Tere'ntia Gens
plebeian.
The name was said by Varro to be derived from the Sabine word
terenus, which signified " soft" (
Macr. 2.9.) The Terentii are mentioned as early as B. C. 462, for the C. Terentillus Arsa, who was tribune of the plebs in that year (
Liv. 3.9), must have belonged to the gens; and indeed he is called C. Terentius by Dionysius (
10.1).
The first member of the gens who obtained the consulship was C. Terentius Varro, who commanded at the fatal battle of Cannae in B. C. 216; and persons of the name continue to be mentioned under the early emperors.
The principal surnames of the Terentii during the republic are CULLEO, LUCANUS, and VARRO: there are a few others of less importance, which are given below under TERENTIUS.