Obellia gens
The gens Obellia was an obscure plebeian family at ancient Rome, known almost entirely from inscriptions. Origin. The only clue to the origins of the Obellii is an inscription from Samnium, naming Saluta Obellia, daughter of Ovius. Both "Saluta" and "Ovius" are Oscan names, and several other Obellii are mentioned in inscriptions from Samnium, suggesting that the Obellii were Samnites, or at least of Oscan origin. The nomen "Obellius" might be derived from a cognomen "Ovillus", from an adjective that means "pertaining to sheep", suggesting that an ancestor of the family was a shepherd. Another possibility is that  Obellius could be a variation on the Oscan name "Ofilius" or "Ofellius". Praenomina. The principal names of the Obelii were "Manius" and "Gaius". "Gaius" was among the most common of all praenomina, while "Manius" was considerably more distinctive, although not actually rare. A number of Obellii used other common praenomina, including "Lucius, Marcus, Publius, Quintus, Sextus", and "Titus". There was at least one "Spurius" Obellius, mentioned in an inscription from Philippi, and from an Oscan inscription, we know of an "Ovius" Obellius, and his daughter, "Saluta".