524 Sentences With "praenomen" | Random Sentence Generator

Gaius, sometimes spelled Gajus, Cajus, Caius, was a common Latin praenomen; see Gaius (praenomen).

Under the empire, confusion seems to have developed as to precisely what constituted a praenomen and how it should be used. A number of emperors considered Imperator as a praenomen, and thus part of their names. As a larger percentage of the Roman populace came from backgrounds that had never used traditional Roman names, the praenomen was frequently omitted, or at least ignored. In its place, an increasing number of magistrates and officials placed common nomina, frequently with praenomen-like abbreviations.

The praenomen, even under the classic system, had never been particularly distinctive because of the limited number of praenomina available. Between the late Republic and the second century AD, the praenomen gradually became less used and eventually disappeared altogether. Even among the senatorial aristocracy it became a rarity by about 300 AD. In part this came about through a tendency for the same praenomen to be given to all males of a family, thereby fossilizing a particular preaenomen/nomen combination and making the praenomen even less distinctive e.g. all males in the emperor Vespasian's family (including all his sons) had the praenomen/nomen combination Titus Flavius:Salway, p.

It may be that when Attius Clausus adopted a Latin name, he chose a praenomen that was the Latin cognate of his own, or that he chose the Latin praenomen that sounded the closest.

The nomen Secundius is derived from the cognomen Secundus, originally indicating a second child. The name was probably an old praenomen, but if so the masculine form had fallen out of use by historical times, and is not found as a praenomen under the Republic. The feminine form, Secunda, was used by Roman women as both a praenomen and a cognomen.Chase, pp.

The nomen Novius is a patronymic surname, derived from the common Oscan praenomen Novius. Since both the praenomen and nomen have the same form, it can be difficult to determine in some cases whether persons named Novius bore it as a praenomen or a nomen gentilicium. In either case, the name itself establishes the Oscan origin of the Novii.Chase, pp.

The Scandilii used a variety of common praenomina, including Lucius, Gaius, Marcus, Publius, Quintus, Titus, and Aulus. One of the women of this family bore the Etruscan praenomen Hastia, perhaps the Etruscan equivalent of the old Latin praenomen Hosta.

The only praenomen associated with the known members of the gens is Titus.

The nomen Paccius is a patronymic surname, derived from an Oscan praenomen, found as Paccius or Paquius, frequently found among the Samnites.Chase, p. 139. The Roman Paccii would therefore seem to have been of Samnite, or at least Oscan descent. Because the praenomen and the gentile name shared the same form, it is difficult to determine in some cases whether the name was the bearer's praenomen or nomen.

Cicero has the praenomen as Gaius.Cicero, De re publica 2.60; Broughton, MRR1, p. 64.

III, p. 795 ("Sestia Gens"). The plebeian gens Sextilia was derived from the same praenomen.

The Roman Emperors usually had the titles of "Imperator Caesar Augustus" in their names. (which made their regnal names) Caesar came from the cognomen of Gaius Julius Caesar, Imperator meant Commander and Augustus meant venerable or majestic. The name usually went in two ways, Imperator (Praenomen, Nomen and Cognomen) Caesar Augustus or Imperator Caesar (Praenomen, Nomen and Cognomen) Augustus. Also, Imperator became a Praenomen of Roman Emperors, Augustus and Caesar became a cognomen of theirs.

The main praenomina of the Acutii were Marcus, Lucius, Quintus, and Gaius, four of the most common names throughout Roman history. A number of other praenomina received occasional use, of which only Publius appears regularly. Salvius, an Oscan praenomen, occurs once. Rufus, which also occurs, may have been a cognomen rather than a praenomen, although it was occasionally used as a praenomen in Cisalpine Gaul; or it may have been a servile name.

Gaius () is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, and was one of the most common names throughout Roman history. The feminine form is Gaia.Chase, pp. 174–176. The praenomen was used by both patrician and plebeian families, and gave rise to the patronymic gens Gavia.

Appius () is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, usually abbreviated Ap. or sometimes App., and best known as a result of its extensive use by the patrician gens Claudia. The feminine form is Appia. The praenomen also gave rise to the patronymic gens Appia.

130 The cognomen, as in Vespasian's family, then assumed the distinguishing function for individuals; where this happened, the cognomen replaced the praenomen in intimate address. The result was that two names remained in use for formal public address but instead of praenomen + nomen, it became nomen + cognomen.

Lucius ( , ) is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, which was one of the most common names throughout Roman history. The feminine form is Lucia ( , ). The praenomen was used by both patrician and plebeian families, and gave rise to the patronymic gentes Lucia and Lucilia, as well as the cognomen Lucullus. It was regularly abbreviated L.Dictionary of Greek & Roman Biography & Mythology Throughout Roman history, Lucius was the most common praenomen, used slightly more than Gaius and somewhat more than Marcus.

The nomen Titius is a patronymic surname, based on the praenomen Titus, which must have belonged to the ancestor of the gens. Titus was roughly the sixth-most common Latin praenomen throughout Roman history. However, it has been conjectured that it was introduced to Latin through Titus Tatius, a Sabine king in the time of Romulus, who came to Rome with many of his subjects. If Titus was originally a Sabine praenomen, then the Titii may have been Sabines.

Postuma was delivered some months after Sulla's death. It is uncertain if her name "Postumia" was a praenomen or cognomen as the usage of the name "Postuma" as a female praenomen is unattested in eppigraphical evidence for the Roman Republic period but it would have been unusual to give a cognomen at such an early date. The male equvalent praenomen Postumus is well attested. Her birth was highly significant as it unified Sulla's family with that of her mothers.

Lists of praenomina used by the various people of Italy, together with their usual abbreviations, can be found at praenomen. Roman men were usually known by their praenomina to members of their family and household, clientes and close friends; but outside of this circle, they might be called by their nomen, cognomen, or any combination of praenomen, nomen, and cognomen that was sufficient to distinguish them from other men with similar names. In the literature of the Republic, and on all formal occasions, such as when a senator was called upon to speak, it was customary to address a citizen by praenomen and nomen; or, if this were insufficient to distinguish him from other members of the gens, by praenomen and cognomen. In imperial times, the praenomen became increasingly confused by the practices of the aristocracy.

37 (extract from Pomponius, with the wrong praenomen Gaius).Wheeler, "'Sapiens' and Stratagems", p. 190 (note 98).

The root of the name might be the Oscan praenomen Seppis or Seppius, equivalent to the rare Latin praenomen Septimus, originally referring to a seventh son or seventh child. In this case, Septueius would be cognate with other gentilicia, including that of the Septimia gens.Chase, pp. 131, 150, 151.

The praenomen most closely associated with the Curii is Manius. However, other members of the gens bore the names Gaius and Quintus. It is uncertain whether the name Vibius, belonging to Vibius Curius, Caesar's general, was his praenomen, or if he was a member of the gens Vibia.

The only praenomen known to have been used by the family is Gnaeus. However, the Acerronii may once have used the name Proculus, which they later bore as a cognomen. They probably also used the feminine praenomen Paulla, which appears as a personal cognomen in the first century.

It could have been the praenomen of the woman's father, but was more probably his surname. Suavis, given in another filiation, is not known as a praenomen, and may also have been the father's surname, but because one of the persons named in the same inscription was either a slave or freedwoman, it may be that the Suavis referred to had been a slave, or at least was not a Roman citizen, and so did not possess a regular praenomen.

An Etruscan origin has been proposed, in which the name might have meant something akin to "city dweller", and been synonymous with the Latin praenomen Publius.Deecke, "Der Dativ Larϑiale", p. 43. Although the praenomen eventually vanished into obscurity, as a gentilicium, Spurius remained common throughout the centuries of the empire.

The nomen Publilius is a patronymic surname based on the Latin praenomen Publius, with which it is frequently confused.

The praenomen most associated with the Domitii was Gnaeus. The Domitii Calvini also used Marcus, while the Ahenobarbi used Lucius.

Chase, pp. 109, 110.New College Latin & English Dictionary, s. v. barbula. Paullus, occasionally found as Paulus, was an old praenomen, meaning "little".Chase, pp. 109, 110, 150. As a praenomen, its masculine form had fallen into disuse at Rome, although the feminine form, Paulla, in various orthographies, was very common.Chase, pp. 165, 166.

Paullus is the Latin word for small. Chase believed that the name was originally a cognomen that was occasionally used as a praenomen, but this opinion seems inconsistent with the usual practice, and the frequency with which the feminine form of the name was used as a praenomen. Most, if not all praenomina had both masculine and feminine forms. The prominence of Paulla at all periods of Roman history seems to indicate that Paullus was originally a praenomen which had fallen out of general use, but which was still used from time to time.

Mettius is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, which was used in pre-Roman times and perhaps during the early centuries of the Roman Republic, but which was obsolete by the 1st century BC. The feminine form is Mettia. The patronymic gens Mettia was derived from this praenomen. The name was rare in historical times, and not regularly abbreviated.Dictionary of Greek & Roman Biography & MythologyRealencyclopädie der Classischen AltertumswissenschaftTitus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita, book I The praenomen Mettius is known primarily from two individuals who lived during the earliest period of Roman history.

Marcus () is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, which was one of the most common names throughout Roman history. The feminine form is Marca or Marcia. The praenomen was used by both patrician and plebeian families, and gave rise to the patronymic gens Marcia, as well as the cognomen Marcellus. It was regularly abbreviated M.Dictionary of Greek & Roman Biography & MythologyRealencyclopädie der Classischen AltertumswissenschaftMika Kajava, Roman Female Praenomina: Studies in the Nomenclature of Roman Women (1994) At all periods of Roman history, Marcus was the third-most popular praenomen, trailing only Lucius and Gaius.

The Nerii used a wide variety of praenomina, such as Lucius, Gaius, Titus, Gnaeus, Publius, Quintus, Marcus, Sextus, and Aulus, all of which were common throughout Roman history. The frequency with which some of these were used may have been increased by the number of freedmen of the gens, since a manumitted slave typically assumed both the praenomen and nomen of his former master. The surviving inscriptions also include one example of Numerius, a less common praenomen, and Ovius, an Oscan praenomen, presumably belonging to a Sabine or Samnite member of the family.

Vibius is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, which was occasionally used throughout the period of the Roman Republic and perhaps into imperial times. It gave rise to the patronymic gens Vibia. The feminine form is Vibia. As a praenomen, it was usually abbreviated V.Dictionary of Greek & Roman Biography & MythologyRealencyclopädie der Classischen AltertumswissenschaftMika Kajava, Roman Female Praenomina: Studies in the Nomenclature of Roman Women (1994) Although never especially common, the praenomen Vibius appears in a number of Roman families, including the gentes Anicia, Curia, Octavia, Oppia, Sestia, Sextia, and Vedia.

The nomen Ollius is probably another orthography of Aulius, a patronymic surname derived from the common praenomen Aulus.Chase, pp. 129, 153.

The ancestors of the gens must have used the praenomen Servius, but the family no longer used it in historical times.

The nomen Opetreius appears to be a patronymic surname based on the ancient praenomen Opiter, best known as a result of its use by the gentes Verginia and Lucretia during the early Republic. The nomen Opiternius is derived from the same praenomen, and both are probably related to other gentilicia, including Oppius and Opsius.Chase, pp. 148, 149.

By far the most abundant praenomen among the Praecilii was Lucius, accounting for more than half of all the individuals known from inscriptions. They also made regular use of Titus, Gaius, Publius, Quintus, and Marcus, all of which were very common throughout Roman history. The only other praenomen found among the Praecilii is Sextus, found in a filiation.

The most famous member of the Aulii bore the praenomen Quintus, as did his father and grandfather.Broughton, vol. I, pp. 149, 154.

The praenomen also gave rise to the patronymic gens Numeria.Chase, p. 127.Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. II, p.

A woman of the gens is known to have used the praenomen Quarta.Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, William Smith, Editor.

The abbreviations here include for servus or serva and for libertus or liberta. A slave might have more than one owner, in which case the names could be given serially. In some cases the owner's nomen or cognomen was used instead of or in addition to the praenomen. The liberti of women sometimes used an inverted "C", signifying the feminine praenomen Gaia, here used generically to mean any woman; and there are a few examples of an inverted "M", although it is not clear whether this was used generically, or specifically for the feminine praenomen Marca or Marcia.

The Calavii were a leading family in Campania for generations. Calavius (whom some manuscripts call by the Latin praenomen Aulus, instead of the Oscan praenomen Ofilius), was the son of Ovius Calavius, and apparently father of the brothers Ovius and Novius Calavius, who in 314 BC headed a conspiracy to mount an insurgency against the Romans.Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita, ix. 7, 26.

Decius is the Latin form of the Oscan praenomen Dekis, or its gentile equivalent, Dekiis. The praenomen itself is the Oscan equivalent of the Latin name Decimus, and thus the nomen Decius is cognate with the Latin Decimius. From this it may be supposed that the Decii were of Oscan extraction, perhaps arising from the Sabine portion of Rome's original inhabitants.Chase, p. 128.

The Pontii were of Samnite origin, and are first mentioned in connection with the Samnite Wars, after which some of them removed to Rome. Their nomen, Pontius, is a patronymic surname derived from the Oscan praenomen Pontus or Pomptus, cognate with the Latin praenomen Quintus. Thus, Pontius is the Samnite equivalent of the Roman gentes Quinctia and Quinctilia.Chase, pp. 127–129.

The nomen Sextilius is a patronymic surname, derived from the praenomen Sextus. The nomen of the gens Sextia was derived from the same name, much as the praenomen Quintus gave rise to the gentes Quinctia and Quinctilia.Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, William Smith, Editor.George Davis Chase, "The Origin of Roman Praenomina", in Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, vol.

The nomen Quartinius belongs to a class of gentilicia formed from other names, typically ending in -inus, suggesting the cognomen Quartinus, a diminutive of Quartus, fourth.Chase, p. 126. Quartus may have been an old praenomen that had fallen out of use by historical times, but continued in use as a cognomen. The feminine form, Quarta, was regularly used as both praenomen and cognomen.

The nomen Quartius is a patronymic surname, derived from the cognomen Quartus, fourth. There may at one time have been a praenomen Quartus, but it was not in general use in historical times, except in the feminine form, Quarta, which was regularly used as both a praenomen and cognomen.Petersen, "The Numeral Praenomina of the Romans", p. 353 and note 24.

Numerius, pp. 170, 173, ed. Müller. Although the Fabii Ambusti and some later branches of the family used the praenomen Gaius, Quintus is the name most frequently associated with the Fabii of the later Republic. The Fabii Maximi used it almost to the exclusion of all other names until the end of the Republic, when they revived the ancient praenomen Paullus.

As a nomen, Numerius is comparatively scarce relative to the praenomen Numerius, from which it is derived.Chase, pp. 131, 138. Numerius was not a particularly common praenomen, and is widely believed to have been of Sabine or Oscan origin, although despite its scarcity it was widely diffused among the Roman plebeians, and even received limited use by a few patrician families.

Little can be said about the praenomina of the early Nummii, for nearly all of the Nummii Albini, the only prominent family, bore the praenomen Marcus, and were distinguished from one another by their various other names. The only other praenomen occurring among the Nummii who appear in history is Titus, although in inscriptions we also find Lucius, Gaius, Publius, and Quintus.

Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum i. Despite ending in -a, it is a masculine name. The feminine form was probably Agrippina, which is also found as a cognomen, or surname, but no examples of its use as a praenomen have survived. The praenomen Agrippa was regularly used by two patrician gentes, gens Furia and gens Menenia, who held several consulships during the early Republic.

The gens Appia was a plebeian family at Rome. Its nomen, Appius, is a patronymic surname based on the praenomen Appius.Chase, pp. 151, 152.

Opiter ( or ) is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, which was used primarily during the early centuries of the Roman Republic. It is not usually abbreviated, but is sometimes found with the abbreviation Opet., apparently based on an archaic spelling of the name. No examples of a feminine form used as a praenomen are known, but from a cognomen it appears to be Opita.

Chase, p. 109. Like Agrippa, Licinus was later known primarily as a surname, but it is most frequently confused with the nomen Licinius, which was probably derived from it, although perhaps connected to the Etruscan lecne, which seems to have been its equivalent. Livy preserves the praenomen as Licinius, but later historians appear to have amended it to the more common praenomen Lucius.Lanzi, vol.

The Suettii employed a variety of common praenomina, chiefly Aulus, Gaius, Lucius, Servius, and Sextus. Of these, only Servius was relatively distinctive, although by no means rare. Other praenomina are found on occasion, and in one inscription we find an Anthus Suettius, perhaps an example of a cognomen being used in place of a praenomen, or perhaps an old praenomen more typically found as a surname.

The nomen Quinctilius is a patronymic surname, based on the praenomen Quintus, meaning "fifth". Quinctilius is the correct orthography, but Quintilius is also quite common. The gens Quinctia is derived from the same praenomen. It was not unusual for multiple nomina to be derived from a common source; the Sabine name Pompo is the Oscan equivalent of Quintus, and gave rise to the gentes Pompilia and Pomponia.

Nothing is known about the life of Celsus. Even his praenomen is uncertain; he has been called both Aurelius and Aulus, with the latter being more plausible."Traditionally he is called Aurelius, but Aurelius is a clan name, not a praenomen; hence Aulus, a common first name among the Cornelii, has been suggested and has manuscript support." - The McGraw-Hill encyclopedia of world biography, (1973), page 448.

The Sulpicii made regular use of only four praenomina: Publius, Servius, Quintus, and Gaius. The only other praenomen appearing under the Republic is Marcus, known from the father of Gaius Sulpicius Peticus, five times consul during the fourth century BC. The last of the Sulpicii known to have held the consulship, in the second century AD, was named Sextus, a praenomen otherwise unknown in this gens.

The nomen Spurius is a patronymic surname derived from the praenomen Spurius, without a change in morphology.Chase, p. 131. The original meaning of the praenomen is unclear; it was fairly common in the early Republic, and favoured in many prominent families, but grew less abundant over time, becoming rare by imperial times, probably due to its association with the adjective spurius, meaning "illegitimate".Chase, p. 153.

The chief praenomina of the Safinii were Lucius, Gaius, and Marcus, the three most common names throughout all periods of Roman history. Other common praenomina were occasionally used, including Publius, Quintus, and Titus. Septimus appears in a filiation. It was quite rare as a praenomen, but a fairly common surname, in which form might have been used in the filiation instead of a praenomen.

