Quinctilia gens
The gens Quinctilia, also written Quintilia, was a patrician family at ancient Rome, dating from the earliest period of Roman history, and continuing well into imperial times. Despite its great antiquity, the gens never attained much historical importance. The only member who obtained the consulship under the Republic was Sextus Quinctilius in 453 BC. The gens produced numerous praetors and other magistrates, but did not obtain the consulship again for over four hundred years. Origin. The nomen Quinctilius is a patronymic surname, based on the praenomen "Quintus", meaning "fifth". "Quinctilius" is the correct orthography, but "Quintilius" is also  quite common. The gens Quinctia is derived from the same praenomen. It was not unusual for multiple nomina to be derived from a common source; the Sabine name "Pompo" is the Oscan equivalent of "Quintus", and gave rise to the gentes Pompilia and Pomponia. According to legend, the Quinctilii predated the founding of Rome. When the brothers Romulus and Remus had restored their grandfather, Numitor, to the throne of Alba Longa, they set out to establish a new city in the hills overlooking the Tiber. They offered up sacrifices in the cave of the Lupercal at the base of the  Palatine Hill, which rite became the origin of the religious festival of the Lupercalia. The followers of Romulus were called the "Quinctilii" or "Quinctiliani", while those of Remus were the "Fabii" or "Fabiani". In historic times, the two colleges of priests, known as "Luperci", who carried out the sacred rituals of the Lupercalia, were known by these names, suggesting that in the earliest times, the gentes Quinctilia and Fabia superintended these rites as a "sacrum gentilicium". Another example of such responsibilities concerned the Pinarii and the Potitii, who maintained the worship of Hercules. Such sacred rites were gradually transferred to  the state, or opened to the Roman "populus;" a well-known legend attributed the destruction of the Potitii to the abandonment of their religious office. In later times, the privilege of the Lupercalia had ceased to be confined to the Fabii and the Quinctilii. Praenomina. The principal names used by the Quinctilii were "Publius" and "Sextus". A few of the Quinctilii bore the praenomina "Lucius, Marcus", and "Titus". Although the name must have been used by one of their ancestors, none of the Quinctilii known to history were named "Quintus". Branches and cognomina. The only family-name of the Quinctilii  under the Republic is "Varus", a common surname meaning "bent, crooked," or "knock-kneed." Other cognomina are found in imperial times.