Regillus
- A town of the Sabines, whence Appius Claudius emigrated to Rome, Liv. 2, 16 Drak.; also called Rēgilli, ōrum, m., Suet. Tib. 1.— Hence, Rēgillānus, a, um, and Rēgillensis, e, adj., of or belonging to Regillus: Claudius Appius Regillanus, Suet. Tib. 2: Claudius Regillensis, Liv. 8, 15.—
- II A small lake in Latium (the mod. Cornufelle), celebrated for the victory over the Latins gained there by the Romans under the dictator Postumius, Cic. N. D. 3, 5, 11; called also lacus Regillus, Liv. 2, 19; Plin. 33, 2, 11, § 38; and Regilli lacus, Flor. 1, 11, 2; Aur. Vict. Vir. Ill. 16.— Hence, Rēgillensis, surname of the Postumii: M. Postumio Regillensi, Liv. 4, 49, 7: A. et L. Postumii Regillenses, id. 6, 22, 5.—
- III A Roman surname in the Aemilian gens, Cic. Att. 12, 24, 2: M. Aemilius Regillus, Liv. 24, 7 fin.; 8; 29, 11 fin.; 38.
the name of a family of the patrician Aemilia gens.
1. M. Aemilius Regillus, had been declared consul, with T. Otacilius, for B. C. 214, by the centuria praerogativa, and would undoubtedly have been elected, had not Q. Fabius Maximus, who presided at the comitia, pointed out that there was need of generals of more experience to cope with Hannibal, and urged in addition, that Regillus, in consequence of his being Flamen Quirinalis, ought not to leave the city. Regillus and Otacilius were therefore disappointed in their expectations, and Fabius Maximus himself was elected, with M. Claudius Marcellus, in their stead. Regillus died in B. C. 205, at which time he is spoken of as Flamen Martialis. (Liv. 24.7, 8, 9, 29.11.)
2. L. Aemilius Regillus, probably son of the preceding, was praetor B. C. 190, in the war against Antiochus. He received as his province the command of the fleet, and carried on the naval operations with vigour and success. Supported by the Rhodians, he defeated the fleet of Antiochus, commanded by Polyxenidas, near Myonnesus, a small island off the Ionian coast, and afterwards took the town of Phocaea [Polyxenidas]. He obtained a triumph on his return to Rome in the following year. (Liv. 36.45, 37.2, 4, 14_32, 58; Appian, App. Syr. 26, 27.)
3. M. Aemilius (Regillus), a brother of No. 2, whom he accompanied in the war against Antiochus : he died at Samos in the course of the year, B. C. 190. (Liv. 37.22.)
It would appear that this family became extinct soon afterwards. We learn from a letter of Cicero (Cic. Att. 12.24.2) that Lepidus, probably M. Aemilius Lepidus, consul B. C. 78, had a son named Regillus, who was dead at the time that Cicero wrote. It is probable that Lepidus wished to revive the cognomen of Regillus in the Aemilia gens, just as he did that of Paulus, which he gave as a surname to his eldest son. [See Vol. II. p. 765b.]
(1) Marcus, a Roman, had been declared consul, with T. Otacilius, for B.C. 214, by the Centuria Praerogativa, and would have been elected, had not Q. Fabius Maximus, who presided at the Comitia, pointed out that there was need of generals of more experience to cope with Hannibal. Regillus died in B.C. 205, at which time he is spoken of as Flamen Martialis.
(2) Lucius, son of the preceding, was praetor in B.C. 190, when he received the command of the fleet in the war against Antiochus.