Poete'lia Gens
plebeian (
Dionys. A. R. 10.58), first occurs at the time of the decemvirate.
The name is frequently confounded with that of Petillis or Petilius [PETILLIA GENS.] The only family-name in this gens is that of Line, which is usually found with the agnomen
Visolus. Livy (
7.11), it is true, says that C. Poetelius
Balbus was consul B. C. 360 with M. Fabius Ambustus; but as the Capitoline Fasti make C. Poetelius Libo the colleague'of Fabius, and Balbus does not occur elsewhere as a cognomen of the Poetelii, the cognlomen in Livy is probably either an error or a corruption. All the other Poetelii bear the surname Libo with the exception of P. Poetelius, who was sent as one of the three ambassadors to Syphax in B. C. 210. (
Liv. 27.4.)