 the gens licinia was a celebrated plebeian family at rome, which appears from the earliest days of the republic until imperial times, and which eventually obtained the imperial dignity. the first of the gens to obtain the consulship was gaius licinius calvus stolo, who, as tribune of the plebs from 376 to 367 bc, prevented the election of any of the annual magistrates, until the patricians acquiesced to the passage of the lex licinia sextia, or licinian rogations. this law, named for licinius and his colleague, lucius sextius, opened the consulship for the first time to the plebeians. licinius himself was subsequently elected consul in 364 and 361 bc, and from this time, the licinii became one of the most illustrious gentes in the republic.wilhelm drumann, geschichte roms.dictionary of greek and roman biography and mythology, william smith, editor. ==origin of the gens== the nomen licinius is derived from the cognomen licinus, found in a number of roman gentes. licinus may have been an ancient praenomen, but few examples of its use as such are known. the name appears to be derived from the etruscan lecne, which frequently occurs on etruscan sepulchral monuments. the licinii were probably of etruscan origin, and may have come to rome during the time of the later kings, two of whom, lucius tarquinius priscus and his son or grandson, lucius tarquinius superbus, were themselves etruscan. etruscan players were brought in to take part in the theatrical performances (ludi scaenici) first established in the consulship of gaius licinius calvus. this could, however, be coincidental, as the historian livy explains that the games were instituted in order to palliate the anger of the gods.luigi lanzi, saggio di lingua etrusca (rome, 1789), vol. ii. p. 342.titus livius, ab urbe condita, vii. 2. ==praenomina used by the gens== the chief praenomina used by the licinii were publius, gaius, lucius, and marcus, all of which were very common throughout roman history. the family occasionally used sextus, and there is at least one instance of gnaeus during the 1st century bc [[aulus (praenomen)|aulus]
Licinii Roman_gentes