Gaius Catellius Celer
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Gaius Catellius Celer (also known as Lucius Pompeius Vopiscus Gaius Catellius Celer) was a Roman senator who flourished during the Flavian dynasty. He served as suffect consul for the nundinium September-October 77 with Marcus Arruntius Aquila as his colleague.[1]
The nomen "Catellius" is rare. Ronald Syme could only find it represented in three cities: Aesernia (modern Isernia),[2] Forum Sempronii (modern Fossombrone),[3] and Volsinii,[4] where four freedmen of a Lucius Catellius are attested. Syme has narrowed the choice between these: a fragmentary name "Q. Pompeius [...] Cat[...]" attested at Volsinii,[5] points to Volsinii as his home town.[6]
At times Celer also included the nomen "Arruntius" in his name, indicating either that his mother belonged to that family, or he received a legacy from someone of that family in return for adopting that person's name, a practice referred to by scholars as "testamentary adoption". Further, no later than AD 80 Celer adopted the longer version of his name -- Lucius Pompeius Vopiscus Catellius Celer -- suggesting he accepted another testamentary adoption around that time, in this case from one Lucius Pompeius Vopiscus.[7] This Pompeius Vopiscus might be the suffect consul of 69.[8]