Spurius () is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, which was used primarily during the period of the Roman Republic, and which fell into disuse in imperial times. It was used by both patrician and plebeian families, and gave rise to the patronymic gens Spurilia. The feminine form is Spuria. The name was originally abbreviated S., as it was the most common praenomen beginning with that letter; but, as it grew less common, it was sometimes abbreviated Sp.Dictionary of Greek & Roman Biography & MythologyMika Kajava, Roman Female Praenomina: Studies in the Nomenclature of Roman Women (1994) For most of the Roman Republic, Spurius was about the ninth most-common praenomen.

In contrast to the honorary cognomina adopted by successful generals, most cognomina were based on a physical or personality quirk; for example, Rufus meaning "red-haired" or Scaevola meaning "left- handed". Some cognomina were hereditary (such as Caesar among a branch of the Julii, Brutus and Silanus among the Junii, or Pilius and Metellus among the Caecilii): others tended to be individual. And some names appear to have been used both as praenomen, agnomen, or non-hereditary cognomen. For instance, Vopiscus was used as both praenomen and cognomen in the Julii Caesares; likewise Nero among the early imperial Claudii, several of whom used the traditional hereditary Claudian cognomen as a praenomen.

Tullus appears to be a Latin name, as most of the families in which it occurs are of Latin origin, but the name may also have been common to the Oscan and Umbrian languages, as evidenced by the Volscian leader, Attius Tullus. The name seems to have confused some Latin writers, including the historian Titus Livius, who wavered between regarding it as praenomen or cognomen. Livius gives the forms Attius Tullus and Cloelius Tullus (with no praenomen), while Gaius Plinius Secundus gives Tullus Cloelius, which is probably correct.Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita, books I-VGaius Plinius Secundus, Naturalis Historia The meaning of the praenomen is unclear.

18, 19.Sallust, Historiae, ii. The nomen Herennius appears to be a patronymic surname, as Herennius was an Oscan praenomen. The Marii were their hereditary clientes.

The Acilii were particularly fond of the praenomen Manius, which they used more than any other. They also used the names Gaius, Lucius, Caeso, and Marcus.

A poet during the late second century BC bore the praenomen Aulus, while a Furius of equestrian rank during the time of Cicero was named Numerius.

The nomen Arruntius is a patronymic surname, based on the Etruscan praenomen Arruns, which must have been borne by the ancestor of the gens.Chase, pp. 129, 135.

The nomen Servius derives from the praenomen Servius, without a change in form; this causes the two names to be easily confused.Chase, p. 131. Chase classifies it among those gentilicia that either originated at Rome, or cannot be shown to have come from anywhere else. The praenomen was probably derived from servare, "to protect" or "keep safe", and presumably the Servii obtained their nomen from an ancestor of this name.

Pontianus is not mentioned in ancient writers, and although his name occurs in a number of inscriptions, his precise nomenclature is uncertain. His praenomen is given as Marcus in an inscription from Samothrace,"M(arco) S(ervio) Le[na(te)] Ponti[ano]", . but in all other inscriptions he is either Servius or Sergius. Servius could be either a praenomen or a nomen gentilicium; both were widespread, but not particularly common.

The praenomina favored by the early Junii were Marcus, Lucius, and Decimus. Except for the Bruti Bubulci, who favored the praenomen Gaius and may have been a cadet branch of the family, the Junii Bruti relied exclusively on these three names. Many of the other families of the Junii also used these names, although some added Gaius and others Quintus. The Junii Silani also used the praenomen Appius.

The nomen Hostilius is a patronymic surname, based on the praenomen Hostus, which was borne by the ancestors of the gens. The same praenomen gave rise to another gens, with the nomen Hostius. The earliest known member of the Hostilii was Hostus Hostilius, a Roman champion in the earliest days of the city. However, if he also bore the nomen Hostilius, then that name must have originated at an earlier time.

According to Varro, there was a goddess Numeria, to whom women prayed during childbirth. She was mentioned in the ancient prayers recited by the Pontifex Maximus, and Varro writes that the praenomen Numerius was given to children who were born quickly. As with other gentilicia that share a form with praenomina and cognomina, it is often difficult to determine whether persons named Numerius bore it as a praenomen, nomen, or cognomen.

Gnaeus ( , ) is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, which was common throughout the period of the Roman Republic, and well into imperial times. The feminine form is Gnaea. The praenomen was used by both patrician and plebeian families, and gave rise to the patronymic gens Naevia. The name was regularly abbreviated Cn., based on the archaic spelling, Cnaeus, dating from the period before the letters "C" and "G" were differentiated.

Chase, pp. 154, 155. Other gentes were derived from the same praenomen using different forms; the most famous was the gens Servilia, prominent throughout Roman history.Chase, p. 125.

The consul's praenomen is given differently by various authorities. The historian Livius calls him Spurius, while Cassiodorus calls him Lucius.Cassiodorus, Chronica. Diodorus Siculus gives "Λαρινος", and Dionysius "Λαρος".

As a nomen, Gavius is a patronymic surname, derived from the praenomen Gavius. In historical times, this praenomen was used by the Oscan- speaking peoples of central and southern Italy, suggesting that the Gavii were originally of Sabine or Samnite origin;Chase, p. 127. one of the most famous persons with this praenomen was Gavius Pontius, a Samnite general during the Second Samnite War. But as with other patronymic surnames, there may originally have been several unrelated families bearing the same nomen, and some of these could also have been of Latin origin; Gavius is thought to be the original form of Gaius, one of the most common praenomina in every period of Roman history.

The main praenomina of the Vibii were Gaius, Lucius, and Quintus. A family of imperial times used the praenomen Titus, while individual examples of Aulus and Sextus are known.

The Tadii seem to have used a variety of common praenomina, including Publius, Quintus, Titus, Sextus, and Marcus. One inscription shows that they also used the Sabine praenomen Attius.

The nomen Ofilius first appears in history during the period of the Samnite Wars, both as a praenomen and a nomen among the Samnites, but by the first century BC individuals of this gens are found at Rome. As a nomen, Ofilius may be regarded as a patronymic surname based on the existing praenomen, but Chase suggests a derivation from Ofella, a cognomen formed as a diminutive of offa, "a morsel".Chase, p. 124.

A large number of them bore the surname Secundus and its derivatives, Secundinus and Secundina, and the diminutive Secundilla, originally given to a second child. In its masculine form it is only found as a surname under the Republic, but the feminine form, Secunda, was a common praenomen among Roman women, and in imperial times the distinction between the name as a praenomen and a cognomen begins to blur.Chase, pp. 151, 152, 172.

The Menenii are known to have used the praenomina Agrippa, Gaius, Titus and Lucius. Together with the gens Furia, they were amongst the only patrician families to make regular use of the praenomen Agrippa, which was later revived as a cognomen in many families. For this reason, later sources erroneously refer to members of this gens as Menenius Agrippa. Licinus, the praenomen of one of the Menenii, was likewise a rare name, meaning upturned.

The existence of the patronymic gens Gavia also indicates the original form of the name, although it could be argued that this family's name was derived from the Oscan praenomen Gavius. But as Gaius and Gavius are apparently based on the same root, this distinction is of limited importance.Chase, p. 127. In the form Cae, this praenomen was also popular amongst the Etruscans, who borrowed many names from both Latin and Oscan.

Secunda, borne by Burbuleia, the wife of Cornelius Hilarus, was a personal or individualizing surname, derived from the old Latin praenomen Secunda, originally given to a second daughter.Chase, p. 172.

The Talii known from inscriptions used a variety of common praenomina, including Gaius, Publius, Quintus, and Sextus, without any clear preference. One of the Talii bore the feminine praenomen Secunda.

The emperors usually prefixed Imperator to their names as a praenomen, while at the same time retaining their own praenomina; but because most of the early emperors were legally adopted by their predecessors, and formally assumed new names, even these were subject to change. Several members of the Julio-Claudian dynasty exchanged their original praenomina for cognomina, or received cognomina in place of praenomina at birth. An emperor might emancipate or enfranchise large groups of people at once, all of whom would automatically receive the emperor's praenomen and nomen. Yet another common practice beginning in the first century AD was to give multiple sons the same praenomen, and distinguish them using different cognomina; by the second century this was becoming the rule, rather than the exception.

The main praenomina of the Septicii were Aulus, Gaius, and Marcus, followed by Publius, Quintus, and Titus, all of which were common throughout all periods of Roman history. Other names occur infrequently. From a filiation, it seems that at least one of the Septicii bore the Oscan praenomen Salvius. In Etruria, where women's praenomina were common, one of the women of the Salvii bore the feminine praenomen Rufa, which another of the gens bore as a cognomen.

The nomen Seppius is a patronymic surname derived from the Oscan praenomen Seppiis or Seppius, cognate with the rare Latin praenomen Septimus, and its more common derivative, the nomen Septimius. The root of all these names is the numeral seven, which in the earliest period would have been given either to a seventh child or seventh son, or to a child born in the month of September, originally the seventh month of the Roman calendar.Chase, pp. 150, 151.

The main praenomen of the Tineii was Quintus, which the Tineii Rufi used to the exclusion of all others; in this family the praenomen was fossilized, and passed down to all of the sons in the family, with no distinguishing function; instead the sons would typically be distinguished by their surnames. Different praenomina are occasionally found among the other Tineii, including Lucius, Marcus, and Gaius; like Quintus, these were among the most common names throughout Roman history.

The Pinarii of the early Republic used the praenomina Publius and Lucius. They are also thought to have used Mamercus, although no examples of this name as a praenomen amongst the Pinarii are found in ancient writers; however, the use of Mamercus or Mamercinus as a cognomen by the oldest family of the gens seems to prove that the praenomen was once used by the gens. In later times, some of the Pinarii bore the names Marcus and Titus.

A similar pattern was followed by Augustus' heirs. The emperor's stepson and eventual successor was born Tiberius Claudius Nero; after his adoption by the emperor, he became Tiberius Julius Caesar (retaining his original praenomen). His brother, born Decimus Claudius Nero, subsequently became Nero Claudius Drusus, exchanging his original praenomen for his paternal cognomen, and assuming a new cognomen from his maternal grandfather. Other members of the Julio-Claudian dynasty used praenomina such as Drusus and Germanicus.

The nomen Vibius is a patronymic surname, derived from the praenomen Vibius, which must have belonged to an ancestor of the gens. The name is generally regarded as an Oscan praenomen, and it is found extensively in Campania, but it was also used in Latium, and appears at Rome from a very early period, being used by the patrician Sestii, and occasionally by members of several prominent plebeian families. The Vibian gens itself was probably Oscan.Chase, pp.

The chief praenomen of the Servaei was Quintus, with Lucius and Gaius evidently being used for younger sons. All were among the most common names throughout Roman history. Other praenomina occur infrequently.

The nomen Sertorius is a patronymic surname, derived from the rare praenomen Sertor. Chase suggests that it was the equivalent of servator, meaning "one who protects" or "preserves".Liber de Praenominibus.Chase, pp.

The main praenomina of the Bellieni were Lucius, Gaius, and Marcus. Other names occur infrequently, including one instance of the Oscan praenomen Salvius, appearing in the filiation of one of the family.

Most of the Spellii known from inscriptions bore common Latin praenomina, such as Quintus, Publius, andn Gaius. From a filiation, we know that the early Spellii also used the Oscan praenomen Ovius.

The principal names used by the Appuleii were Lucius, Sextus, and Gaius. There is one early instance of the praenomen Quintus, but Marcus and Gnaeus are not found before the first century BC.

The nomen Stenius is simply a gentilicial form of the Oscan praenomen Sthenius, and is thus a patronymic surname.Dictionary of Greek and Latin Biography and Mythology, vol. III, p. 904 ("Stenius or Sthenius").

The praenomen Octavius is best known from Octavius Mamilius, the prince of Tusculum, and son-in-law of Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, the seventh and last king of Rome, who was slain by Titus Herminius at the Battle of Lake Regillus about 498 BC.Livy, i. 49, ii. 15, 18, 19. Members of the Mamilia gens afterward came to Rome, and the name must have been used by the ancestors of the Octavii and perhaps the Otacilii, but examples of the praenomen are scarce.

However, the name seems to have been used throughout Italy, for the Mimesii were apparently Latins, while the Sertorii were of Sabine extraction; and in any case Varro considered it to be Latin, if obsolete.George Davis Chase, "The Origin of Roman Praenomina", in Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, vol. VIII (1897) An inscription belonging to the obscure gens Resia gives the praenomen Fertor, which some scholars amend to Sertor. Chase postulates that it might be a separate praenomen, meaning "supporter".

The meaning of Faustus is fortunate or lucky, a fact which probably inspired Sulla, who considered himself blessed by fortune. Indeed, this may have been the motivation behind many of the parents who gave this rare praenomen to their children. Another interesting example mentioned in the Realencyclopädie der Classischen Altertumswissenschaft was of two brothers named Faustus and Fortunatus. However, Fortunatus probably was not a genuine praenomen, but was chosen on that occasion simply because it was a synonym of Faustus.

The Claudii became one of the greatest of the Roman gentes, supplying numerous magistrates over several centuries.Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita, books I-V The Claudian gens was also one of the proudest and most conservative families at Rome, nearly always siding with the aristocratic party against the plebs and the more reform- minded amongst the patricians. Many of them were known as much by the praenomen Appius as by the nomen Claudius, and the most famous of Roman roads, the Via Appia, or Appian Way, was named for its builder, Appius Claudius Caecus. For this reason, it is often said that the Claudii, who made constant use of the name Appius, were the only family to use that praenomen, and that it must have been a Latinization of the Oscan praenomen Attius or Attus.

Varro, De Lingua Latina, ix. 55 (ed. Müller). As a praenomen, Numeria is attested in the funerary inscription of Numeria Atilia at Praeneste; other instances of the name in inscriptions probably represent gentilicia.; cf.

In that case, Proca would also be an ancient praenomen. Of course, it is entirely possible that Proca is derived from the same root as procus and procer.Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita, book I.

The Minucii used the praenomina Marcus, Publius, Quintus, Lucius, Tiberius, and Gaius. At least one early Minucius bore the praenomen Spurius. Other praenomina appear rarely, and only in the final centuries of the Republic.

Livy, i. 16.Ovid, ii. 499 ff. In the later Empire, the distinction between praenomen, nomen, and cognomen was gradually lost, and Julius was treated much like a personal name, which it ultimately became.

The main praenomina of the Javoleni were Gaius, Lucius, and Marcus, the three most common names in all periods of Roman history. The only other praenomen found in inscriptions of this family is Sextus.

The early Otacilii favored the praenomina Manius, Titus, and Gaius. The earliest known Otacilius bore the praenomen Numerius, which passed through his daughter to the Fabii. In later times, Gnaeus and Lucius are found.

The Ninnii Celeres used the Oscan praenomina Sthenius and Pacuvius. A branch of the family at Rome in the first century BC used the Latin praenomen Lucius. In imperial times we find Gaius and Quintus.

The inscriptions of the Spurinnae indicate that their favoured praenomina were Lucius, Publius, and Quintus, three of the most common names throughout Roman history. There is also an example of Velthur, a typical Etruscan praenomen.

Julia Aquilia Severa (d. after 222) was the second and fourth wife of Roman emperor Elagabalus. She was the daughter of Quintus Aquilius. The praenomen of Julia was given to her after becoming an empress.

The Calavii are known to have used the Oscan praenomina Ovius, Ofilius, Novius, and Pacuvius. It is not certain whether Perolla, a name assigned to the son of Pacuvius Calavius, was also an Oscan praenomen.

Secundus may originally have been a praenomen, like similar names such as Quintus, Sextus, and Decimus, but in the time of the Republic the masculine form is only encountered as a surname.Chase, pp. 150, 151.

Septimus () is a Latin praenomen, or personal name. It was never particularly common at Rome, but it gave rise to the patronymic gens Septimia. The feminine form is Septima. The name was not regularly abbreviated.

Sextus Sentius Caecilianus was a Roman senator, who was active during the first century AD. He was suffect consul in an undetermined nundinium during the reign of Vespasian.Gallivan, Paul Gallivan, "The Fasti for A. D. 70-96", Classical Quarterly, 31 (1981), pp. 202, 219 He is known entirely from inscriptions. From his filiation, we know his father's praenomen was Sextus, making it is unlikely Caecilianus was a descendant of Gaius Sentius Saturninus, consul in BC 19: none of Saturninus' three sons bore that praenomen.

The number of praenomina commonly used by both men and women declined throughout Roman history. For men, who might hold public office or serve in the military, the praenomen remained an important part of the legal name. But, as in other ancient societies, Roman women played little role in public life, so the factors that resulted in the continuation of men's praenomina did not exist for women. Another factor was probably that the praenomen was not usually necessary to distinguish between women within the family.

The anonymous Liber de Praenominibus derives Sertor from satio, a planted field; while Festus derived it from the same root as adsertor, a person who asserts the freedom of another, or claims him as his own. These appear to be examples of false etymology.Liber De PraenominibusSextus Pompeius Festus, epitome by Paulus Diaconus Chase believed that the praenomen was probably of Umbrian origin, and was the equivalent of the Latin word servator, meaning "protector" or "preserver". Its meaning would thus be similar to the more common praenomen Servius.

Two cognomina are associated with the Acerronii; Proculus, which was a common surname in imperial times, and Polla (the feminine form of Paullus), which was probably a personal name and may have been an inverted praenomen.

The root of the nomen is probably the Oscan praenomen Paccius, which was also used as a gentile name. Pacidius would therefore be cognate with the nomen Paccius, and probably also with Pacilius.Chase, pp. 123, 128.

Agrippa is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, which was most common during the early centuries of the Roman Republic. It was sometimes abbreviated Agr., or occasionally Agripp.; both forms are found in the Fasti Capitolini.

With the exception of a single individual named Gaius, all of the Septueii known from inscriptions bear the praenomen Quintus, indicating that the family was relatively small, and of late origin; in imperial times it was common for all of the sons in a family to share the same praenomen, and be distinguished by their cognomina. This is especially probable if the Septueii only acquired Roman citizenship under the early Empire, or if a number of them were descended from the freedmen of an earlier Quintus Septueius.Salway, "What's in a Name?", pp.

