Claudius gens: Encyclopedia II - Claudius gens - Gens Claudia branches

Claudius gens - Gens Claudia branches

There were three of four major branches of the Claudian gens at the end of the Republic. Those with the cognomen Nero were prominent patrician senators during the late Republic; they favoured the praenomen Tiberius. However, the Neros joined the gens Julia when Tiberius Claudius Nero, the son of another Ti. Claudius Nero and Livia Drusilla (herself a Claudian Nero through her father Marcus Livius Drusus Claudianus) was adopted by Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (see Julio-Claudian dynasty).

Those Claudii with the cognomen Marcellus were plebians and had three consuls in three successive years (51-49 BC; two brothers and their first cousin); they favoured the praenomina Gaius and Marcus. Gaius Claudius Marcellus (consul 49 BC) was married to Augustus' sister Octavia and their son was married to Augustus' daughter, Julia.

Those Claudii with the cognomen Pulcher (fem. Pulchra, meaning "beautiful") were patricians and also very prominent in the late republic; they favoured the praenomina Appius (the only family to bear this praenomen) and Publius. A plebian offshoot of this family was created when a Publius Claudius Pulcher had himself adopted by a plebian (for political reasons) and was thereafter known as Publius Clodius; his sister Clodia also adopted this vulgar spelling.

Claudia (and Clodia) were the forms used by women.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Gens Claudia branches", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki