The gens Pollia () was a minor plebeian family at ancient Rome. The gens must have been very old, as one of the original Servian tribes was named after it, suggesting that the Pollii were important landowners during the Roman monarchy. However, few Pollii are mentioned in history, and none of them attained any of the higher offices of the Roman state. A number of Pollii are known from inscriptions. Origin The nomen Pollius seems to be a patronymic surname derived from the old praenomen Paullus, "little", which was little used in historical times, except in its feminine form, Paulla, or as a cognomen, particularly by the great patrician house of the Aemilii. An alternative derivation would be from the surname Pollio, originally referring to one who polished arms. Chase classifies Pollius among those gentilicia which either originated at Rome, or are not known to have come from anywhere else. Praenomina The Pollii used a variety of praenomina, especially Publius, Gaius, Marcus, Gnaeus, and Lucius, all of which were very common throughout Roman history. Other names appear occasionally, including Quintus and Numerius, of which the latter was widespread, but uncommon. Members Pollia, named in an funerary inscription found at Pombal, formerly part of Lusitania. Pollius, buried at Turris Libisonis in Sardinia, aged seven years, three months, and five days. Gaius Pollius, named in a funerary inscription found at Pombal. Gnaeus Pollius, named in an inscription found in the church of Santa Maria in Casalpiano, in Apulia. Publius Pollius P. l., a freedman named in an inscription from Baeterrae in Gallia Narbonensis. Quintus Pollius Q. l., a freedman named in an inscription from Tarracina in Latium, dating to the late first century BC or early first century AD. Gaius Pollius St. l. Acastus, a freedman named in an inscription from Rome. Quintus Pollius C. f. Africanus, son of Gaius Pollius Felix and Silvana Prima, named in an inscription from Amiternum in Sabinum. Gaius Pollius Albanus, named in a dedicatory inscription from Narona in Dalmatia. Lucius Pollius Albanus, named in inscriptions from Rome and Veii. Aulus Pollius P. l. Alexander, a freedman named in an inscription from Capua in Campania. Publius Pollius Anoptes, named in a funerary inscription from Rome. Lucius Pollius L. Ɔ. l. Anteros, named in an inscription from Rome. Marcus Pollius Apollonius, named in an inscription from Mediolanum in Gallia Transpadana Gnaeus Pollius Besa, named in a funerary inscription