The gens Pontilia was an obscure plebeian family at ancient Rome. Hardly any members of this gens appear in history, but a number of them are mentioned in inscriptions. Origin The nomen Pontilius belongs to a class of gentilicia which were originally derived from cognomina ending in -ilus. However, such names were so common that the ending came to be regarded as a regular gentile-forming suffix, and was applied in cases where there was no morphological justification. This may have been the case with Pontilius, which is probably derived from the Oscan praenomen Pompo or Pomptus, which also gave rise to several other nomina, including Pompilius, Pomponius, and Pontius. Pompo was the Oscan cognate of the Latin praenomen Quintus, and thus Pontilius was equivalent to Latin gentes such as Quinctia and Quinctilia. Praenomina The chief praenomina of the Pontilii were Gaius, Marcus, Lucius, and Numerius. The first three were the most common praenomina throughout Roman history, while Numerius was mainly used by plebeian families, especially those of Oscan origin. Other praenomina are occasionally found, with instances of Publius, Sextus, and Titus, all of which were very common. Members Pontilia, buried at Rome. Pontilius, named in an inscription from Carthage in Africa Proconsularis. Pontilius M. f., son of Marcus Pontilius Urbanus and Fortunata, buried at Atina in Lucania, in a tomb dating to the third century AD, or the latter part of the second. Gaius Pontilius, mentioned by Appian one of the allied leaders during the Social War, may be a mistake for "Gaius Pontidius", which is what he is called by Velleius Paterculus. Gaius Pontilius, one of the masters of Philippus, a slave mentioned in an inscription from Carthago Nova in Hispania Citerior. Gaius Pontilius, named in an inscription from the present site of Mechta 'Ain el Msad, formerly part of Numidia. Marcus Pontilius, one of the masters of Philippus. Marcus Pontilius, named in an inscription from Aquileia in Venetia and Histria. Numerius Pontilius, buried at Atina. Gaius Pontilius Bantius, named in a libationary inscription from Thignica in Africa Proconsularis. Pontilius Caedimnus, a friend of Gnaeus Julius Maturus, a quattuorvir buried at Hipponium in Bruttium, during the second or third centuries AD. Numerius Pontilius Campanus, buried at Atina, in a tomb dedicated by his children. Marcus Pontilius Cerealis, named in an inscription from Rome. Gaius Pontilius Coronarius, named in a libationary inscription from Thignica. Pontilius Crescens, buried at Ausafa in