servi

Servi is a term with several uses in linguistic and historical contexts. Primarily, it appears in Latin as a form of the word servus, meaning slave or servant. In Classical Latin grammar, servi can be the nominative plural “the slaves” or the genitive singular “of a slave.” As such, the form occurs frequently in Roman texts to denote social status, ownership, or designation of people kept as slaves.

In historical sources, the Servi (often Latinized as Servii) refer to an ancient Italic group mentioned among the early peoples of central Italy. The surviving evidence about the Servi is fragmentary, and their exact geographic location, political role, and relations with Rome and other neighbors are matters of scholarly debate. Some discussions connect the name with early toponymy, folklore, or legendary accounts of Rome’s founding era, including later architectural legends associated with Servian walls and fortifications, though concrete details remain uncertain.

In modern usage, Servi appears as a surname in Italian and other cultures. The word also persists in Latin-derived contexts as a linguistic form or as part of historical names and discussions of ancient Italy. The term’s versatility means it may appear in linguistic studies, classical dictionaries, or discussions of Italic tribes and early Rome.

See also: Servian Walls, Servilia, Servitium. Notes on the plural of servus and related Latin forms are common in Latin glossaries and grammars.