The etymology of Hostus has long baffled scholars. Chase proposed that Hostus might be derived from hostis, "stranger, foe", but this meaning seems difficult to explain. An alternative explanation is suggested by the Etruscan feminine praenomen Hasti, which may originally have been a variant of Fasti, in which the initial consonant has been "worn down". Fasti is believed to be the Etruscan cognate of the Latin name Fausta, in which case it is conceivable that the same process resulted in the development of Hostus from the praenomen Faustus.

The nomen Seppienus seems to be derived from the same root as that of the Seppia gens, and is thus a patronymic surname derived from the Oscan or Umbrian praenomen Seppius. That name is cognate with the rare Latin praenomen Septimus, and its more common derivative, the nomen Septimius. The root of all these names is the numeral seven, which in the earliest period would have been given either to a seventh child or seventh son, or to a child born in the month of September, originally the seventh month of the Roman calendar.Chase, pp.

Popular etymology connects this praenomen with the modern adjective posthumous, meaning "after death", from the Latin roots for "after" and "earth" (as a metaphor for burial), and assume that it was given to children born after the death of their fathers. Such associations date from at least the time of Varro, and probably contributed to the scarcity of the name. A similar example of false etymology probably limited the use of the praenomen Opiter.Kajava. In fact, the name is derived from the adjective postumus, meaning "last" (the superlative of posterus, "next").

Birth order is not the best or only predictor of a woman's perceived importance or prominence; Cornelia Africana most commonly refers to Cornelia Africana Minor, the younger daughter of Scipio Africanus, and not to her elder sister. Sons, by comparison, were distinguished by a praenomen, the first or personal name of a Roman male's typical three names (tria nomina). The eldest son was most often given the same praenomen as his father, with others given the name of a grandfather or uncle.Lawrence Keppie, Understanding Roman Inscriptions (Routledge, 1991), p. 19.

The nomen Pompilius is a patronymic surname, based on the Sabine praenomen Pompo, the Oscan cognate of the Latin praenomen Quintus, meaning "fifth". The Latin equivalent of Pompilius was therefore Quinctilius, and in fact there was a family of that name at Rome. Tradition states that Numa's father was named Pompo, and that he had a son by that name as well, which seems to confirm the etymology. The Pomponii claimed descent from this son, and both their nomen and that of Pompeius are occasionally confounded with Pompilius in the ancient writers.

The main praenomina of the Bellii were Gaius, Marcus, Titus, and Numerius. The first three were very common throughout Roman history, while Numerius was somewhat more distinctive, and typical of the Roman countryside. The only other regular praenomen found among the Bellii was Lucius, perhaps the most abundant of all Roman names. Primus, given in the filiation of a Roman matron from Gallia Narbonensis, was an archaic praenomen, but in its masculine form it was little used in historical times, except as a surname, or in Cisalpine Gaul, where unusual praenomina were fashionable.

The main praenomina of the Sellii were Lucius and Gaius, the two most common names throughout all periods of Roman history. Other names regularly used by this gens included Sextus, Marcus, Publius, and Quintus, all of which were also quite common. Occurring less frequently were names such as Aulus, Decimus, and Titus. There seems to be one instance of Paullus used as a praenomen by one of the Sellii; although it was an old praenomen, by the late Republic and in Imperial times it was generally regarded as a cognomen.

Tullus Cloelius or Cluilius, called Cloelius Tullus in some sources,Cluilius is the ancient form of the nomen Cloelius, while Tullus is an ancient praenomen, which had fallen into disuse by the later Republic, but was commonly used as a cognomen, or surname. For this reason, his name is frequently found as Cloelius Tullus, without a praenomen, which is unusual during this period of Roman history. In his Philippics, Cicero gives his name as Tullus Cluilius, apparently preserving the name in its original form. was a Roman envoy to Fidenae.

Lucius Vipsanius was born in the Late Romen Republic to an Equestrian family, his father being Lucius Vipsanius and his mother an unknown woman. His praenomen is not actually known, but has been assumed to be Lucius, since that was his fathers name, and first sons were generally given their fathers praenomen in Rome. He and Agrippa likely spent their childhood playing with each other until Lucius was old enough to go to school. Since Lucius became a soldier his education likely took him away from home rather young.

The feminine form is Tulla. The name is not usually abbreviated, but is sometimes found with the abbreviation Tul.Dictionary of Greek & Roman Biography & MythologyRealencyclopädie der Classischen Altertumswissenschaft The praenomen Tullus is best known from Tullus Hostilius, the third king of Rome. Other examples include Attius Tullus, a Volscian leader, in which Tullus is either a cognomen or an inverted praenomen; Tullus Cloelius, a Roman envoy, Tullus Cluvius, mentioned by the orator Marcus Tullius Cicero in the 1st century BC, and a father and son from gens Tullia who lived at Tibur.

The earliest of the Valerii known to history bore the praenomen Volesus, which continued to enjoy occasional use among the Valerii of the early Republic. However, most stirpes of the Valerii favoured Publius, Marcus, Manius, and Lucius. Several branches of the family also used Gaius, while the Valerii Faltones employed Quintus, and the Valerii Asiatici of imperial times used Decimus. Other names are seldom found among the Valerii, although in one instance Potitus, an ancient surname of the gens, was revived as a praenomen by the Valerii Messallae during the first century.

The Stenii used a variety of common praenomina, chiefly Lucius, Gaius, Publius, and Gnaeus. At least two of them bore the more distinctive praenomen Numerius, which was common in gentes of Oscan origin, but relatively scarce at Rome.

The nomen Ovinius belongs to a class of gentilicia formed from other names using the suffix -inius. In this case, it seems to be a patronymic surname derived from the Oscan praenomen Ovius.Chase, pp. 125, 126, 139, 140.

The Manlii were said to hail from the ancient Latin city of Tusculum. The nomen Manlia may be a patronymic surname, based on the praenomen Manius, presumably the name of an ancestor of the gens.Chase, pp. 122, 123.

The main families of the Annii at Rome used the praenomina Titus, Marcus, Lucius, and Gaius. Other names occur infrequently, although in imperial times several of the Annii used Appius, an otherwise uncommon praenomen chiefly associated with the Claudii.

The Suellii used a variety of common praenomina, chiefly Marcus, Gnaeus, and Gaius. One of the earlier inscriptions provides an example of the relatively distinctive praenomen Vibius, which was relatively uncommon at Rome, although more abundant in the countryside.

The principal names of the Cassii during the Republic were Lucius, Gaius, and Quintus. The praenomen Spurius is known only from Spurius Cassius Viscellinus, at the very beginning of the Republic, while Marcus appears in the first century BC.

The origin and meaning of Spurius is uncertain, but Deecke proposes that the name is of Etruscan derivation, and might have meant something akin to "city dweller", being synonymous with the Latin praenomen Publius.Deecke, "Der Dativ Larϑiale", p. 43.

The nomen Salvidienus belongs to a class of gentilicia formed primarily from other gentile names using the suffix -enus. The root is Salvidius, itself presumably formed from the Oscan praenomen Salvius, using the suffix -idius.Chase, pp 118, 121, 122.

The nomen Stallius seems to be of Oscan derivation, as most of the Stallii found in inscriptions came from Campania and adjoining regions in southern Italy. The first of the Stallii appearing in history bore the distinctly Oscan praenomen Sthenius.

26, 27. The surname Cerretanus may point to an Etruscan origin, and at least some scholars believe that the praenomen Aulus is itself Etruscan, although in historical times the name was among the most common of Roman praenomina.Chase, p. 153.

Marcus was the chief praenomen of the Perpernae who occur in history, although this family also made use of Lucius and Gaius. These were the three most common praenomina throughout Roman history. In inscriptions, we also find Aulus, Sextus, and Titus.

Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica, xii. 27. 1. These agree with the treatise, De Praenominibus, of uncertain authorship (usually appended to Valerius Maximus), which, however, gives the unusual spelling Lar.Valerius Maximus, De Praenominibus. Lars is a common Etruscan praenomen, apparently meaning lord.

The nomen Manilius seems to be derived from the praenomen Manius, and so probably shares a common root with the nomen of the Manlii. This being the case, the Manilii were almost certainly of Latin origin.Chase, pp. 123, 125, 155, 156.

Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. III, pp. 437–439 ("Gaius Asinius Pollio", No. 1). Of these names, Agrippa was an old praenomen that came to be a common surname in the later Republic and under the Empire.

Gaius or Caius; Roman jurist Gaius (; fl. AD 130–180) was a celebrated Roman jurist. Scholars know very little of his personal life. It is impossible to discover even his full name, Gaius or Caius being merely his personal name (praenomen).

Sertor is a Latin praenomen, or personal name. It was never common, and is not known to have been used by any prominent families at Rome. It gave rise to the patronymic gens Sertoria. The feminine form was probably Sertora.

Tiberius ( , ) is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, which was used throughout Roman history. Although not especially common, it was used by both patrician and plebeian families. The feminine form is Tiberia. The name is usually abbreviated Ti., but occasionally Tib.

At least two distinct linguistic origins have been proposed for the nomen Artorius. Schulze, Herbig, and Salomies propose that the name is derived from the Etruscan praenomen Arnthur, perhaps Latinized as Artor.Schulze, Zur Geschichte lateinischer Eigennamen.Herbig, Tituli Faleriorum Veterum, p. 98.

According to Festus, the praenomen Mamercus was derived from the name of the god Mamers, who was worshipped throughout Italy in pre-Roman times, and was particularly associated with the Oscans. Since classical times, scholars have postulated that Mamers was the Oscan form of Mars, although the names Marcus and Mamercus frequently existed side-by-side. Whatever the case, Mamercus is generally believed to have been an Oscan praenomen that was brought to Rome during the reign of Numa Pompilius, if not earlier.Sextus Pompeius Festus, epitome by Paulus DiaconusGeorge Davis Chase, "The Origin of Roman Praenomina", in Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, vol.

His agnomen, "Germanicus", was a cognomen ex virtue, and would at first be a suffix at the end of his full name, and became the first part of his full name following his adoption into the Julii, as his original praenomen and nomen were removed, "Germanicus" was retained, and thus attained usage as his praenomen preceding the new additions (the nomen "Julius", and cognomen "Caesar", respectively) . Upon Germanicus' adoption into the Julii, his brother Claudius became the sole legal representative of his father, and his brother inherited the agnomen "Germanicus" as the new head of the family.

Proculus was an uncommon name, but was occasionally used by both patrician and plebeian families. Those known to have used it included the Betutii, Geganii, Julii, Sertorii, and Verginii; and naturally Proculus must once have been used by the ancestors of the gentes Proculeia and Procilia. Other families which later used the name as a cognomen may originally have used it as a praenomen. The scholar Varro described Proculus as an archaic praenomen, which was no longer in general use by the first century BC. As a cognomen, however, Proculus was still common, and it became even more so during imperial times.

Following the promulgation of the Constitutio Antoniniana in AD 212, granting Roman citizenship to all free men living within the Roman Empire, the praenomen and nomen lost much of their distinguishing function, as all of the newly enfranchised citizens shared the name of Marcus Aurelius. The praenomen and sometimes the nomen gradually disappeared from view, crowded out by other names indicating the bearer's rank and social connections. Surviving inscriptions from the fifth century rarely provide a citizen's full nomenclature. In the final centuries of the Empire, the traditional nomenclature was sometimes replaced by alternate names, known as signa.

Realencyclopädie der Classischen Altertumswissenschaft The praenomen Septimus was quite rare at Rome, but it seems to have been more popular in rural Italy. It was certainly used by the gentes Marcia and Modia, and must have been used by the ancestors of gens Septimia. Chase cites two inscriptions in which it occurs after the nomen of a woman, in the place usually occupied by the cognomen. However, Septimus is not otherwise attested as a cognomen in either family, suggesting that the order of names was reversed, and that the praenomen was used by the Aebutii and Casperii.

The principal names of the Caninii were Gaius, Lucius, and Marcus, which were also the three most common praenomina throughout Roman history. At least one of the family bore the praenomen Aulus.Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, William Smith, Editor.

The main praenomina used by the Flaminii were Gaius and Lucius. At least one of the Flaminii bore the praenomen Titus, but he may have been a freedman, and thus it is not apparent whether this name was regularly used by the Flaminii.

114 That his praenomen was Publius, at least after his adoption, seems to be confirmed by an inscription from Veii, dating from his consulship, another from Cyrenae, when he was proconsul, and one from Mogontiacum, when he was Legatus Augusti pro praetore., , .

Titus LiviusTitus is the praenomen (the personal name); Livius is the nomen (the gentile name, i.e. "belonging to the gens Livia"). Therefore, Titus Livius did not have a cognomen (third name, i.e. family name), which was not unusual during the Roman Republic.

The only praenomina found among the Laetorii mentioned by the ancient historians are Marcus, Gaius, and Lucius, the three most common names at all periods of Roman history. Some sources mention a Gnaeus Laetorius, but in other sources his praenomen is Gaius.

The nomen Statius is of Oscan origin, and most of the Statii appearing in history before the late Republic were from Samnium or Lucania. Statius is a patronymic surname, derived from the Oscan praenomen Statius, without any change in morphology.Chase, pp. 136–138.

The Rutilii used relatively few praenomina, chiefly Publius, Lucius, Marcus, and Gaius, all of which were among the most common names throughout Roman history. The only other praenomen found under the Republic was Quintus, known from Quintus Rutilius, quaestor in 44 BC.

The nomen Septimius is a patronymic surname, derived from the rare Latin praenomen Septimus, originally given to a seventh child or seventh son, or to a child born in September, originally the seventh month of the Roman calendar.Chase, pp. 150, 151.Petersen, pp.

Most of the Pantuleii known from inscriptions bore the praenomina Gaius, Lucius, or Marcus, which were the three most common names throughout Roman history. The only other name of which there is an example in this gens was Aulus, also a common praenomen.

The nomen Percennius belongs to a class of gentilicia of Oscan origin, derived from earlier names, in this instance the Oscan praenomen Percennus. The ancestors of the Percennii were most likely Samnites, Sabines, or came from another Oscan-speaking people.Chase, pp. 127, 128.

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.Chase, pp. 118–120.

The Lartii, whose nomen is also spelled Larcius and Largius, were an Etruscan family at Rome during the early years of the Republic. Their nomen is derived from the Etruscan praenomen Lars.Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. II, p.

Numerius ( , ) is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, usually abbreviated N. The name was never especially common, but was used throughout the period of the Roman Republic, and into imperial times. The feminine form is Numeria.Kajava, Roman Female Praenomina, p. 49, 110 ff, 119.

Festus, s. v. Opiter. If Chase is correct, then Opiter is probably derived from the same root as the names of the plebeian gentes Opimia and Opisia, and may be the Latin cognate of the Oscan praenomen Oppius or Oppiis, as well as gens Oppia.

The Cominii used the praenomina Postumus, Lucius, Sextus, Publius, Gaius, and Quintus. Of these it has been suggested that Postumus is a mistake for the nomen Postumius, but Postumus was an ancient praenomen, and was probably used by the earliest generations of this family.

The main praenomina of the Asinii at Rome were Gaius and Gnaeus, to which they sometimes added other names, including Marcus, Lucius, Servius, and Quintus. The earliest of the Asinii bore the Oscan praenomen Herius, which was apparently of long standing amongst their ancestors.

Marcus Fulvius Flaccus was a consul in 264 BC. In the tradition of Livy his praenomen is "Quintus".Broughton, T. Robert S.: The Magistrates Of The Roman Republic. Vol. 1: 509 B.C. - 100 B.C.. Cleveland, Ohio: Case Western Reserve University Press, 1951. Reprint 1968.

Charles Short (1879). is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, and was one of the most common names throughout Roman history. It was used by both patrician and plebeian families, and gave rise to the patronymic gens Titia. The feminine form is Tita or Titia.

The nomen Nerius is identical to, and probably derived from, the Umbrian or Sabine praenomen Nerius or Nero, which was traditionally described as meaning fortis ac strenuus, "strong and sturdy". This would seem to indicate that the Nerii were probably of Umbrian or Sabine origin.

The main praenomina of the Caelii during the Republic were Marcus, Publius, Gaius, and Quintus, all amongst the most common names throughout Roman history. In imperial times, some of the Caelii used Gnaeus, also a common praenomen, and Decimus, which was somewhat more distinctive.

Neferkare VIII was the second pharaoh of the 10th Dynasty of ancient Egypt (between 2130 and 2040 BCE, during the First Intermediate Period).William C. Hayes, in The Cambridge Ancient History, vol 1, part 2, 1971 (2008), Cambridge University Press, , p. 996. The praenomen "Neferkare" suggests he considered himself a legitimate successor of Pepi II Neferkare of the 6th Dynasty, much like the many namesake Memphite kings of the Eighth Dynasty. He likely was the eighth king to bear this name – hence the "VIII" – although many of his predecessors are sometimes called by a combination of their praenomen and nomen (for example, Neferkare Tereru, or Neferkare Khendu).

Thus far, his name follows the Republican model, becoming that of his adoptive father, followed by his original nomen in the form of an agnomen. Two years later, Caesar was deified by the Roman Senate, and Octavian, as he was then known, was styled , "son of the divine (Caesar)", instead of . Still later, after having been acclaimed Imperator by the troops under his command, Octavian assumed this title as an additional praenomen, becoming ; in some inscriptions his original praenomen is discarded altogether. In 27 BC, the Senate granted him the title of Augustus, which would ever after be affixed as a cognomen to the names of the Roman emperors.

The praenomen (; plural: praenomina) was a personal name chosen by the parents of a Roman child. It was first bestowed on the dies lustricus (day of lustration), the eighth day after the birth of a girl, or the ninth day after the birth of a boy. The praenomen would then be formally conferred a second time when girls married, or when boys assumed the toga virilis upon reaching manhood. Although it was the oldest of the tria nomina commonly used in Roman naming conventions, by the late republic, most praenomina were so common that most people were called by their praenomina only by family or close friends.

It was also the name of one of the legendary kings of Alba Longa, Agrippa Silvius, whose descendants came to Rome following the destruction of that city during the reign of Tullus Hostilius.Marcus Terentius Varro, quoted in De Praenominibus (epitome by Julius Paris)Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita, books I-V Although the name is not known to have been used as a praenomen by any other gentes, it appeared as a cognomen in several families, including the Asinii, Fonteii, Haterii, Julii, and Vipsanii. Each of these families may once have used Agrippa as a praenomen. As a cognomen, the name survived into Imperial times.

