What is "ennius"

Quintus Ennius (; c. 239 – c. 169 BC) was a writer during the period of the Roman Republic, and is often considered the father of Roman poetry. He was an Oscan (a linguistic group of peoples who lived in parts of central and southern Italy) from Calabria (the ancient name for the Salento, the peninsula which forms southern Apulia). Although only fragments of his works survive, his influence in Latin literature was significant, particularly in his use of Greek literary models.