nātĭo, ōnis, f. [nascor], a being born, birth; hence, transf.
I Personified, Natio, the goddess of birth : Natio quoque dea putanda est, quae, quia partus matronarum tueatur, a nascentibus Natio nominata est, Cic. N. D. 3, 18, 47 (al. Nascio).—
II A breed, stock, kind, species, race (rare but class.; syn.: genus, stirps, familia): in hominibus emendis si natione alter est melior, emimus pluris, etc., Varr. L. L. 9, § 93 Müll.; Auct. B. Alex. 7, 3: natio optimatium, Cic. Sest. 44, 96: officiosissima candidatorum, id. Pis. 23, 55.—Also in a contemptuous sense, a race, tribe, set : salvete, fures maritimi, Famelica hominum natio, quid agitis? Plaut. Rud. 2, 2, 6: vestra natio (Epicureorum), Cic. N. D. 2, 29, 74: ardelionum, Phaedr. 2, 5, 1.—Of animals: praegnantes opere levant: venter enim labore nationem reddit deteriorem, Varr. R. R. 2, 6, 4; cf. id. L. L. 9, § 92 Müll.; and: in pecoribus quoque bonus proventus feturae bona natio dicitur, Paul. ex Fest. p. 167 Müll.—Transf., of things, a sort, kind (post-Aug.): nationes in apium naturā diximus, Plin. 22, 24, 50, § 109: cera natione Pontica, id. 21, 14, 49, § 83; cf. id. 12, 25, 55, § 125.—
B In a more restricted sense, a race of people , nation, people (used commonly in a more limited sense than gens, and sometimes as identical with it; cf.: gens, populus; usually applied by Cicero to distant and barbarous people): nam itast haec hominum natio; in Epidamniis Voluptarii, etc., Plaut. Men. 2, 1, 34: omnes nationes servitutem ferre possunt: nostra civitas non potest, Cic. Phil. 10, 10, 20; cf.: exteris nationibus ac gentibus ostendere, etc., id. Font. 11, 25: ne nationes quidem et gentes, id. N. D. 3, 39, 93; cf., in the reverse order: omnes exterae gentes ac nationes, id. Imp. Pomp. 11, 31: per omnes gentes nationesque, Quint. 11, 3, 87: eruditissima Graecorum natio, Cic. de Or. 2, 4, 18: Judaei et Syri, nationes natae servituti, id. Prov. Cons. 5, 10: immanes ac barbarae nationes, id. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 9, § 27: quod eas quoque nationes adire volebat, Caes. B. G. 3, 7: Suevi majorem Germaniae partem obtinent, propriis adhuc nationibus nominibusque discreti, Tac. G. 38: Gannascus, natione Canninefas, id. A. 11, 18: patre Camissare, natione Care, matre Scythissā natus, Nep. Dat. 1, 1: NATIONE CILIX, Inscr. Fabr. p. 495, n. 189; so in connection with names of cities: NATIONE ARRETIO, Inscr. Don. cl. 6, n. 181.—
2 Ad Nationes, the name of a portico in Rome, built by Augustus , where the images of all known nations were set up: ante aditum porticūs Ad Nationes, Plin. 36, 5, 4, § 39; cf. Serv. Verg. A. 8, 721.—
3 In eccl. Lat., like gens, and the Gr. ἔθνος, opp. to Christians, the heathen : per deos nationum, Tert. de Idol. 22.