Furia gens

The gens Furia, originally written Fusia, and sometimes found as Fouria on coins, was one of the most ancient and noble patrician houses at Rome.

A legendary figure named Spurius Fusius appears representing the Roman priests in the time of Tullus Hostilius.

However, the cognomen Medullinus, which belonged to the oldest branch of the gens, may indicate that the family came from the ancient Latin city of Medullia, which was conquered by Ancus Marcius, the fourth King of Rome, toward the end of the 7th century BC.

A poet during the late second century BC bore the praenomen Aulus, while a Furius of equestrian rank during the time of Cicero was named Numerius.

[1] The cognomina of this gens are Aculeo, Bibaculus, Brocchus, Camillus, Crassipes, Fusus, Luscus, Medullinus, Pacilus, Philus, and Purpureo.

[1][7] All of the early Medullini probably bore the additional surname Fusus, probably an ancient praenomen that had fallen out of use before historical times, from which the nomen Furius (originally Fusius) was derived.

[11] Of the other surnames borne by families of the Furii, Aculeo, "sharp", is probably derived from aculeus, a spur;[7] Bibaculus originally referred to a tippler;[12] Brocchus to someone with prominent teeth;[13] Crassipes means "thick-footed";[14] Luscus "one-eyed";[13] and Philus is borrowed from the Greek Φιλος.

Marcus Furius Camillus, detail of a fresco by Domenico Ghirlandaio (1449–1494).
Denarius of Furius Purpureo, 169-158 BC. On the obverse is the head of Roma. The reverse shows Luna driving a biga, with a murex-shell above. [ 6 ]
Denarius of Marcus Furius Philus, 119 BC. The obverse bears a head of Janus , while on the reverse Victoria , carrying a sceptre, places a wreath on a military trophy decorated with Gallic equipment and carnyces .
Denarius of Publius Furius Crassipes, 84 BC. The obverse depicts the head of Cybele , with a foot behind, an allusion to his cognomen. The reverse shows a curule chair, referring to his position of curule aedile.
Denarius of Lucius Furius Brocchus, 63 BC. The obverse features the head of Ceres , with a corn-ear on the left and a barley-grain on the right. On the reverse is a curule chair surrounded by fasces .