Pontius

Pontĭus, i, m., the name of a gens, originally Samnite, afterwards Roman. So,

• I C. Pontius, a leader of the Samnites, who surrounded the Romans in the Caudine Pass, Cic. Off. 2, 21, 75; Liv. 9, 1; Flor. 1, 16, 10.—
• II L. Pontius Aquila, one of the assassins of Caesar, Cic. Phil. 11, 6, 14; Asin. Poll. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 33, 4; Suet. Caes. 78. —
• III Pontius Pilatus, governor of Judaea in the time of Christ, Tac. A. 15, 44; Tert. Apol. 21; Lact. 4, 18; Sed. Carm. 5, 116.

Pontius, a, um, Name eines urspr. samnitischen, später röm. Geschlechtes, aus dem bekannt C. Pontius, Anführer der Samniter bei Kaudium, Cic. de off. 2, 75. Liv. 9, 1, 2. Flor. 1, 16, 10: L. Pontius Aquila, einer der Mörder Cäsars, Asin. Poll. in Cic. ep. 10, 33, 4. Suet. Caes. 78, 2 (ders. bl. Aquila, Cic. Phil. 11, 14): u. bes. Pontius Pīlātus, Statthalter von Judäa zu Christi Zeit, Tac. ann. 15, 44. Tert. apol. 21. Lact. 4, 18, 4 (ders. bl. Pilatus, Sedul. carm. 5, 116).

1 Pontius [CL=name of Roman gens] , a (w. ref. to Pontius Pilate); b (as personal name). a inde traditus est ~io Pilato presidi prima mane Theod. Laterc. 10; ~ius, declinans consilium GlC Interp. Nom. 242; deinde missus est a Tiberio ~ius Pilatus Judee procurator M. Par. Maj. I 93.  b 1085 Drogo filius ~ii (Chirog.) EHR XLIV 372; hunc autem ~ium in principio egritudinis illius graviter ‥ offendisse novimus episcopum Ad. Eyns. Hug. V 17 p. 203.

Pontĭus, (12) ĭī, m. , ¶ 1 Pontius Hérennius [général des Samnites, qui fit passer les Romains sous le joug aux Fourches Caudines] : Cic. Off. 2, 75 ¶ 2 L. Pontius Aquila [un des meurtriers de César] : Pollio d. Cic. Fam. 10, 33, 4 ; Suet. Cæs. 78 ; Aquila seul Cic. Phil. 11, 14 ¶ 3 Ponce Pilate : Tac. Ann. 15, 44 ; v. Pilatus.

Pontius

(1) A special name of the sea-god Glaucus (q.v.).

(2) Gaius, a Samnite general who defeated the Romans in B.C. 321.

(3) Aquila, a friend of Cicero. He was one of the assassins of Iulius Caesar. He fell at the battle of Mutina, B.C. 43.

(4) Pilātus. The sixth procurator of Iudaea (Tac. Ann. xv. 44). He held office for ten years under Tiberius, from A.D. 26 to 36, and during this period Christ was put to death. His tyrannical conduct in office and the consequent complaints made by the Samaritans led Vitellius, the governor of Syria, to depose him and send him to Rome for trial. He committed suicide in the reign of Caligula (Euseb. H. E. ii. 7).

(5) Telesinus. A Samnite, and commander of a Samnite army, with which he fought against Sulla. He was defeated by Sulla in a hard-fought battle near the Colline Gate, B.C. 82. He fell in the fight; his head was cut off, and carried under the walls of Praenesté, to let the younger Marius know that his last hope of succour was gone (Vell. Pat. ii. 27).

(6) Brother of the preceding, was shut up in Praenesté with the younger Marius, when his brother was defeated by Sulla. After the death of the elder Pontius, Marius and Telesinus, finding it impossible to escape from Praenesté, resolved to die by one another's hands. Telesinus fell first, and Marius put an end to his own life or was slain by his slave. See Marius.