Editing Petronia gens (section)

==Origin==
The Petronii were of [[Sabines|Sabine]] origin, as indicated by the surname ''Sabinus'', belonging to the legendary figure from the time of Tarquin, and alluded to by coins minted by Publius Petronius Turpilianus, depicting the death of [[Tarpeia]], whom according to legend was persuaded by the Sabines under [[Titus Tatius]] to open the citadel to them, in the time of [[Romulus]].<ref name="Eckhel Turpilianus">Eckhel, vol. v, p. 270 ''ff'', vol. vi., p. 99.</ref>  The nomen ''Petronius'' appears to be a patronymic surname derived from the [[Oscan language|Oscan]] [[praenomen]] ''Petro'' or ''Petrus'', the Oscan equivalent of the [[Latin]] ''Quartus'', fourth, and making ''Petronius'' cognate with a number of obscure Latin [[Nomen gentilicium|gentilicia]], such as ''[[Quartia gens|Quartius]]'' and ''[[Quartinia gens|Quartinius]]''.<ref>Petersen, "The Numerical Praenomina of the Romans", p. 353 and note 24.</ref>  An alternative derivation would be from the [[cognomen]] ''Petrus'', a rustic, although this may also derive from the Oscan praenomen.  ''Petronius'' belongs to a large class of gentilicia derived from other names ending in ''-o'', most of which are plebeian.<ref>Chase, pp. 118–120.</ref>