Servilius Damocrates (or Democrates; ) was a Greek physician at Rome in the middle to late 1st century AD. He may have received the praenomen "Servillius" from his having become a client of the Servilia gens. Galen calls him ἄριστος ἰατρός,Galen, De Ther. ad Pis., c.

The gens Opiternia was a Faliscan family occurring in Roman history. The nomen Opiternius is a patronymic surname, derived from the ancient praenomen Opiter, as is the related Opetreius, and perhaps shares a common root with the nomina of the gentes Oppia and Opsia.Chase, pp. 148, 149.

Nothing is known of Aper's origins or the date and circumstances of his birth. The praenomen and nomen with which Aper is associated (i.e. 'Lucius' and 'Flavius' respectively) are known only from an epigraph commemorating a man named Aper from Poetovio - see below.Arch. Ertesito (AE), 1936, Nos.

The Albii Oppianici mentioned by Cicero in his oration, Pro Cluentio, bore the unusual praenomen Statius, which was scarce at Rome except among slaves or freedmen. It was an Oscan name that seems to have been fairly common in central and southern Italy.Chase, pp. 137, 138.

375, 376 ("Calpurnius", Nos. 23–25). In this instance, Marcus Licinius Crassus Frugi would be identified with the Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso whom the senate compelled to change his praenomen. As a result, the question of whether Piso the pontifex was surnamed Caesoninus or Frugi is unresolved.

The chief praenomina of the Patulcii were Lucius and Sextus. Lucius was the most common praenomen throughout all periods of Roman history; Sextus was much more distinctive, but still a common name. A few of the Patulcii used other names, including Quintus, Publius, Gnaeus, and Titus.

He was a member of the Sergii Esquilini, patrician branch of the gens Sergia. His praenomen is not reported in the Fasti Capitolini, and ancient authors disagree on what it is. Livy gives Marcus then Lucius, Diodorus Siculus mentions a Caius and Dionysius of Halicarnassus, a Marcus.

Sextus () is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, which was common throughout all periods of Roman history. It was used by both patrician and plebeian families, and gave rise to the patronymic gentes Sextia and Sextilia. The feminine form is Sexta. The name was regularly abbreviated Sex.

The nomen Furius is a patronymic surname derived from Fusus, apparently an ancient praenomen that had fallen out of use before historical times. This name was preserved, however, as a cognomen used by many of the early Furii, including the families of the Medullini and the Pacili'.

The nomen Nonius is a patronymic surname, based on the praenomen Nonus, presumably belonging to an ancestor of the gens.Chase, p. 151. The name is undoubtedly Latin, although the first of the Nonii to rise to prominence at Rome is said to have come from Picenum.Syme, pp.

The main praenomina of the Sammii were Lucius and Sextus, to which they sometimes added other common names, including Gaius, Titus, and Quintus. There is also one example of the rare praenomen Tertius, perhaps indicative of the family's connection to Gaul, where unusual praenomina were fashionable.

New College Latin & English Dictionary, s. vv. vocula, celsus. Licinus probably referred to someone with an upturned nose, while Rufus designated someone with red hair, and Proculus, originally a praenomen, was generally believed to have referred to someone born while his father was abroad.Chase, p. 109.

Octavius is a Latin praenomen, or personal name. It was never particularly common at Rome, but may have been used more frequently in the countryside. The feminine form is Octavia. The name gave rise to the patronymic gens Octavia, and perhaps also to gens Otacilia, also written Octacilia.

Birley, pg. 340 His praenomen and nomen Marcus Antonius suggest that his paternal ancestors received Roman citizenship under the Triumvir Mark Antony, or one of his daughters, during the late Roman Republic.Birley, pg. 340 Gordian’s cognomen ‘Gordianus’ suggests that his family origins were from Anatolia, especially Galatia and Cappadocia.

Olli Salomies, Adoptive and polyonymous nomenclature in the Roman Empire, (Helsinski: Societas Scientiarum Fenica, 1992), p. 122 However, as Olli Salomies notes in his monograph on Imperial naming practices, the adoptive father would have the praenomen "Quintus", as Falco has, not "Marcus".Salomies, Adoptive and polyonymous nomenclature, p.

The Salvii were doubtless of Sabellic origin, as their nomen is a patronymic surname derived from the common Oscan praenomen Salvius.Chase, p. 141. They probably spread throughout Italy long before obtaining Roman citizenship; the emperor Otho was descended from an ancient and noble family of Ferentinum, in Etruria.

The chief praenomina of the Septimii were Publius, Lucius, Gaius, and Titus. There are a few instances of other names, including Aulus, Marcus, and Quintus. The ancestor of the family must have been named Septimus, although none of the members who are known to history bore this praenomen.

As a nomen, Marius is probably derived from the Oscan praenomen Marius, in which case the family may be of Sabine or Sabellic background, although in this form the name is Latinized, and the family cannot be proven to have originated anywhere other than Rome.Chase, pp. 131, 139.

Octavius was from the plebeian gens Octavia and was the first member of the gens to be elected consul. His father also had the praenomen Gnaeus and was a praetor in 205 BC who fought in the Second Punic War. His grandfather, Gnaeus Octavius Rufus was quaestor 230 BC.

All of the Iallii known from inscriptions lived in imperial times, and few are mentioned with praenomina. The main praenomen of this gens seems to have been Marcus, although there is also an instance of Quintus. Both of these were among the most common names throughout Roman history.

Livy, ix. 29. Caecus' brother, who shared the same praenomen, was distinguished by the cognomen Caudex, literally meaning a "treetrunk", although metaphorically it was an insult, meaning a "dolt." According to Seneca, he obtained the surname from his attention to naval affairs.Seneca the Younger, De Brevitate Vitae, 13.

The ancient praenomina Numa and Ancus evidently passed out of use some time before the establishment of the Republic. Both are likely Sabine or Oscan names, as were all of the persons known to have borne them. No attempt seems to have been made to revive either of them at Rome, either as praenomen or cognomen. Numa seems to be related to Numitor, the name of one of the ancient Kings of Alba Longa, and the grandfather of Romulus, and may share a common root with the praenomen Numerius, which remained in use at Rome for many centuries; Chase suggests a meaning related to "arranger" or "orderer", which would suit both Numa Pompilius and his kinsman, Numa Marcius.

The main praenomina of the Veturii were Gaius, Titus, Spurius, and Lucius, but there are also examples of Publius, Tiberius, Marcus, and Postumus. Publius seems to have been one of the earliest names of this gens, but it does not appear in later generations, while Tiberius and Marcus appear in one family of the Veturii Crassi. Lucius, which seems to have been the dominant praenomen of the later Veturii, first appears in the second century of the Republic. Postumus was an uncommon praenomen, presumably because its original meaning, "hindmost, last", referring to a youngest child, was easily confused with the similar sounding post humus, "after burial", with the implication that the child's father was dead.

Quintus is a male given name derived from Quintus, a common Latin forename (praenomen) found in the culture of ancient Rome. Quintus derives from Latin word quintus, meaning "fifth". Quintus is an English masculine given name and a surname. Quintus has been translated into Italian, Spanish and Portuguese, as Quinto.

The nomen Pacilius belongs to a class of gentilicia formed from other names, using the suffix '.Chase, pp. 123. In this case, the nomen is derived from the cognomen Pacilus, a name of Oscan origin, itself perhaps derived from the Oscan Paccius, which was used both as praenomen and gentilicium.Chase, pp.

The Romanii used a wide variety of common praenomina, including Lucius, Gaius, Marcus, Publius, Quintus, Titus, and Gnaeus. Other names are found occasionally, including Aulus, Numerius, Decimus, Servius, and Tiberius. The Oscan praenomen Salvius occurs in a filiation, suggesting that at least some of the Romanii were of Oscan descent.

The Paeligni were an Oscan people of central Italy. The Umbrians spoke a separate, but closely related language. Statius Annaeus, a friend of the family at Rome, may well have been a kinsman, and his praenomen supports the theory that the Annaei were of Oscan or Umbrian origin.Chase, pp. 136–138.

The nomen Salvienus belongs to a class of gentilicia formed using the suffix ', a type associated with names of Picentine or Umbrian origin, with roots ending in '. Salvienus is a patronymic surname derived from the praenomen Salvius, common in the Oscan and Umbrian-speaking parts of Italy.Chase, pp. 118, 141.

The earliest of the Mamilii to occur in history bore the praenomen Octavius, which was rare at Rome. His descendants used the praenomina Lucius, Quintus, Gaius, and Marcus, all of which were very common names throughout Roman history.Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, William Smith, Editor.Realencyclopädie der Classischen Altertumswissenschaft.

Servius () is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, which was used throughout the period of the Roman Republic, and well into imperial times. It was used by both patrician and plebeian families, and gave rise to the patronymic gens Servilia. The feminine form is Servia. The name was regularly abbreviated Ser.

Postumus is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, which was most common during the early centuries of the Roman Republic. It gave rise to the patronymic gens Postumia, and later became a common cognomen, or surname. The feminine form is Postuma. The name was not regularly abbreviated, but is sometimes found as Pos.

Mamercus () is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, which was used in pre- Roman times and throughout the Roman Republic, becoming disused in imperial times. The feminine form is Mamerca. The patronymic gens Mamercia was derived from this name, as were the cognomina Mamercus and Mamercinus. The name was usually abbreviated Mam.

The Silicii used a variety of praenomina, including Lucius, Gaius, Marcus, Publius, Quintus, Titus, and Aulus, all of which were amongst the most common names throughout all periods of Roman history. At least one of the family bore the praenomen Spurius, an old name that had all but vanished by imperial times.

Nonus () is a Latin praenomen, or personal name. It was never particularly common at Rome, but may have been used more frequently in the countryside. Although not attested in surviving Latin inscriptions, the name must have been used occasionally, as it gave rise to the patronymic gens Nonia. The feminine form is Nona.

It is probably a mistake as the praenomen Gaius was never used by the Manlii. Cf. Flower, "Inscribed breastplate", pp. 225–230.. Atticus was probably the uncle of his near-contemporary Titus Manlius Torquatus, like him twice consul in 235 and 224, censor in 231, and finally dictator in 208.Münzer, RE, vol.

The nomen Pescennius is one of several similar gentilicia formed with the suffix -ennius, which was more typical of Oscan names than of Latin. It is derived from an Oscan praenomen, Pescennus or Perscennus, cognate with the Latin adjective praecandus, referring to someone whose hair was greying or prematurely grey.Chase, pp. 127, 128..

Pompeius Trogus's grandfather served under Pompey in his war against Sertorius. Owing to Pompey's influence, he was able to obtain Roman citizenship and his family adopted their patron's praenomen and nomen Gnaeus Pompeius. Trogus's father served under Julius Caesar as his secretary and interpreter. Trogus himself seems to have been a polymath.

The Fasti Capitolini and Diodorus Siculus give the praenomen of Spurius, Livy that of Lucius, and Dionysius of Halicarnassus that of Titus. While many of the decemvirs were also consuls, only Titus Veturius Geminus Cicurinus and his (presumed) cousin Gaius Veturius Cicurinus match well with their filiations given by the Fasti Capitolini.

Tacitus, Annales, 6.27 Their children were Gaius Rubellius PlautusSee Raepsaet-Charlier, Prosopographie des femmes de l'ordre sénatorial, p. 89 for Plautus' praenomen and possibly a daughter Rubellia Bassa who married a maternal uncle of the future Roman Emperor Nerva. Juvenal, in Satire VIII.39, suggests another son, also named Gaius Rubellius Blandus.

Heraclianus's praenomen is nowhere cited in the sources. It was not uncommon by the mid-Third Century for boys not to be given one. His nomen (i.e. 'Aurelius') was that commonly adopted by families admitted to Roman citizenship by Caracalla under the provisions of that Emperor's law known as the Constitutio Antoniniana.

The Oscan cognate of Quintus was Pompo, a name best known from the father of Numa Pompilius, the second king of Rome. The gentes Pompilia and Pomponia (both of which claimed descent from Numa Pompilius) were derived from this praenomen. The nomen Pompeius may also be a patronymic based on the name Pompo.

Although the Juncii are documented by only a handful of inscriptions, these show that they used the common praenomina Gaius and Quintus, as well as the highly unusual names Rufus and Fronto, of which the latter was largely restricted to Cisalpine Gaul. The inscriptions also provide an instance of the women's praenomen Prima.

The gens Minatia was a minor plebeian family at Rome. The gens was probably of Sabine origin, as its nomen is derived from the Oscan praenomen Minatus, and the first of the family to appear in Roman history bore the surname Sabinus.Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. II, p.

The nomen Numicius appears to belong to a class of gentilicia formed from other names ending in -ex, -icis, or -icus, which took -icius as a suffix. However, if as seems likely, the name is really the same as Numisius, it might perhaps be derived from the praenomen Numerius.Chase, pp. 126–128.

The main praenomina of the Silvii were Lucius, Gaius, and Quintus, which were among the most common names at all periods of Roman history. The inscriptions of this gens also afford examples of other common praenomina, including Marcus, Sextus, Publius, and Titus, as well as one instance of the rare praenomen Appius.

Plutarchus, Caesar 46; Suetonius, Divus Iulius 30 After his senatorial consecration as Divus Iulius in 42 BC, the dictator perpetuo bore the posthumous name Imperator Gaius Iulius Caesar Divus (IMP•C•IVLIVS•CAESAR•DIVVS, best translated as "Commander [and] God Gaius Julius Caesar"), which is mostly given as his official historical name.Augustus would eventually follow the use of Imperator as a praenomen. For Caesar's precedent see Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus, Divus Iulius 76 : since Imperator here is a true praenomen, a translation ("commander") should—if at all—only be given for explanatory purposes. The same would apply for Divus ("god"), which derived from Caesar's god name Divus Iulius (at the latest since early 44 BC), and is therefore (as part of his name) per se untranslatable.

Dictionary of Greek & Roman Biography & MythologyRealencyclopädie der Classischen Altertumswissenschaft The praenomen Mamercus is best known from gens Aemilia, one of the greatest of the patrician houses at Rome, which claimed descent from Mamercus, said to have been a son of Numa Pompilius, the second king of Rome. Several prominent members of this family bore the name during the Roman Republic. The Pinarii, another patrician family, is also said to have used the praenomen Mamercus, although no examples from this gens have been preserved. According to one tradition, the Pinarii were descended from another son of Numa Pompilius, although in his history of Rome, Titus Livius records that the gens was still more ancient, and predated the founding of the city.

The name was not usually abbreviated, but is sometimes found with the abbreviation Vop.Dictionary of Greek & Roman Biography & MythologyRealencyclopädie der Classischen Altertumswissenschaft The praenomen Vopiscus was always rare, but it was familiar to the scholar Marcus Terentius Varro, who described it as an antique name, no longer in general use by the 1st century BC. The only family known to have used it was gens Julia, but as with other uncommon praenomina, it may have been more common amongst the plebeians and in the countryside. The name was later used as a cognomen, becoming more frequent in imperial times. Vopiscus may once have been a praenomen in families that later used it as a cognomen, such as the Flavii and the Pompeii.

There may also have been a praenomen Nonus, as there was a gens with the apparently patronymic name of Nonius, although no examples of its use as a praenomen have survived. It is generally held that these names originally referred to the order of a child's birth, although some scholars believe that they might also have referred to the month of the Roman calendar in which a child was born. Like the masculine praenomina, the months of the old Roman Calendar had names based on the numbers five through ten: Quintilis (July), Sextilis (August), September, October, November, and December. However, this hypothesis does not account for the feminine praenomina Prima, Secunda, Tertia, and Quarta, nor does it explain why Septimus, Octavius, and perhaps Nonus were rarely used.

Aulus, Publius, Spurius, and Tiberius are sometimes attributed to Etruscan, in which language they are all common, although these names were also typical of praenomina used in families of indisputably Latin origin, such as the Postumii or the Cornelii. In this instance, it cannot be determined with any certainty whether these were Latin names which were borrowed by the Etruscans, or vice versa. The best case may be for Tiberius being an Etruscan name, since that praenomen was always connected with the sacred river on the boundary of Etruria and Latium, and the Etruscan name for the Tiber was Thebris. However, it still may be that the Romans knew the river by this name when the praenomen came into existence.

The main praenomina of the Laberii were Lucius and Quintus, two of the most common names in every period of Roman history. Some of the Laberii bore more distinctive names, including Decimus and Manius, perhaps given to younger children in the gens. The ubiquitous praenomen Gaius appears among the Laberii of the second century.

Of the cognomina borne by the Scaevinii, Capito originally described someone with a large or prominent head, while Quadratus, literally "square" might describe someone stocky, or particularly angular.Chase, p. 109.New College Latin & English Dictionary, s. v. quadratus. Proculus, of which Procilla is a diminutive, was an old Roman praenomen that later became a surname.

117 online. Mettius is sometimes identified as a businessman, presumably of the equestrian order; trade with the Germanic peoples at the time might have involved slaves, animals, or goods.In Caesar: Life of a Colossus (Yale University Press, 2006), Adrian Goldsworthy identifies Mettius, whose praenomen he gives erroneously as Caius, as a merchant (p. 229 online).

The main praenomina of the Pacilii were Publius, Lucius, Marcus, Gnaeus, Quintus, and Gaius. There are individual examples of other names, including Aulus, Sextus, and Spurius. All but the last were common throughout Roman history; Spurius was used chiefly during the Republic. One of the Pacilii also bore the feminine praenomen Posilla, meaning "little".

The "Written Fates" probably refers to a ceremonial writing down of the child's new name, perhaps in a family chronicle.Breemer and Waszink, "Fata Scribunda," p. 251. To the Romans, the giving of a name was as important as being born. The receiving of a praenomen inaugurated the child as an individual with its own fate.

The nomen Licinius is derived from the cognomen Licinus, or "upturned", found in a number of Roman gentes.Chase, p. 109. Licinus may have been an ancient praenomen, but few examples of its use as such are known. The name seems to be identical with the Etruscan Lecne, which frequently occurs on Etruscan sepulchral monuments.

Liber de PraenominibusChase, pp. 142, 143. In addition to the two Mimesii, the two instances of the praenomen Nerius, which was typical of Umbrian names, and one of Vibius, which was relatively uncommon at Rome, make this inscription extraordinary, in terms of demonstrating that praenomina scarce at Rome could be widespread in the countryside.Chase, pp.

