Agrippa, consul in AD 54.
Lucius Asinius Gallus, consul in AD 62.
Asinius Pollio, the commander of a regiment of horse, serving under Lucceius Albinus in Mauretania, was slain in AD 69, when the troops espoused the side of Vitellius.
Lucius Asinius Pollio Verrucosus, consul in AD 81.
Marcus Asinius M. f. M. n. Marcellus, consul in AD 104.
Asinius Rufus, a friend of Tacitus and the younger Plinius, the latter of whom recommends Asinius Bassus, the son of Rufus, to Fundanus.
Asinius Bassus, son of Asinius Rufus, recommended to Fundanus by Gaius Plinius Secundus.
Gaius Asinius Frugi, monetalis in Phrygia between AD 98 and 116.
Gaius Asinius Rufus, perhaps the son of C. Asinius Frugi, became a senator in AD 136.
Gaius Asinius C. f. Nichomachus, b. circa AD 135.
Gaius Asinius C. f. C. n. Rufus, b. circa AD 160.
Gaius Asinius C. f. C. n. Quadratus Protimus, b. circa AD 165, proconsul of Achaea circa AD 211.
Gaius Asinius C. f. C. n. Julius Quadratus.
Gaius Asinius C. f. C. n. Quadratus, nephew of Promotus, a notable historian of the third century.
Asinius Dento, a person whom Cicero calls nobilis sui generis, was primus pilus under Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus in 51 BC, and was killed near Mount Amanus.
Asinius, a friend of Marcus Antonius, who surreptitiously crept into the senate after the death of Caesar, 44 BC.
Gaius Asinius Lepidus Praetextatus, consul in AD 242.
Gaius Asinius Nicomachus Julianus, Proconsul of Asia c. 220.
