Thegens Pasidiena, occasionally found asPassidiena, and perhaps the same asPassidinia, was an obscureplebeian family atancient Rome. It is chiefly known from two individuals who held theconsulship during the first century.
The morphology of thenomenPasidienus indicates that the family was probably not ofLatin origin. The gentile-forming suffix-enus was typical of names fromPicenum and the vicinity, suggesting that the Pasidieni were ofPicentine orUmbrian descent. Names of this class were frequently formed from other gentiles.[1]Pasidienus would therefore have been derived from an older nomen,Pasidius, which is indeed found in a number of instances. The suffix-idius was originally used to form gentilicia from cognomina ending in-idus; but as with other gentile-forming suffixes,-idius was stereotyped, and occasionally appears in cases where there is no morphological justification. There is no evidence of a correspondingcognomen,Pasidus.[2]
^Gallivan gives his name asAulus Licinius Nerva Silianus Pasidienus Firmus, which interpretation is suggested byAE 1946, 124; butAE 1978, 658 demonstrates that Aulus Licinius Nerva Silianus was the colleague of Publius Pasidienus Firmus, and not the same man. The second inscription was not yet published when Gallivan addressed the consuls of 65.
Paul A. Gallivan, "Some Comments on theFasti for the Reign of Nero", inClassical Quarterly, vol. 24, pp. 290–311 (1974), "TheFasti for A.D. 70–96", inClassical Quarterly, vol. 31, pp. 186–220 (1981).
John C. Traupman,The New College Latin & English Dictionary, Bantam Books, New York (1995).
