Valerians

Valerians is a plural term that can refer to several related uses tied to the name Valerius or Valeria. In classical Rome, it most often denotes members of the gens Valeria, one of the oldest Roman families. The Valerii occupied a range of political, religious, and military roles, and the family produced several consuls and notable statesmen. English usages occasionally render an individual as a Valerian instead of Valerius, and Valerians as a plural form appears in some historical texts, though Valerii is the standard Latin plural.

Beyond the Roman gens, the word can be used as a general ethnonym or toponym in contexts where places or communities named Valeria existed, but such usages lack consistency and are rarely encountered in modern scholarship.

In modern times, Valerians may appear as a surname or as a fictional group name in literature or media. The term should not be confused with valerian, the common name for the plant Valeriana officinalis, which is unrelated to the Roman name.

Notable Valerians include Publius Valerius Publicola, an early Roman consul; Valerius Flaccus, a poet; and other members of the gens Valeria who contributed to Roman politics and religion. The Latin adjective Valerianus gave rise to later forms in European languages and to various derivatives used in historical and literary contexts.