The main praenomina of the Sibidieni were Lucius and Gaius, the two most common names throughout all periods of Roman history. It also appears that the Sibidieni at one time used Spurius, a praenomen that had been common in Republican times, but which had become increasingly scarce, and finally disappeared under the early Empire.

Lucius Julius was a combination of praenomen (first name) and the Julian gens name used by several men of the Roman Republic and Roman Empire. The Iullus or Jullus branch was older than the more famous branch of Caesares.Ernst Badian, "From the Iulii to Caesar," in A Companion to Julius Caesar (Blackwell, 2009), p. 14.

Varro described this praenomen as obsolete in the 1st century BC, implying that it had once been more common; but it seems that by reviving it in his own family, Sulla may have started a trend which continued for some centuries, and probably also contributed to the popularity of the name as a cognomen.

The nomen Sepullius belongs to a class of gentilicia apparently formed from cognomina ending in the diminutive suffix '.Chase, pp. 123, 124. In this case, the nomen would have derived from Sepulus or a similar name, presumably a diminutive of the old Latin praenomen Septimus, originally given to a seventh son or seventh child, or Seppius, its Oscan equivalent.

The Servenii used a variety of common praenomina, chiefly Lucius, Gaius, and Marcus, the most common names throughout Roman history. Less frequently, they used other common names, such as Publius, Quintus, Sextus, and Gnaeus, the last of which is only found among the earliest Servenii. In another early inscription, one of the Servenii bears the rare praenomen Rufus.

The nomen Naevius is generally regarded as a patronymic surname derived from the praenomen Gnaeus, indicating a birthmark.Chase, pp. 131, 153. Gnaeus and naevus, the usual form of the Latin word for a birthmark, were pronounced similarly, and a number of other Latin words could be spelled with either gn- or n-, such as gnatus and natus, "born".

90 ff., 122 ff. Over time, the literal meanings of such names were commonly ignored, and the more common names bestowed without regard for meaning, perhaps explaining why certain names, such as those based on the numerals from seven to nine, came to be neglected. In the form Uchtave, the praenomen was also used by the Etruscans.

Chase, pp. 121–123. The common root of all three nomina is op-, "help", found in the name of the goddess Ops, as well as the praenomen Opiter, and the derived patronymics Opiternius and Opetreius, and the nomen Oppius.Chase, pp. 148, 149. Most of these names are thought to be of Sabine or Samnite origin.Chase, pp.

The main praenomina of the Orcivii were Marcus, Gaius, and Lucius, the three most common names throughout Roman history. Other praenomina occur infrequently among the known members of the family, including Quintus, Publius, Gnaeus, and Aulus, all of which were also very common names. The Orchivii also supply an example of the common feminine praenomen Maio.

Titus Flavius Piso was a Roman eques who held at least two senior postings during the reign of the Emperors Marcus Aurelius and Commodus. Few details of Piso's life before these two senior postings are known. One source preserves his full name Titus Flavius T.f. Pal(atina) Piso, which provides the praenomen of his father, Titus.

Marcus Domitius Calvinus (or possibly Lucius Domitius Calvinus)Domitius’ praenomen is given as Marcus in Livy and Lucius in Eutropius, while the cognomen Calvinus is Broughton’s correction of Plutarch’s text – see Broughton, pg. 85 (died 79 BC) was an ancient Roman politician and military commander who was killed during the early stages of the Sertorian War.

Augustus, in his memoirs, mentioned that his father was a novus homo with no senatorial background.Suetonius, "The Life of Augustus," 2. The nomen Octavius is a patronymic surname, derived from the Latin praenomen Octavius. Many other gentes obtained their nomina in this manner, including the Quinctii from Quintus, the Sextii from Sextus, and the Septimii from Septimus.

Although he uses "Josephus", he appears to have taken the Roman praenomen Titus and nomen Flavius from his patrons.Attested by the third-century Church theologian Origen (Comm. Matt. 10.17). Vespasian arranged for Josephus to marry a captured Jewish woman, whom he later divorced. About 71 CE, Josephus married an Alexandrian Jewish woman as his third wife.

The principal names of the Cloelii were Titus, Quintus, and Publius, all of which were very common throughout Roman history. Gaius was borne by the earliest Cloelius whose name is known, and at least one respected member of the gens bore the ancient praenomen Tullus.Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, William Smith, Editor.Realencyclopädie der Classischen Altertumswissenschaft.

Paullus Fabius Persicus is believed to have been born in 2 or 1 BCE.Ronald Syme, Augustan Aristocracy (1989), p. 416 His cognomen - like the praenomen (Paullus) he shared with his father - was given to him to advertise his natural paternal descent from Lucius Aemilius Paullus Macedonicus, who had defeated the last Macedonian monarch, Perseus, in 146 BCE.

Gaius Manlius Valens (AD 696)Cassius Dio, LXVII.14 was a Roman senator of the late first century AD. He was selected as consul ordinarius in his ninetieth year, serving with Gaius Antistius Vetus in AD 96.Anthony Birley, The Fasti of Roman Britain (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1981), p. 230 The primary sources differ over Manlius Valens' praenomen.

The three types of names that have come to be regarded as quintessentially Roman were the praenomen, nomen, and cognomen. Together, these were referred to as the tria nomina. Although not all Romans possessed three names, the practice of using multiple names having different functions was a defining characteristic of Roman culture that distinguished citizens from foreigners.

Among the cognomina borne by the Papii at Rome were Celsus, Mutilus, and Faustus. Celsus would have been given to someone who was conspicuously tall, while Mutilus refers to someone maimed or deformed. Faustus, meaning "fortunate" or "lucky", was an old praenomen that came into widespread use as a surname during imperial times.New College Latin & English Dictionary, s. v.

As a nomen, Pacuvius is evidently derived from a common Oscan praenomen, also rendered Pacuvius. The first certain instance of the name as a gentilicium occurs with the tragedian Marcus Pacuvius, a native of Brundisium in Calabria, who was born circa 220 BC, and was active at Rome for many years before his death, circa 130.

The principal first names used by the Hostilii were Aulus, Lucius, and Gaius. There are also instances of Marcus and Publius. The ancient Hostilii appear to have made regular use of the praenomen Hostus. Tullus, also used by the gens in the earliest times, appears to have been revived by the family during the later Republic.

Neither his praenomen nor his birthplace is known, and his gentile name has been questioned. His status was probably that of a Roman eques (so the Life affirms), and he had inherited a considerable estate. Like Virgil, Horace and Propertius, he seems to have lost most of it in 41 BC in the confiscations of Mark Antony and Octavian.

Polla was born in the Late Romen Republic to an Equestrian family, likely from Venetia or Histria. Her father was Lucius Vipsanius Major and her mother an unknown woman. She had two brothers, Agrippa and Lucius Vipsanius Minor. Since Cassius Dio records her name as Polla and not Vipsania it's possible that she used Polla as her praenomen.

From analysis of the grave inscriptions it is clear that the greater part of the soldiers bore the praenomen Aurelius and therefore it is deduced that they served in the time of the legion's greatest prosperity, during the reigns of Caracalla (211-217) and Elagabalus (218-222). The women, on the other hand, have Italic names.

Lucullus, the cognomen of a branch of the Licinii, which first occurs in history towards the end of the Second Punic War, is probably derived from lucus, a grove, or perhaps a diminutive of the praenomen Lucius. The surname does not appear on any coins of the gens.Chase, p. 113.Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol.

The nomen of the Caesii may be derived from the Latin adjective caesius, meaning a light blue or blue-grey color, typically used to refer to the color of a person's eyes. The same root may have given rise to the praenomen Caeso, and perhaps also to the cognomen Caesar.D.P. Simpson, Cassell's Latin & English Dictionary (1963).

The nomen Otacilius may be derived from the praenomen Octavius. Octacilius is the correct orthography, but Otacilius is the form most common in later sources. The earliest known member of the family was a native of Maleventum, an ancient city of Campania, which according to Pliny was inhabited by the Hirpini.Pliny the Elder, iii. 11. s. 16.

Dictionary of Greek & Roman Biography & Mythology, vol. III, p. 1283 ("Volusus or Volesus"). The praenomen Volesus, also spelled Volusus, and perhaps also Valesus, is best known from Volesus, the founder of gens Valeria, who was said to have come to Rome with Titus Tatius, king of the Sabine town of Cures, during the reign of Romulus.

Aulus ( , ) is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, which was common throughout Roman history from the earliest times to the end of the Western Empire in the fifth century. The feminine form is Aula. An alternative pronunciation leads to the variant spellings Olus or Ollus and Olla. Aulus was widely used by both patrician and plebeian gentes.

The nomen Septicius belongs to a class of gentilicia originally formed from cognomina ending in ' or '. As with other gentile-forming suffixes, ' was later extended to form nomina from other names, including existing gentilicia.Chase, p. 126. The root of the name must have resembled the rare Latin praenomen Septimus, "seventh", in which case Septicius may be cognate with the more typical patronymic Septimius.

Born in Gaul, he was exposed as a child, but was found, and grew up a slave. He was later freed, and according to Roman naming conventions took the nomen and praenomen of his former master, one Marcus Antonius. He may have been educated in Alexandria. He had a great memory and was well-read in both Greek and Latin.

The nomen Servaeus belongs to a class of gentilicia formed with the suffix ', which was typical among families of Oscan or Umbrian derivation.Chase, p. 120. The root resembles and may be cognate with the Latin praenomen Servius, meaning one who "keeps safe" or "preserves". In this case, Servaeus is most likely an Oscan or Umbrian cognate of the more common nomen Servilius.

Numerius was generally connected with Numeria, the goddess of childbirth, and according to Varro was given to children who were born quickly and easily.Varro, Fragmenta, p. 319 (ed. Bipontinus). Elsewhere, Varro states that the feminine Numeria was not used as a praenomen, but this is contradicted by the Liber de Praenominibus, a short treatise on praenomina usually appended to Valerius Maximus.

340 His praenomen and nomen Marcus Antonius suggested that his paternal ancestors received Roman citizenship under the Triumvir Mark Antony, or one of his daughters, during the late Roman Republic.Birley, pg. 340 Gordian’s cognomen ‘Gordianus’ also indicates that his family origins were from Anatolia, more specifically Galatia or Cappadocia.Peuch, Bernadette, "Orateurs et sophistes grecs dans les inscriptions d'époque impériale", (2002), pg.

Publius, Gaius, Lucius, and Gnaeus appear to have been the chief praenomina of the Opetrei. All of these were very common names throughout Roman history. An inscription from Noricum mentions a Decimus Opetrius; this would be a much more distinctive praenomen, but from the limited number of individuals, it is impossible to say if it was regularly used by the gens.

Too few Viridii are known to tell if they were ever divided into distinct families. Two cognomina appear in extant inscriptions: Firmus, a common surname that translates as "firm, strong, hardy",New College Latin & English Dictionary, s. v. firmus. and Tertulla, a diminutive of Tertia, an old feminine praenomen, which was widely used as a surname throughout Roman history.Chase, pp. 168–173.

The candidates for the historical identity of the author are but few. Given the time frame of the mid-1st century, however, there is a credible candidate. He is a certain Curtius Rufus (The praenomen has been omitted. Presumably it is Quintus.) In the List of Roman consuls he served as Consul Suffectus for October through December, 43 AD under the emperor Claudius.

The nomen Aulius is a patronymic surname, derived from the praenomen Aulus, just as Sextius was derived from Sextus, Marcius from Marcus, and Quinctius from Quintus.Chase, p. 129. Although there were Aulii at Rome in the fourth century BC, the gens may have been spread throughout Latium, as one of them was prefect of the allies during the Second Punic War.Livy, xxvii.

In Rome slaves were given a single name by their owner. A slave who was freed might keep his or her slave name and adopt the former owner's name as a praenomen and nomen. As an example, one historian says that "a man named Publius Larcius freed a male slave named Nicia, who was then called Publius Larcius Nicia."Roman Nomenclature at vroma.

The only prominent family of the Cincii bore the cognomen Alimentus, presumably derived from alimentum, "food", suggesting that the ancestors of the family may have been cooks. Other cognomina of the Cincii included Faliscus, a Faliscan, Salvius, an Oscan praenomen, and Severus, a common surname meaning "grave, serious," or "severe". Several Cincii are mentioned without a surname.D.P. Simpson, Cassell's Latin & English Dictionary (1963).

However, because the name was seldom used by prominent families, there are few examples from this early period.George Davis Chase, "The Origin of Roman Praenomina", in Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, vol. VIII (1897) The meaning of the praenomen is unknown. Chase disposes of it after concluding that it was of Oscan origin, and cites no authorities on its possible meaning.

The name was used by the early Valerii, first as praenomen, then as cognomen; Volusus was occasionally revived by that great patrician house, which used it as late as the first century AD. The form Volero was used by the plebeian gens Publilia.Dictionary of Greek & Roman Biography & Mythology, vol. III, pp. 297, 298 ("Publilius or Poblilius Philo"), 603 ("Publilius", No. 1).

The only distinct family of the Salvidieni under the Republic bore the surname Rufus, originally given to someone with red hair, perhaps with the additional surname Salvius, originally an Oscan praenomen, but later a gentile name, and evidently also a cognomen. In its extended form, Salvianus, it appears in the nomenclature of Lucius Salvidienus Rufus, consul in AD 52.Chase, pp. 109, 141.

Faustus ( or occasionally ) is a Latin praenomen, or personal name. It was never particularly common at Rome, but may have been used more frequently in the countryside. The feminine form is Fausta. The name was not usually abbreviated, but is occasionally found abbreviated F. During the period of the Roman Empire, it was widely used as a cognomen, or surname.

The name was not regularly abbreviated, but is sometimes found as Sert.Realencyclopädie der Classischen AltertumswissenschaftGeorge Davis Chase, "The Origin of Roman Praenomina", in Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, vol. VIII (1897)Mika Kajava, Roman Female Praenomina: Studies in the Nomenclature of Roman Women (1994) The praenomen Sertor was used by the plebeian gentes Mimesia, Varisidia, Vedia, and perhaps Resia, and must once have been used by the ancestors of gens Sertoria, whose most distinguished member was the Roman general Quintus Sertorius. The name was familiar to the scholar Marcus Terentius Varro, who described it as an antique praenomen, no longer in general use by the 1st century BC. As with other praenomina, it may have been more common, and survived longer, in the countryside; at least one example from Umbria dates to Varro's time or later.

Livineius RegulusRonald Syme suggests his praenomen might be "Lucius". Syme, "The Early Tiberian Consuls", Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte, 30 (1981), p. 189 was a Roman senator, active during the reign of Tiberius. He was suffect consul for February through July of the year 18, succeeding Germanicus as the colleague of Lucius Seius Tubero.Alison E. Cooley, The Cambridge Manual of Latin Epigraphy (Cambridge: University Press, 2012), p.

The Servii used a variety of praenomina, particularly Lucius, Publius, Manius, Marcus, Gaius, and Numerius. Although the others were very common, Manius was somewhat more distinctive, while Numerius, while widespread, was not particularly common. Other praenomina occur infrequently among the Servii, although Statius appears in a filiation. This praenomen, uncommon at Rome, was widespread in the Oscan- speaking regions of central and southern Italy.

Manius ( , ) is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, which was used throughout the period of the Roman Republic, and well into imperial times. The feminine form is Mania. The name was used by both patrician and plebeian families, and gave rise to the patronymic gentes Manlia and Manilia. Manius was originally abbreviated with an archaic five-stroke "M" (in Unicode ), which was not otherwise used in Latin.

An unusual feature here is the absence of any reference to Domitianus's nomen or praenomen. Gallic Empire coins usually bear the full tria nomina of the prince celebrated the better to carry out their propagandist function. On the reverse, the coins show Concordia, and have the legend , a propagandistic claim that the army was united behind Domitianus. Again this is a standard slogan for the Gallic Emperors.

Benedetto Bacchini or Bernardino Bacchini (31 August 1651 – 1 September 1721) was an Italian monk and man of letters. Bacchini was born on 31 August 1651, at Borgo San Donnino, in the Duchy of Parma. He studied at the Jesuit institution, and entered the Order of St. Benedict in 1668, when he took the praenomen Bernardin. Prepared by his studies, he devoted his attention to preaching.

The legendary Fertor Resius bore an otherwise unknown praenomen, which some scholars have amended to Sertor, a known but archaic name; but the current consensus is that Fertor is a separate name. The Resii of historical times bear more conventional praenomina, of which the most frequent appear to have been Titus and Aulus. Other names used by the Resii include Gaius, Manius, and Marcus.

610 from the epitaph upon him and his wife, Myrtale, which is preserved in the Marmora Oxoniensia and the Greek Anthology.vol iii. p. 381. § 224, ed. Tauclm. The apparent anomaly of a Roman praenomen being given to a Greek may be accounted for by the fact which we learn from Suetonius,Suetonius, Tiberius 6 that the Spartans were the hereditary clients of the gens Claudia.

The nomen Pompeius (frequently anglicized as Pompey) is generally believed to be derived from the Oscan praenomen Pompo, equivalent to the Latin Quintus, and thus a patronymic surname. The gentilicia Pompilius and Pomponius, with which Pompeius is frequently confounded, were also derived from Pompo. The gentile-forming suffix ' was typical of Sabine families, suggesting that the Pompeii were of Sabine or Oscan extraction.Chase, pp.

The nomen Sextius is a patronymic surname, derived from the praenomen Sextus, meaning "sixth", which must have belonged to the ancestor of the gens.Chase, p. 123. It is frequently confounded with that of the patrician gens Sestia, and in fact the two families may originally have been the same; however, Roman authors treated them as distinct gentes.Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol.

The nomen Procilius, sometimes spelled with a double 'l', belongs to a common class of gentilicia derived from names ending in the diminutive suffix '-ulus'.Chase, pp. 122, 123. In this case, the name is a patronymic surname derived from the old praenomen Proculus, which Festus reported was originally given to a child born when his father was far from home,Liber de Praenominibus.

The main praenomina of the Ostorii were Quintus, Publius, Marcus, Gaius, and Lucius, which were the five most common names throughout Roman history. Only the first three are known from the family of the Ostorii Scapulae. The only other praenomen found among the Ostorii is Spurius, which had been a common name in the early Republic, but which fell out of use in imperial times.

