Natta

or Nacca, "a fuller" (Festus, s.v. Appul. Met. ix. p. 636, ed. Ouden.), was the name of a family of the Pinaria gens. Natta, or Nata, which we find upon coins, seems to be the correct orthography. The Nattae are very rarely mentioned, but appear to have been a very ancient family. Cicero speaks in general of the Pinarii Nattae as nobiles, and mentions an ancient bronze statue of a Natta, which was struck by lightning in the consulship of Torquatus and Cotta, B. C. 65. (Cic. de Div. 1.12, 2.20, 21.)

1. L. Pinarius Natta, magister equitum to the dictator L. Manlius Capitolinus, B. C. 363, and praetor, B. C. 349. Livy does not give his cognomen, but it is preserved in the Fasti Capitolini. Liv. 7.3, 25.)

2. L. Pinarius Natta was the brother of the wife of the celebrated tribune P. Clodius, and obtained a seat in the college of pontiffs through the influence of his brother-in-law, who passed over his own brother in favour of Natta. Through his connection with Clodius, he was one of the enemies of Cicero, who mentions him on one or two occasions. (Cic. pro Dom. 45, 52, ad Att. 4.8, b. § 3.) The gentile name of Natta is only mentioned in a passage of Servius (ad Virg. Aen. 8.269), who calls him Pinarius Natta, but the genuineness of this passage has been called in question by Wolf (ad Cic. pro Dom. l.c.). Now as we read of only one wife of Clodius, namely, Fulvia, it has been usually supposed that the above L. Natta was the brother of this Fulvia, and that his full name was therefore L. Fulvius Natta*; but Drumann has brought forward (Geschichte Roms, vol. ii. p. 370) reasons which render it very probable, that Clodius had, previous to his marriage with Fulvia, married another wife of the name of Pinaria, and that L. Natta was the brother of the latter and not the brother of Fulvia. The name of Natta is otherwise unknown in the Fulvia gens. The mother of Natta and of his sister Pinaria married a second time L. Murena, consul B. C. 62, and we consequently find Natta described as a step-son of Murena. (Cic. pro Muren. 35, pro Dom. 52.) * Hence we frequently find Natta or Nacca given as a cognomen in the Fulvia gens, as is stated in the article FULVIA GENS; but if Drumann's supposition is correct, and we believe it is, this is a mistake.

3. Pinarius Natta, a client of Sejanus, and one of the two accusers of Cremutius Cordus, A. D. 25. (Tac. Ann. 4.34.)

4. Natta, a person satirised by Horace (Sat. 1.6. 124) for his dirty meanness, was probably a member of the noble Pinarian family, and therefore attacked by Horace for such conduct.

The coin annexed refers to some Pinarius Natta, but who he was is quite uncertain. The obverse represents a winged head of Pallas, the reverse Victory in a chariot drawn by two horses.

or Nacca. “A fuller;” the name of an ancient family of the gens Pinaria. The Natta satirized by Horace for his dirty habits was perhaps a member of the Pinarian family, and therefore attacked by the poet for such conduct; but more likely the name was given to heighten a contrast between the appellation and the manners of the man (Hor. Sat. i. 6, 124).