plebeian, was originally Samnite. It never attained much eminence at Rome during the republic, but under the empire some of its members were raised to the consulship. During the republican period AQUILA is the only cognomen borne by the Roman Pontii; but in the imperial times we find various surnames, of which an alphabetical list is given below, after PONTIUS, where the Samnite Pontii are also mentioned.