A'tia Gens
plebeian.
The word is always written on coins with one
t ; but in manuscripts we find both
Attius and
Atius. This gens does not appear to have been of any great antiquity, and none of its members ever attained the consulship; but, since Augustus was connected with it on his mother's side [ATIA], the flattery of the poets derived its origin from Atys, the son of Alba, and father of Capys. (
Verg. A. 5.568.)
The cognomens of the Atii are BALBUS, LABIENUS, RUFUS, VARUS : for those who have no cognomens, see ATIUS. The only cognomens which occur on coins are Balbus and Labienus. (Eckhel, v. p. 145.)