Coponius
- the name of a plebeian family at Rome, e. g. the two brothers, T. and C. Coponii, Cic. Cael. 10, 24; id. Balb. 23, 53.
- —Hence, Cōpōnĭānus, a, um, adj., of or pertaining to Coponius, Cic. Att. 12, 31, 2.
the name of a Roman family, which originally came from Tibur. The name occurs in an inscription found at Tibur.
1. T. Coponius, of Tibur, a man of distinguished merit and rank, was made a Roman citizen upon the condemnation of C. Masso, whom he accused. (Cic. pro Balb. 23.)
2. M. Coponius, had a celebrated law-suit respecting an inheritance with M'. Curius, B. C. 93. The cause of Coponius was pleaded by Q. Scaevola, and that of Curius by L. Crassus, in the court of the centumviri. (Cic. de Orat. 1.39, 2.32, Brut. 552.) [Curius.]
3. 4. T. and C. Coponi, two grandsons of No. 1, are spoken of by Cicero in B. C. 56 as two young men of great acquirements. (Cic. pro Balb. 23, pro Cael. 10.) C. Coponius is probably the same as No. 6.
5. Coponus, was left in command of Carrae in the expedition of Crassus against the Parthians, B. C. 53. (Plut. Crass. 27.) He may also have been the same as No. 6.
6. C. Coponius, one of the praetors on the breaking out of the civil war in B. C. 49. He espoused the side of Pompey, followed him into Greece, and had the command of the Rhodian ships conjointly with C. Marcellus. (Cic. Att. 8.12, A.; Caes. Civ. 3.5, 26; Cic. de Div. 1.32, 2.55.) Coponius was proscribed by the triumvirs in B. C. 43, but his wife obtained his pardon from Antony by the sacrifice of her honour. (Appian, App. BC 3.40.) He is afterwards mentioned shortly before the battle of Actium as the father-in-law of Silius, and as a greatly respected member of the senate. (Vell. 2.83.)
The following coin was probably struck by order of this Coponius. It contains on the obverse the head of Apollo, with the inscription Q. Sicinius IIIVir (that is, of the mint), and on the reverse a club with the skin of a lion upon it, and the inscription C. COPONIUS Pr. S. C. The reverse no doubt has reference to Hercules, whose worship prevailed at Tibur.
a Roman sculptor, author of the fourteen statues of nations conquered by Pompey, which were placed at the entrance of the porticoes belonging to the theatre of Pompey at Rome, which gave to this entrance-hall the name of Porticus ad Nationes. This was built by Pompey himself, and afterwards restored by Augustus. (Plin. Nat. 36.4. §§ 12, 13; Suet. Cl. 46; Serv. ad Virg. Aen. 8.720; Thiersch, Epoch. p. 296; Urlichs, Beschreib. der Stadt Rom, 3.3, p. 59.) [L.U]