plebeian, did not attain much importance till quite the latter end of the republic, although a person of this name is mentioned as early as B. C. 409. The first member of the gens who obtained the consulship was P. Silius Nerva, in B. C. 20. The different cognomens of the Silii are given below in alphabetical order. Nerva is the only cognomen that occurs on coins of the gens.