"Timesitheus" is a cognomen which suggests that the bearer was ethnically a Greek. However, Timesitheus's praenomen and nomen (i.e. "Gaius" and "Furius Sabinius" respectively) indicate long-established Roman citizenship and a family that was well-integrated into the élite classes of the Empire although it is otherwise unknown. Such enthusiasm to be associated with the Imperial power was not unknown in the case of ambitious Greek families.

Volusianus was the son of a Roman citizen also with the praenomen 'Lucius' of the Petronii clan. His Roman voting Tribe was the Sabatinae. Sabatina was a district in Etruria; thus it is likely that the family was of Etruscan origin. Volusianus’s patronage of Arezzo in later life does not necessarily mean that he was born there, but it does indicate some strong regional connection.

The nomen Spurilius is formed from the praenomen Spurius, using the diminutive suffix ', which was frequently used to form new gentilicia from existing names.Chase, pp. 122, 123. Spurius was a common name in the early period of Roman history, and favoured by a number of prominent families, but became scarcer toward the end of the Republic, probably due to confusion with the adjective spurius, "illegitimate".

According to tradition, the Valerii were of Sabine descent, having come to Rome with Titus Tatius, shortly after the founding of the city.Dionysius of Halicarnassus, ii. 46.Plutarch, "The Life of Numa", 5, "The Life of Publicola", 1. However, their nomen, Valerius, is a patronymic surname derived from the Latin praenomen Volesus or Volusus, which in turn is derived from valere, to be strong.

Chase, pp. 109, 110. The Valerii Faltones flourished at the end of the third century BC, first appearing at the end of the First Punic War. Their relationship to the other Valerii is not immediately apparent, as none of the older stirpes of the gens used the praenomen Quintus, but they may have been a cadet branch of the Valerii Maximi, whose surname disappears around this time.

The gens was always said to have descended from and been named after a mythical personage named Iulus or Iullus, even before he was asserted to be the son of Aeneas; and it is entirely possible that Iulus was an ancient praenomen, which had fallen out of use by the early Republic, and was preserved as a cognomen by the eldest branch of the Julii. The name was later revived as a praenomen by Marcus Antonius, the triumvir, who had a son and grandson named Iulus. Classical Latin did not distinguish between the letters "I" and "J", which were both written with "I", and for this reason the name is sometimes written Julus, just as Julius is also written Iulius. The many Julii of imperial times, who were not descended from the gens Julia, did not limit themselves to the praenomina of that family.

The nomen Septimuleius belongs to a large class of gentilicia, typically of Oscan origin, ending in the gentile-forming suffix '. This may mean that the Septimuleii were of Sabine or Samnite origin.Chase, p. 120. The root resembles that of the rare Latin praenomen Septimus, from the Latin numeral for "seven", referring to a seventh son, seventh child, or a child born in September, the seventh month of the old Roman calendar.

Ancient rulers in many parts of the world took regnal names or throne names which were different from their personal name. This is known to be true, for instance, of several kings of Assyria, and appears to be the case for several Kings of Judah. In Ancient Egypt, Pharaohs took a number of names – the praenomen being the most commonly used, on occasion in conjunction with their personal name.

The name was probably more widespread amongst the plebeians and in the countryside. Many other families which used Paullus as a cognomen may originally have used it as a praenomen. The feminine form, Paulla or Polla, was one of the most common praenomina in both patrician and plebeian gentes, including the Aemilii, Caecilii, Cornelii, Flaminii, Fulvii, Licinii, Minucii, Sergii, Servilii, Sulpicii, and Valerii. The name has survived into modern times.

The Remmii largely confined themselves to the most common praenomina, particularly Marcus, Lucius, Gaius, Publius, and Quintus. One of the women of this gens bore the feminine praenomen Prima. Other women of the Remmii bore individualizing surnames derived from old praenomina, identical in form but placed at the end of the name, like cognomina, including Maxima, Octavia, Salvia, and Secunda, as well as Tertullina, a diminutive of Tertia.

Each entry gives the full name of the magistrate who triumphed, beginning with his praenomen (normally abbreviated), nomen gentilicium, filiation, and cognomina (if any). Following these names are the magistracy or promagistracy held, the names of the defeated enemies or conquered territories, and the date that the triumph was celebrated. Roman numerals indicate those individuals who held the magistracy in question multiple times, or who received multiple triumphs.

However, the 315 BC entry in the Fasti Capitolini for the consular Aulius preserves the enigmatic filiation "Ai. n.", which meaning has not been explained, as no known praenomen can be shortened as such. Attilio Degrassi, Robert Broughton and others have therefore considered that there were two homonymous men with a different grandfather active at the end of the 4th century BC.Degrassi, Fasti Capitolini, pp. 46, 47 (note for 315).

In Republican times, the Aufidii used the praenomina Gnaeus, Titus, Marcus, and Sextus. Lucius and Gaius are not found prior to the second century AD. The character Tullus Aufidius in Shakespeare's play Coriolanus predates the earliest historical mention of the gens by some three hundred years, and is identified as Attius Tullius in Livy; there is no other evidence that the praenomen Tullus was used by the Aufidii.

According to tradition, the Servilia gens was one of the Alban houses removed to Rome by Tullus Hostilius, and enrolled by him among the patricians. It was, consequently, one of the gentes minores. The nomen Servilius is a patronymic surname, derived from the praenomen Servius (meaning "one who keeps safe" or "preserves"), which must have been borne by the ancestor of the gens.Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita, i. 30.

The nomen Paconius belongs to a class of gentilicia formed using the suffix ', which were originally derived from other names ending in -o, although later the suffix came to be regarded as a regular gentile-forming suffix in other cases. In this instance, the root of the name is probably the Oscan praenomen Paccius, which would make it cognate with Paccius, Pacilia, and perhaps Pacidia.Chase, pp. 118, 119, 139.

If the name is derived from the Oscan praenomen Paccius, then the Paccii would be an Oscan family, perhaps of Samnite origin. This seems quite probable, given the fact that most of the inscriptions bearing this name are concentrated in and around Samnium. However, in at least some cases it is likely that Pacidius is instead an orthographic variation of Placidius, derived from the Latin cognomen Placidus, "peaceful".

Priestess of Vesta, performing sacred rites. Invocation Frederic Leighton (1830–1896) In the earliest period, the binomial nomenclature of praenomen and nomen that developed throughout Italy was shared by both men and women. Most praenomina had both masculine and feminine forms, although a number of praenomina common to women were seldom or never used by men. Just as men's praenomina, women's names were regularly abbreviated instead of being written in full.

Its root is uncertain, as its root would be expected to be a cognomen, Pactumus, or perhaps another gentile name, Pactumius, both of which are unknown. The closest known name seems to be the Oscan praenomen Paccius, occasionally written Pactius, which was itself used as a nomen gentilicium, as well as forming nomina with other suffixes, such as Pacilius, Paconius, and probably Pacidius.Chase, pp. 119, 123, 128, 139.

He found administration to be mundane, leaving those responsibilities to his mother, Julia Domna, to attend to. Caracalla's reign featured domestic instability and external invasions by the Germanic peoples. Caracalla's reign became notable for the Antonine Constitution (), also known as the Edict of Caracalla, which granted Roman citizenship to all free men throughout the Roman Empire. The edict gave all the enfranchised men Caracalla's adopted praenomen and nomen: "Marcus Aurelius".

Gaius Julius Vercondaridubnus (fl. 1st century BCE) was a Gaul of the civitas of the Aedui.His praenomen is offered as Caius or abbreviated (as C.) by some modern sources. He was the first high priest (sacerdos) of the Altar of the Deified Caesar at Lugdunum (modern Lyon, France), which was inaugurated August 1 in either 12 or 10 BCE at the confluence of the Saône and Rhone rivers.

A Sphinx of Amenemhat III reinscribed in the name of Apepi, one of the so-called "Hyksos Sphinxes" Offering table with the praenomen Aaqenenre (Cairo CG23073) Two sisters are known: Tani and Ziwat. Tani is mentioned on a door of a shrine in Avaris and on the stand of an offering table (Berlin 22487). She was the sister of the king. Ziwat is mentioned on a bowl found in Spain.

The nomen Proculeius, belongs to a common class of gentilicia ending in the diminutive suffix '-eius', often although not exclusively formed from other names ending in '-a' or '-as'.Chase, pp. 120, 121. In this case, the name is a patronymic surname derived from the old praenomen Proculus, which Festus reported was originally given to a child born when his father was far from home,Liber de Praenominibus.

The main praenomina of the Secundinii were Gaius and Lucius, two of the most common names at every period of Roman history. Only a few examples of other praenomina are found in the inscriptions of this gens, many of which lack praenomina. Also found are Marcus and Sextus, which were common, and Postumus, which was relatively scarce as a praenomen, although common as a surname under the Empire.

It seems probable that the nomen Novellius belongs to a class of gentilicia formed either from diminutives of other names, or from cognomina, using the suffix -ellius. In this case, the nomen is apparently derived from the Oscan praenomen Novius, marking the Novellii as a family of Oscan origin.Chase, pp. 122–124. The greatest number of Novellii known from extant inscriptions lived in Mediolanum and the province of Cisalpine Gaul.

Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita, book IDe Praenominibus (epitome by Julius Paris)George Davis Chase, "The Origin of Roman Praenomina", in Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, vol. VIII (1897) The feminine form of Titus should be Tita, and this form is found in older inscriptions. However, the more common form, even in the earliest period, was Titia, with an "i". The same pattern was followed by the praenomen Marca or Marcia.

In all probability, the nomen Numisius is merely a different orthography of Numicius, although this does not establish which is the original form. Numicius appears to belong to a class of gentilicia formed from other names ending in -ex, -icis, or -icus, which took -icius as a suffix. But if Numisius is the true orthography, then the nomen is probably derived from the praenomen Numerius.Chase, pp. 126–128.

The bronze trumpet was discovered in the tomb's antechamber in a large chest containing various military objects and walking sticks. The silver trumpet was subsequently found in the burial chamber. Both are finely engraved, with decorative images of the gods Ra-Horakhty, Ptah and Amun. The silver trumpet's bell is engraved with a whorl of sepals and calices representing a lotus flower, and the praenomen and nomen of the king.

According to Festus, the praenomen Gnaeus originally referred to a birthmark, which was naevus in Latin. This etymology is generally accepted by modern scholars. In his treatise on the origin of Roman praenomina, Chase cites the archaic spelling Gnaivos in support of this explanation. However, as with other praenomina, Gnaeus was generally chosen because it was a family name, not necessarily because the children who received it had a noteworthy birthmark.

Karl Joachim Marquardt, Handbuch der Römischen Alterthümer, vol. iiiTheodor Mommsen, Römische Forschungen However, the likeliest explanation derives the name from caesius, "blue-grey," a word frequently used to describe the color of the eyes. This etymology was given by Festus with respect to the feminine form, Caesula. It was also one of four different explanations given for the cognomen Caesar, which Varro believed to have originated as a praenomen.

Catullus 12 read in Latin Catullus 12 is a poem by the Roman poet Catullus. In it, he chides Asinius Marrucinus for stealing one of his napkins, calling it uncouth and noting the disapproval of his brother, Pollio. Note the reversal of the praenomen and nomen in the first line. While "Asini Marrucine" could be translated simply as "Asinius Marrucinus", the inverted word order introduces the alternative meaning "Marrucinus [son] of a jackass".

The Manlii were one of the oldest and most distinguished patrician gens in the Roman Republic. One Gnaeus Manlius Cincinnatus had been chosen consul in 480 BC, four years after the first Fabius had become consul. Prominent consuls in the family included the early 4th century consul Marcus Manlius T.f. Capitolinus (whose career was marked by his gens banning the use of the praenomen Marcus thereafter), and the 4th century consul Titus Manlius L.f.

Such Greeks often took the praenomen and nomen of the authors or sponsors of their citizenship, but retained their Greek name as cognomen to give such forms as Titus Flavius Alkibiades. Various mixed forms also emerged. The Latin suffix –ianus, originally indicating the birth family of a Roman adopted into another family, was taken over to mean initially "son of" (e.g. Asklepiodotianos = son of Asklepiodotos), then later as a source of independent new names.

Publius is thought to derive from the same root as populus and publicus, meaning "the people" or "of the people". Chase provides several examples of similar names from other Indo-European languages. Although Publius is generally regarded as a quintessentially Latin praenomen, a few scholars have proposed an Etruscan origin for the name. This may be partly based on the fact that the name, in the form Puplie, was also used by the Etruscans.

The career of Furius Victorinus is known from an inscription found at Rome, which also informs us that the praenomen of his father was Lucius, and that he was a member of the tribe Platina. = ILS 9002\. Two other inscriptions (, ) are fragmentary copies of the first. His first appointments was a commission as military tribune or commander of the cohort I Augusta Bracarum which was stationed at the time in Roman Britain.

Cassell's Latin & English Dictionary. However, as with many families of imperial times, many surnames were acquired from other families to whom the Ceionii were related or otherwise politically connected. Postumus, a surname belonging to the father of the emperor Albinus, is derived from the praenomen Postumus, referring to a youngest child, although a popular false etymology derived it from post humus, "after burial", meaning a child born after his father's death.Chase, pp.

111, 150. In a letter referred to by the historian Julius Capitolinus, Ceionius Postumus claimed to be a descendant of the ancient patrician house of the Postumii, whose nomen was itself derived from the praenomen Postumus.Chase, p. 131. Ceionius named his son Albinus, supposedly in reference both to the extraordinary whiteness of his skin, and to the noble family of the Postumii Albini; however, several other members of the gens also bore the surname Albinus.

636–644 ("Porcius Cato", No. 1). The sons of Cato the Elder each bore the praenomen Marcus, but are distinguished as Cato Licinianus and Cato Salonianus, after their mothers, Licinia and Salonia. Licinianus was probably not used during its bearer's lifetime, as he was a grown man when his half-brother was born, and died when Salonianus was a small child. Although each brother left children, these surnames did not descend to them.

Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus (consul 201 BC) served as quaestor of the Roman Republic in 212 BC, curule aedile and consul in 201 BC. His brother Lucius Cornelius Lentulus was also consul in 199 BC. Gnaeus was possibly the son of L. Cornelius L. f. L. n. Lentulus Caudinus, curule aedile in 209 BC, though the presence of the praenomen Gnaeus, along with the absence of the agnomen Caudinus, are opposed to this connection.

The main praenomina of the Avieni were Sextus and Titus, with a few other names receiving occasional use, including Gaius, Publius, and Quintus. All of these were very common throughout Roman history. One family of the Avieni at Ostia used Sextus alone, and were differentiated by their cognomina, a phenomenon sometimes referred to as the "fossilization" of a praenomen, which became common in imperial times.Salomies, Adoptive and Polyonymous Nomenclature in the Roman Empire.

The Shepherd Faustulus Bringing Romulus and Remus to His Wife Nicolas Mignard, 1606–1668 As in other cultures, the early peoples of Italy probably used a single name, which later developed into the praenomen. Marcus Terentius Varro wrote that the earliest Italians used simple names.Gaius Titius Probus, De Praenominibus, epitome by Julius Paris. Names of this type could be honorific or aspirational, or might refer to deities, physical peculiarities, or circumstances of birth.

As Roman territory expanded beyond Italy, many foreigners obtained Roman citizenship, and adopted Roman names. Often these were discharged auxiliary soldiers, or the leaders of annexed towns and peoples. Customarily a newly enfranchised citizen would adopt the praenomen and nomen of his patron; that is, the person who had adopted or manumitted him, or otherwise procured his citizenship. But many such individuals retained a portion of their original names, usually in the form of cognomina.

The Pescennii used a variety of praenomina, of which the most important were Lucius, Quintus, and Marcus, Gaius, and Publius, all of which were very common throughout Roman history. Some of the Pescennii bore other names, including Sextus, Titus, or Gnaeus, which were also common praenomina. A less common name borne by one of the family was Statius, an Oscan praenomen that was little used at Rome, but more frequent in rural Italy.

The meaning of the praenomen remains obscure; but it could possibly have originated as a variation of Faustus, another ancient name meaning fortunate; in Etruscan we find two possible cognates, the feminine praenomina Fasti and Hasti, of which the latter is a variation of the former.George Davis Chase, "The Origin of Roman Praenomina", in Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, vol. VIII (1897).Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, William Smith, Editor.

Lucius Cassius Dio was the son of Cassius Apronianus, a Roman senator and member of the gens Cassia, who was born and raised at Nicaea in Bithynia. Byzantine tradition maintains that Dio's mother was the daughter or sister of the Greek orator and philosopher, Dio Chrysostom; however, this relationship has been disputed. Lucius is often identified as Dio's praenomen, but a Macedonian inscription, published in 1970, reveals the abbreviation, "Cl.", presumably Claudius.

The nomen Spellius appears to belong to a large class of gentilicia derived from surnames ending in diminutive suffixes such as ', ', or ', or in some cases directly from surnames with similar stems, without diminutive suffixes.Chase, pp. 122–124. Most of the Spellii found in epigraphy lived at Rome, but an early example from Campania shows that they used the Oscan praenomen Ovius, suggesting that their ancestors might have been Sabines or Samnites.

Quintus Baienus Blassianus was a Roman eques who held a number of military and civilian positions during the reign of the Emperors Antonius Pius and Marcus Aurelius, including praefectus of the Classis Britannica, and of Roman Egypt. Blassianus' home, based on the presence of a number of inscriptions, is believed to be Trieste. Based on his filiation, attested in at least one inscription, indicates his father's praenomen was Publius, and his tribe was Pupinia.

Then a military diploma from Bulgaria was published in the late 1950s showing "Lappius" was likely a different person from Norbanus. That they were two different people was definitely proven by another military diploma published by Werner Eck and Andreas Pangerl in 2007, giving both his praenomen and gentilicum: "Titus Flavius".Eck and Pangerl, "T. Flavius Norbanus, praefectus praetorio Domitians, als Statthalter Rätiens in einem neuen Militärdiplom", Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik, 163 (2007), pp.

Cassius Dio, 43.44.2. In 38 BC Agrippa refused a triumph for his victories under Octavian's command, and this precedent established the rule that the princeps should assume both the salutation and title of imperator. It seems that from then on Octavian (later the first emperor Augustus) used imperator as a first name (praenomen): Imperator Caesar not Caesar imperator. From this the title came to denote the supreme power and was commonly used in that sense.

The earliest branch of the Fulvii used the praenomina Lucius, Marcus (praenomen), and Quintus, which they occasionally supplemented with other names, including Gaius, Gnaeus, and Servius. Lucius disappears early, and was not used by the later Fulvii. The Fulvii Centumali mentioned in history bore Gnaeus and Marcus exclusively, while the Flacci depended on Marcus and Quintus, supplemented by Gnaeus, Servius, and Gaius. Fulvii with other praenomina occur toward the end of the Republic.

Volesus, Volusus, or Volero is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, which was occasionally used during the period of the Roman Republic, and briefly revived in imperial times. It gave rise to the patronymic gentes Valeria and Volusia. Although not attested from inscriptions, the feminine form would have been Volesa or Volusa. Unlike the more common praenomina, which were usually abbreviated, this name was regularly spelled out, but is also found abbreviated Vol.

The nomen Salienus belongs to a class of gentilicia formed using the suffix -enus, typically from other gentile names, or occasionally from places. The root of the name is not apparent, but it could be an orthographic variation of Salvienus, from the Oscan praenomen Salvius. Most of the Salieni known from inscriptions seem to have come from Umbria, Sabinum, Samnium, or Campania, suggesting that they were indeed of Oscan or Umbrian descent.Chase, p. 118.

The nomen Tullius is a patronymic surname, derived from the old Latin praenomen Tullus, probably from a root meaning to support, bear, or help.Chase, pp. 145, 146. The Tullii of the Republic sometimes claimed descent from Servius Tullius, the sixth King of Rome, who according to some traditions was the son of Servius Tullius, a prince of Corniculum who was slain in battle against the Romans under Lucius Tarquinius Priscus, the fifth Roman king.

The name was later used as a cognomen in many families. It was not normally abbreviated, but is sometimes found with the abbreviation Paul.Dictionary of Greek & Roman Biography & MythologyMika Kajava, Roman Female Praenomina: Studies in the Nomenclature of Roman Women (1994) The masculine praenomen Paullus was not widely used at Rome, but was used by gentes Aemilia and Fabia, which also used it as a cognomen. Both gentes had a long history of using rare and archaic praenomina.

The name gave rise to the patronymic gens Opiternia, and perhaps also gens Opetreia.RE.Kajava. The praenomen Opiter was used by the patrician gentes Verginia and Lucretia, and several prominent members of these gentes with this name held important magistracies during the first two centuries of the Republic. The name must also have been used at one time by the ancestors of gens Opiternia. As with other rare praenomina, Opiter may have been more frequently used in the countryside.

Chase, pp. 121–123. The common root of all three nomina is op-, "help", found in the name of the goddess Ops, as well as the praenomen Opiter, and the derived patronymics Opiternius and Opetreius, and the nomen Oppius.Chase, pp. 148, 149. Most of these names are thought to be of Sabine or Samnite origin, and in some writers we find the nomen Obsidius, apparently an orthographic variation of Opsidius, among the Frentani, a Samnite people.Chase, pp.

The only distinct family of the Remmii under the Republic bore the surname Rufus, originally given to someone with red hair.Chase, p. 110. Most of the other surnames of the Remmii seem to have been personal cognomina, many of them belonging to freedmen, and indicating their original names. Of those that represent traditional Roman surnames, Faustus, fortunate, was an old praenomen that came to be widely used as a cognomen in the late Republic and imperial times.

Some ambiguity surrounds his name. The praenomen Flavius is given in The Lives of the Sophists and Tzetzes. Eunapius and Synesius call him a Lemnian; Photius a Tyrian; his letters refer to him as an Athenian. It is probable that he was born in Lemnos, studied and taught at Athens, and then settled in Rome (where he would naturally be called Atheniensis) as a member of the learned circle with which empress Julia Domna surrounded herself.

The nomen Sestius is frequently confounded with that of Sextius, and the two names may originally have been the same; but the ancient writers evidently regarded them as two distinct names. If they are in fact two forms of the same name, then Sestius is probably a patronymic surname, based on the common praenomen Sextus, meaning "sixth". The same name gave rise to the plebeian gens Sextilia.Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, William Smith, Editor.

The Quinctia gens was one of the Alban houses removed to Rome by Tullus Hostilius, and enrolled by him among the patricians. It was consequently one of the minores gentes. The nomen Quinctius is a patronymic surname based on the praenomen Quintus, which must have belonged to an ancestor of the gens. The spelling Quintius is common in later times, but Quinctius is the ancient and more correct form, which occurs on coins and in the Fasti Capitolini.

There is no trace of a cognomen Pasidus, so the original root of the nomen is unclear, unless it is treated as an orthographic variant of Pacidius, in which case the root may be the Oscan praenomen Paccius.Chase, pp. 128, 139. In any case, Pasidius seems to be the source for another nomen, Pasidienus, derived from Pasidius using the gentile-forming suffix -enus, not normally found in names of Latin origin, but typical of names from Picenum and Umbria.

Where once only the most noble patrician houses used multiple surnames, Romans of all backgrounds and social standing might bear several cognomina. By the third century, this had become the norm amongst freeborn Roman citizens. The question of how to classify different cognomina led the grammarians of the fourth and fifth centuries to designate some of them as agnomina. For most of the Republic, the usual manner of distinguishing individuals was through the binomial form of praenomen and nomen.

Peducaeus was a member of a late Republican senatorial family, but much of Peducaeus’ career is unclear. Confusion in the sources means that events in which a Peducaeus participated could be assigned to a number of individuals of the same gens. It is believed that Titus Peducaeus may possibly have been the Caesarean governor of Corsica et Sardinia in 48 BC; the primary source for this, Appian, gives him the praenomen "Sextus", but this has been questioned.Shackleton-Bailey, p.

Painted terracotta Sarcophagus of Seianti Hanunia Tlesnasa, about 150–130 BCE Everyone at all times had a praenomen, or first name, which was a simple descendant of an ancient name, or a compound comprising a meaningful expression.The Bonfantes (2002), page 88. They were marked for gender: aule/aulia, larth/lartha, arnth/arntia. There is no evidence that girls were named for males, as in Roman society; that is, a girl did not take her father's or husband's name.

Metaponto, the Temple of Hera In ancient historical times the region was originally known as Lucania, named for the Lucani, an Oscan-speaking population from central Italy. Their name might be derived from Greek leukos meaning "white", lykos ("gray wolf"), or Latin lucus ("sacred grove"). Or more probably Lucania, as much as the Lucius forename (praenomen) derives from the Latin word Lux (gen. lucis), meaning "light" (Bonfante G., Bonfante L, The Etruscan Language: An Introduction, 1983, p. 59.

The Julii of the Republic used the praenomina Lucius, Gaius, and Sextus. There are also instances of Vopiscus and Spurius in the early generations of the family. The earliest of the Julii appearing in legend bore the praenomen Proculus, and it is possible that this name was used by some of the early Julii, although no later examples are known. In the later Republic and imperial times, Vopiscus and Proculus were generally used as personal cognomina.

The nomen Postumulenus belongs to a class of names formed primarily from other gentilicia, using the suffix -enus.Chase, p. 118. In this case, the nomen is a lengthened form of Postumius, derived from the old Latin praenomen Postumus. This name is derived from the adjective postremus, "hindmost" or "last", and originally referred to a last-born child, although in later times it was confused with posthumus, "after burial", being applied to children born after their fathers' death.

Histories of Alexander the Great () is a biography of Alexander the Great attributed to Roman historian Quintus Curtius Rufus,"The identification of his full name as 'Quintus Curtius Rufus' appears one of a later age (in Hedicke's 1867 edition, for example), for the praenomen 'Quintus' did not appear against the title of the earliest extant manuscripts..." Grant, David. In Search of the Lost Testament of Alexander the Great. Cedar Forge Pr, 2017, p. 669. ascribed to the 1st century.

68 ("Publius Ovidius Naso"). The nomen Ovidius would seem to belong to a class of gentilicia formed from other names using the common name-forming suffix -idius, in which case it might be a patronymic surname based on the Oscan praenomen Ovius. Alternatively, the name might have been derived from a cognomen Ovis, referring to a sheep. Chase also mentions a nomen Ofidius, an orthographic variant of Aufidius, derived from the river Aufidus; Ovidius could perhaps be another orthography.

The earliest generations of the Fabii favored the praenomina Caeso, Quintus, and Marcus. They were the only patrician gens to make regular use of Numerius, which appears in the family after the destruction of the Fabii at the Cremera. According to the tradition related by Festus, this praenomen entered the gens when Quintus Fabius Vibulanus, the consul of 467, married a daughter of Numerius Otacilius of Maleventum, and bestowed his father-in-law's name on his son.Festus, s. v.

As was often the case in imperial times, all of the individuals known from the family of the Valae bore the same praenomen, Gaius, as do most of the other Numonii mentioned in inscriptions. However, a set of inscriptions from the ancient Etruscan city of Caere, likely among the oldest, as the individuals named have no cognomina, demonstrate that the Numonii also used Aulus and Lucius. In other inscriptions we find examples of Gnaeus and Quintus.

765–775 ("Claudius"). According to Suetonius, the gens avoided the praenomen Lucius because two early members with this name had brought dishonor upon the family, one having been convicted of highway robbery, and the other of murder. However, the name was used by at least one branch of the Claudii in the final century of the Republic, including one who, as Rex Sacrorum, was certainly patrician. To these names, the plebeian Claudii added Quintus and Sextus.

The form Attus is mentioned by Valerius Maximus, who connected it with the bucolic Greek name Atys. Braasch translated it as Väterchen, "little father," and connected it with a series of childhood parental names: "atta, tata, acca," and the like, becoming such names as Tatius (also Sabine) and Atilius.Braasch, pp. 7-8. During the late Republic and early Empire, the Claudii Nerones, who gave rise to the Imperial family, adopted the praenomen Decimus, seldom used by any patrician family.

The Lartii were one of several noble families of Etruscan origin during the early Republic. The nomen Lartius is a patronymic surname, based on the Etruscan praenomen Lars. This name, meaning "lord", is usually spelled Larth in Etruscan inscriptions, but Latin writers also used Lars in place of the Etruscan praenomina Laris and Larce, apparently distinct names in Etruscan. The nomen is always spelled Lartius in Livius, while Dionysius alternates between Λάρκιος, Larcius and Λάργιος, Largius.

The nomen Salvidius belongs to a large class of gentilicia formed using the suffix -idius. This termination originally applied to surnames ending in -idus, but over time it became so familiar that it came to be regarded as a regular gentile-forming suffix, and was applied even in cases where it was not orthographically justified. The root of the name is Salvius, a common Oscan praenomen. The nomen Salvidienus was formed from Salvidius using the suffix -enus.

The different ancient sources covering the year 430 BC are in disagreement in regards to the identity of both the consuls and the censors of this year. The two consuls are traditionally identified as Gaius Papirius Crassus and Lucius Julius Iulus, but the praenomens varies between sources. Cicero names them _Publius_ Papirius and Gaius Julius; Diodorus names them _Gaius_ Papirius and Lucius Junius; and Cassiodorus names them _Lucius_ Papirius and Lucius Julius. The majority of our other sources do not specify a praenomen and only give the cognomen of Crassus and Iulus. Gaius and Lucius are both prominently used within the Papiria gens, while Publius as a praenomen does not see use until the late Republic, some 300 years after this consul. Following Diodorus thus gives us a Gaius Papirius Crassus as a different individual to that of the Lucius Papirius Crassus, consul of 436 BC, while if one follows Cassiodorus then this consul of 430 BC should probably be identified as the same person as the consul of 436 BC.Cicero, Rep.

Hostus is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, which was used in pre-Roman times and during the early centuries of the Roman Republic, but become obsolete by the 1st century BC. The feminine form was probably Hosta or Hostia. The patronymic gentes Hostia and Hostilia were derived from Hostus. The name was not regularly abbreviated.De Praenominibus (epitome by Julius Paris)Dictionary of Greek & Roman Biography & MythologyGeorge Davis Chase, "The Origin of Roman Praenomina", in Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, vol.

Eprius was a homo novus, "said to have been born in Capua" from a family of no social distinction.Tacitus, Dialogus de oratoribus, 8, 1 His filiation and tribe is known from an honorary inscription found in Capua but now in the museum in Naples. Based on the fact his father's praenomen was Marcus, Ronald Syme suggested that he was born an Eprius M.f. who was adopted by a T. Clodius; the only two praenomina for the rare nomen Eprius are Marcus and Lucius.

Other gentes which later used it as a cognomen may originally have used it as a praenomen. Because it was not a common name, there are few examples of the feminine form, but Marcus Terentius Varro listed it together with other archaic praenomina that were no longer in general use by the 1st century BC, and Plutarchus mentions that it was given to the youngest daughter of the dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla, who lived during Varro's time.Plutarch, "The Life of Sulla".

The praenomen Marcus is generally conceded to be derived from the name of the god Mars. It has been proposed that it was originally given to children who were born in the month of Martius (March), but as the month was also named in honor of Mars, this distinction is of limited importance.George Davis Chase, "The Origin of Roman Praenomina", in Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, vol. VIII (1897)Oxford Classical Dictionary, 3rd Ed. (1996) The feminine form of Marcus should be Marca.

However, the name was widely used in Latium, and in the archaic form Numasios it is found in a number of Old Latin inscriptions, including the famous Praenestine fibula, and it may well be an example of a praenomen that was shared by both Oscan and Latin.. Under the spelling Numesius, it also appears in one of the earliest Etruscan inscriptions, on a vase from Tarquinii dating to about 700 BC.Ogilvie & Drummond, Cambridge Ancient History, vol. 7, part 2, p. 12 (fig. 1).

Pompo, asserted as the name of the ancestor of the Pompilii, does indeed appear to have been an ancient praenomen of Sabine origin. It was the Oscan equivalent of Quintus, a very common name. Numa's father is said to have been named Pompo Pompilius, and it is evident that the nomen Pompilius was itself a patronymic surname derived from Pompo. Pomponius appears to be derived from an adjectival form of that name, and the equivalent of the Latin nomen Quinctilius.

Lucius Aninius Sextius Florentinus was a Roman senator, who held a number of imperial appointments during the reigns of Trajan and Hadrian. He died while governing Roman Arabia; his unnamed son had a tomb prepared for him at Petra, which still stands. There is some uncertainty about his praenomen. While a papyrus text recovered from the Cave of Letters in the Judean Desert mentioning him reports it as Titus, the inscription on his tomb is said to report it as Lucius.

The Cestii do not appear to have been divided into distinct families. The cognomina Gallus, Macedonicus, Proculus, and Severus were probably personal surnames, as was Pius, a rhetorician and a native of Smyrna, who was perhaps a freedman of the gens. Gallus refers to a cockerel, or to someone of Gallic extraction. Macedonicus alluded to the military service of one of the Cestii in Macedonia, while Proculus was an old praenomen that came to be used as a surname in many families.

The only family of the Pinarii mentioned in the early days of the Republic bore the cognomen Mamercinus. Later, the surnames of Natta, Posca, Rusca, and Scarpus appear, but no members of these families obtained the consulship. Natta and Scarpus are the only cognomina that occur on coins. The family of the Pinarii Mamercini, all of whom bore the agnomen Rufus, meaning "red", derived their surname from the praenomen Mamercus, which must have been borne by an ancestor of the gens.

The nomen Postumius is a patronymic surname, derived from the praenomen Postumus, which presumably belonged to the ancestor of the gens. That name is derived from the Latin adjective, postremus, meaning "last" or "hindmost," originally indicating a last-born or youngest child. However, its meaning has long been confounded with that of posthumous, indicating a child born after the death of the father; this misunderstanding is fostered by the fact that a posthumous child is also necessarily the youngest.Chase, pp.

GaiusThe Prosopographia Imperii Romani writes "Titus Murennius Severus Lucius Cassius Regalianus"; in the photo of the diploma it is unclear if the praenomen is 'L' (Lucius) or 'C' (Gaius). Cassius RegallianusThis name is written "Regallianus" on the external side of table I of the military diploma, while on the internal side of the table II it is written as "Regalianus". was a Roman senator active around AD 200. He was appointed consul suffectus in 202 as the colleague of Titus Murenius Severus.

252, 405. Little is known about Scipio's ancestry, beyond his father's praenomen Publius. The latest securely documented members of the Cornelii Scipiones was Metellus Scipio and his daughter Cornelia; there were still several Scipiones during the Principate, but how they are related is a subject of conjecture. The use of Publius, primarily used by the Scipiones Nasicae, could indicate that he was the grandson of Metellus Scipio, but he could have also been a son (or grandson) of Scipio Salvito.

The Cornelii employed a wide variety of praenomina, although individual families tended to favor certain names and avoid others. Servius, Lucius, Publius, and Gnaeus were common to most branches, while other names were used by individual stirpes; Marcus primarily by the Cornelii Maluginenses and the Cethegi, Gaius by the Cethegi, and Aulus by the Cossi. Other names occur infrequently; Tiberius appears once amongst the Lentuli, who later revived the old surname Cossus as a praenomen, while the Cornelii Sullae made use of Faustus.

Marcus Gavius Maximus (died 156) was an eques of ancient Rome who held several imperial positions, both civil and military, under Hadrian and Antonius Pius. Firmum in northern Italy is considered his hometown, confirmed by the fact that his voting tribe, Palatina, is found there. His filiation records his father's praenomen, Marcus. = ILS 1325 Gavius Maximus first appears in history as procurator or governor of Mauretania Tingitana; Anthony Birley believes Hadrian appointed him to that post in 128, and governed there until 132.

This explanation does not seem to account for the relative scarcity of Septimus, Octavius, or Nonus; but because parents were generally free to choose any name they wished, irrespective of its meaning, it may have been used for either reason.George Davis Chase, "The Origin of Roman Praenomina", in Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, vol. VIII (1897)Oxford Classical Dictionary, 3rd Ed. (1996) The Oscan cognate of Septimus is Seppius or Seppiis. It seems to have been a relatively common praenomen.

The Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology describes Mettius as "an old Italian name, in use both among the Sabines and Latins. It is doubtful whether Mettius or Metius is the better orthography, as we sometimes find one and sometimes the other in the best [manuscripts]." There is no reason to doubt that the nomen Mettius is a patronymic surname, based on the old praenomen Mettius, and perhaps sharing a common origin with the nomen of the Metilia gens.Chase, p. 123.

The Manlii used the praenomina Publius, Gnaeus, Aulus, Lucius, and Marcus. The Manlii Torquati also favored the name Titus, using primarily that, Aulus, and Lucius. A well-known story relates that after Marcus Manlius Capitolinus was condemned for treason, the Roman Senate decreed that henceforth none of the gens should bear the praenomen Marcus. However, this legend may have originated as a way to explain the scarcity of the name amongst the Manlii, as the name was rarely used in later generations.

Dictionary of Greek & Roman Biography & Mythology For most of Roman history, Tiberius was about the twelfth or thirteenth most common praenomen. It was not used by most families, but was favored by several, including the great patrician houses of the Aemilii, Claudii, and Sempronii. It was probably more widespread amongst the plebeians, and it became more common in imperial times. The name survived the collapse of Roman civil institutions in the 5th and 6th centuries, and continued to be used into modern times.

The nomen Caesonius is a patronymic surname, based on the praenomen Caeso, which must have belonged to the ancestor of the gens.Chase, p. 119. The Caesonii of the second and third centuries appear to have been an unremarkable family, of senatorial or equestrian rank, which eventually was elevated to the patriciate, holding many of the most important offices in the Roman state. This branch of the family may have originated in Latium or the surrounding region, perhaps the town of Antium.

Roman scholar Marcus Terentius Varro listed Agrippa as one of several archaic praenomina that had passed out of use by the 1st century BC. At least according to legend, it was used in pre-Roman times, and it appears as a praenomen in the earliest years of the Republic. The meaning of the name is unknown. Gaius Plinius Secundus speculated that it was originally used for a child who was born feet-first (a breech birth). However, this is probably a false etymology.

Decimus ( , ) is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, usually abbreviated D. Although never especially common, Decimus was used throughout Roman history from the earliest times to the end of the Western Empire and beyond, surviving into modern times. The feminine form is Decima. The name also gave rise to the patronymic gens Decimia.Mika Kajava, Roman Female Praenomina: Studies in the Nomenclature of Roman Women (1994) Decimus was especially favored by the plebeian gens Junia, which may originally have been patrician.

He says that the heir, if unwilling to take the inheritance, was allowed by the Falcidian law to refuse it on taking a fourth part only. But the Lex Falcidia enacted that at least a fourth of the estate or property of the testator should be secured to the heir named in the testament. The Falcidius mentioned by Cicero in his speech for the Lex Manilia had the praenomen Caius. He had been Tribune of the Plebs and legatus, but in what year is unknown.

His full name was Publius Calvisius Sabinus Pomponius Secundus, as indicated by two fragmentary inscriptions from Germania Superior., . For some time, Pomponius' praenomen was uncertain; Publius was not a regular name of the Pompilii, and Olli Salomies discusses the possibility that it might have been Gaius, but notes that a Publius Calvisius Sabinus was attested as existing in Spoletium, and concludes that it is "possible to assume with some confidence" that he had been adopted by a Publius Calvisius Sabinus.Salomies, Adoptive and polyonymous nomenclature, p.

Dionysius iv.15; Livy xliii.14. First he had to give his full name (praenomen, nomen, and cognomen) and that of his father, or if he were a Libertus ("freedman") that of his patron, and he was likewise obliged to state his age. He was then asked, "You, declaring from your heart, do you have a wife?" and if married he had to give the name of his wife, and likewise the number, names, and ages of his children, if any.Gell. iv.20; Cicero de Oratore ii.

Before Romans entered the territory of present-day Portugal, the native people identified themselves by a single name, or that name followed by a patronym. The names could be Celtic (Mantaus), Lusitanian (Casae), Iberian (Sunua) or Conii (Alainus). The names were clearly ethnic and some typical of a tribe or region. A slow adoption of the Roman onomastic occurred after the end of the first century AD, with the adoption of a Roman name or of the tria nomina: praenomen (given name), nomen (gentile) and cognomen.

VIII (1897)Oxford Classical Dictionary, 3rd Ed. (1996) The name appears to have been quite rare in Latin, although the reason for this is unclear. Perhaps nine was simply the least auspicious number between five and ten (Septimus and Octavius were also quite rare in Latin). However, it is also possible that the Oscan praenomen Novius was derived from the same root. If this is the case, then Roman families may have preferred that form to Nonus on the rare instances in which it was called for.

The Scaptii used a variety of common praenomina, including Gaius, Marcus, Lucius, Publius, and Quintus, all of which were among the most common names throughout all periods of Roman history, as well as the more distinctive Manius, and at least one instance of Statia, an Oscan praenomen sometimes found among freedwomen at Rome, but in this case belonging to a woman in one of the Spanish provinces, who was evidently born free, perhaps descended from a Sabine or Samnite family that had settled in Spain.

The Marcii were relatively conservative with respect to praenomina, with only three names accounting for nearly all of the Marcii of the Republic. Most branches of the family used Lucius, but preferred either Gaius or Quintus, seldom if ever using both in the same branch. There were isolated instances of Publius, Marcus, and perhaps one instance of Gnaeus, although this case is doubtful. All were very common names throughout Roman history; but there was also at least one Septimus, a praenomen that was quite rare at Rome.

Numerius Negidius is a name used in Roman jurisprudence, based on a play on words: Numerius is a Roman praenomen, or forename, resembling the verb numero, "I pay"; while Negidius has the form of a gentile name formed from the verb nego, "I refuse". Thus, Numerius Negidius is a personal name that can also be interpreted to mean "I refuse to pay". For this reason, it was used to refer to the defendant in a hypothetical lawsuit. The plaintiff would be referred to as Aulus Agerius.

Titus Desticius Juba was a Roman governor of Britain between 253 and 258. Anthony Birley writes that Desticius Juba "is the latest known instance of a consular governor of Upper Britain, and indeed of any consular governor with senatorial legates and legions under him."Birley, The Fasti of Roman Britain, (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1981), p. 178 Desticius Juba likely had his origins at Concordia in northern Italy, where numerous inscriptions have been found attesting to "Desticii, with the praenomen Titus, and several with the cognomen Juba".

Lucius Cassius Dio Cocceianus, Roman History, liii. 25, liv. 5. There is a coin in which Titus Carisius is identified as triumvir monetalis, and another which mentions Publius Carisius, as legatus and propraetor, together with the word Emerita, apparently referring to the town of Augusta Emerita in Lusitania, which the emperor Augustus established for the emeriti, veterans of the war in Hispania. From this it has been conjectured that the praenomen Titus, assigned to the conqueror of the Astures by Cassius Dio, should instead be Publius.

As a minimum, a Roman agnomen is a name attached to an individual's full titulature after birth and formal naming by the family. True Roman nicknames, fully replacing the individual's name in usage, are rare. One such example where the nickname fully replaced the individual's name in usage was the Emperor Caligula, where that name was used in place of, and not along with, his full name, which was Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus. Caligula's praenomen was Gaius, his nomen Julius, his cognomen Caesar.

This was especially true for citizens of Greek origin. A name such as or would be typical of such persons, although in form these names are not distinguishable from those of freedmen. The Constitutio Antoniniana promulgated by Caracalla in AD 212 was perhaps the most far-reaching of many imperial decrees enfranchising large numbers of non- citizens living throughout the empire. It extended citizenship to all free inhabitants of the empire, all of whom thus received the name Marcus Aurelius, after the emperor's praenomen and nomen.

This suggests the early fusion of the Aeneas story with a local cult hero, said to have been the son of Jupiter. Irrespective of the historicity of the Iulus of Roman myth, there is little reason to doubt that Iulus was an ancient personal name, perhaps even a praenomen, and that Julius is a patronymic surname built upon it. Iullus seems to be the older spelling, although Iulus was more common, and some records mistakenly substitute the more familiar Tullus or Tullius for it.Broughton, vol.

The Gordian dynasty was founded by Gordian I, the governor of Africa Proconsularis (Roman Africa). Gordian I was said to be related to prominent senators of his time, and his praenomen and nomen Marcus Antonius suggest his ancestors became citizens under the Triumvir Mark Antony, or one of his daughters, during the late Roman Republic. Gordian's cognomen Gordianus indicates that his family origins were originally from Anatolia, in the region of Galatia or Cappadocia. alt=A map of Europe showing the Roman Empire in red.

The nomen Oscius appears to be derived from the cognomen Oscus, referring to one of the Osci, an Italic people closely related to the Sabines and the Samnites, who gave their name to the Oscan language. This is supported by the fact that some of the Oscii known from inscriptions lived in Sabinum and neighboring parts of Latium, and by the fact that one of the Oscii bore the praenomen Statius, a common name among the Oscan-speaking peoples of Italy.Chase, pp. 137, 138.

194 According to an inscription found at Patrae, the praenomen of Rosianus Geminus's father was "Sextus". Because Sextii Prifernii are not otherwise attested, Olli Salomies, in his monograph on the naming practices of the Early Roman empire, considers it "almost a certainty" that Geminus' name at birth was Rosius Sex.f. Geminus, and he was adopted by testament by a Titus Prifernius Paetus. This person has been identified with Titus Prifernius Paetus, suffect consul in 96, as well as the equestrian Titus Prifernius Paetus Memmius Apollinaris.

Modern historians dismiss these as late inventions, but the claim of the Aemilii was much older, and there was no corresponding need to demonstrate the antiquity of a gens that was already prominent at the beginning of the Republic.Cornell, The Beginnings of Rome, p. 10. In any case, the Aemilii, like Numa, were almost certainly of Sabine origin. The praenomen Mamercus is derived from Mamers, a god worshipped by the Sabelli of central and southern Italy, and usually regarded as the Sabellic form of Mars.

Vibius appears to belong to that class of praenomina which was common to Latin, Oscan, and Umbrian. Chase cites a number of examples, mostly from Oscan and Umbrian families, and clearly the name was more common in other parts of Italy than at Rome. But the name was clearly used at Rome and treated as a Latin praenomen. It may be that it arrived in Rome shortly after the founding of the city, since much of the early Roman populace was of Sabine origin.

Throughout Roman history, Gaius was generally the second-most common praenomen, following only Lucius. Although many prominent families did not use it at all, it was so widely distributed amongst all social classes that Gaius became a generic name for any man, and Gaia for any woman. A familiar Roman wedding ceremony included the words, spoken by the bride, ubi tu Gaius, ego Gaia ("as you are Gaius, I am Gaia"), to which the bridegroom replied, ubi tu Gaia, ego Gaius.Plutarch, "Quaestiones Romanae", 30.

The name gave rise to the patronymic gens Aulia, and perhaps also to gens Avilia and the cognomen Avitus. The name was usually abbreviated A., but occasionally Av. or Avl.Dictionary of Greek & Roman Biography & MythologyGeorge Davis Chase, "The Origin of Roman Praenomina", in Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, vol. VIII (1897) For most of Roman history, Aulus was one of the ten most common praenomina, being less common than Titus, the sixth most common praenomen, and comparable in frequency to Gnaeus, Spurius, and Sextus.

But as the praenomen lost its value as a distinguishing name, and gradually faded into obscurity, its former role was assumed by the versatile cognomen, and the typical manner of identifying individuals came to be by nomen and cognomen; essentially one form of binomial nomenclature was replaced by another, over the course of several centuries. The very lack of regularity that allowed the cognomen to be used as either a personal or a hereditary surname became its strength in imperial times; as a hereditary surname, a cognomen could be used to identify an individual's connection with other noble families, either by descent, or later by association. Individual cognomina could also be used to distinguish between members of the same family; even as siblings came to share the same praenomen, they bore different cognomina, some from the paternal line, and others from their maternal ancestors. Although the nomen was a required element of Roman nomenclature down to the end of the western empire, its usefulness as a distinguishing name declined throughout imperial times, as an increasingly large portion of the population bore nomina such as Flavius or Aurelius, which had been granted en masse to newly enfranchised citizens.

J.-C.) (Pont-Bithynie, Galatie, Cappadoce, Lycie-Pamphylie et Cilicie), (Istanbul: Institut Français d'Études Anatoliennes-Georges Dumézil, 1989), p. 343 In his monograph on naming practices in the early Roman Empire, Olli Salomies writes that Varus was the father of Titus Clodius Vibius Varus, ordinary consul of 160. Salomies also suggests that the gentilicum Clodius and the presence of the uncommon praenomen Titus may indicate Varus the elder was married to a Clodia, or a female member of the gens Clodius.Salomies, Adoptive and Polyonymous Nomenclature in the Roman Empire (Helsinki: Societas Scientiarum Fennica, 1992), pp.

It is often seen abbreviated to C. IVLIVS CAESAR. (The letterform Æ is a ligature, which is often encountered in Latin inscriptions, where it was used to save space, and is nothing more than the letters "ae".) The leading vowels in each part of the name are long, and in Classical Latin, the whole name was pronounced , or, alternatively, with praenomen pronounced trisyllabically as . In Greek, during Caesar's time, his name was written Καῖσαρ, which was pronounced more or less the same. Roman nomenclature is somewhat different from the modern English form.

The Decimii appear to have been originally a Samnite family of Bovianum; at least, the first of the name belonged to that place, and the others who occur in history were probably his descendants, who after obtaining the Roman franchise settled at Rome. The name itself is a patronymic surname, formed from the praenomen Decimus. In this respect it may be regarded as a Latin name, although the ancestor of the family may himself have been of Samnite extraction. The Oscan equivalent of Decimus is Dekis or Decius.

This tradition casts doubt on the usage of numerical names: the masculine praenomina Quintus ("the Fifth"), Sextus ("the Sixth"), and Decimus ("the Tenth") were widely used without reference to birth order, because they were passed on. Thus the semi-legendary Claudia Quinta should have been the fifth daughter of her patrician father from the gens Claudia, but it is doubtful that four older sisters existed: Quinta is probably an archaic feminine praenomen that later Latin authors treated as a cognomen.T. P. Wiseman, Clio's Cosmetics (Bristol Phoenix Press, 2003, originally published 1979), p. 95.

Various official titles were associated with the Roman Emperor. These titles included imperator, Augustus, Caesar, and later dominus (lord) and basileus (the Greek word for "sovereign"). The word Emperor is derived from the Roman title "imperator", which was a very high, but not exclusive, military title until Augustus began to use it as his praenomen. The Emperor Diocletian (284–305), the father of the Tetrarchy, was the first to stop referring to himself as "princeps" altogether, calling himself "dominus" (lord, master), thus dropping the pretense that emperor was not truly a monarchical office.

The root of the nomen Opsius appears to be op-, with the meaning of "help", found in the name of the goddess Ops, as well as the nomen Oppius. The same root may be the source of the praenomen Opiter, together with the patronymic surnames derived from it, Opiternius and Opetreius. Such forms are typical of non-Latin gentilicia, and are most likely of Sabine origin, which seems the more probable in light of the tradition that the cult of Ops was introduced to Rome by the Sabine king, Titus Tatius.Chase, pp.

Olli Salomies, Adoptive and polyonymous nomenclature in the Roman Empire, (Helsinski: Societas Scientiarum Fenica, 1992), pp. 80, 132f An inscription recovered from Urbs Salvia supplies his father's praenomen, Gaius; more importantly it provides details of his cursus honorum. = ILS 1011 The first office listed is the record of holding the chief magistracy of his home town in four census years; Anthony Birley explains this would extend 15 years from the first to the last tenure of this office.Birley, The Fasti of Roman Britain (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1981), p.

Henry Coxe (pseudonym of John Millard) The Gentleman's Guide in His Tour Through France pp. 83-84Emily Hemelrijk, Greg Woolf Women and the Roman City in the Latin West pp. 163 In his monograph on naming practices of the first centuries of the Imperial period, Olli Salomies writes confidently that Varus was the son of Titus Vibius Varus, ordinary consul of 134. The scholar also suggests that the gentilicum Clodius and the presence of the uncommon praenomen Titus may indicate his mother was a Clodia, that is a female member of the gens Clodius.

The different ancient sources covering the year 430 BC are in disagreement in regards to the identity of both the consuls and the censors of this year. The two consuls are traditionally identified as Gaius Papirius Crassus and Lucius Julius Iulus, the praenomens varies between sources. Cicero names them Publius Papirius and Gaius Julius; Diodorus names them Gaius Papirius and Lucius Junius; and Cassiodorus names them Lucius Papirius and Lucius Julius. The majority of our other sources do not specify a praenomen and only give the cognomen of Crassus and Iulus.

The only persons known to have borne this cognomen also bore that of Brutus, and therefore may have belonged to that family, rather than a distinct stirps of the Junia gens. If so, the Bubulci were the only members of the family to use the praenomen Gaius. They appear in history during the Second Samnite War, at the same time as the other Junii Bruti emerge from two centuries of obscurity, with the agnomen Scaeva. This suggests that the family may have split into two distinct branches about this time.

There are three epigraphic inscriptions that have been identified by published authorities as relating to the Marcianus of the ancient literary sources – albeit with varying degrees of confidence. These add considerably to the knowledge of his career derived from the literary sources: 1\. From Philippopolis, Thracia (ancient city located in modern Plovdiv, Bulgaria):AE 1965, 114 (Thracia) This inscription (in Greek) comes from a monument set up by the Town-Council and People of Philippopolis honouring one "Marcianus" (i.e. no praenomen or nomen) who saved the city when it was besieged by an unidentified enemy.

Biagi(2006:363fn19) The Termessos inscription provides the only secure reference to Marcianus's praenomen (i.e. Lucius); however, his nomen is also confirmed in a third inscription 3\. Discovered in Rhodes, but originally from Kibyra, Pamphylia (ancient city in south-west Turkey, near the town of Gölhisar, in Burdur Province: This inscription (in Greek) was on a monument honouring one "Aurelius Marcianus", who is celebrated as "a most generous military leader". This inscription, like that from Termessos, is now thought to date from the reign of Claudius II and to honour the same man.

One side-effect of this unique arrangement was that it became customary to refer to noblemen by both their family name and their coat of arms/clan name. For example: Jan Zamoyski herbu Jelita means Jan Zamoyski of the clan Jelita. From the 15th to the 17th century, the formula seems to copy the ancient Roman naming convention with the classic tria nomina used by the Patricians: praenomen (or given name), nomen gentile (or gens/Clan name) and cognomen (surname), following the Renaissance fashion. Thus, Jan Jelita Zamoyski, forming a double-barrelled name (nazwisko złożone).

The senator Publius Albius, known from a decree of the Roman Senate dating to 129 BC, bore no surname; under the Republic many plebeian families had no hereditary cognomina. The surname Oppianicus, known from the family of Larinum, indicates that this family may previously have lived at Rome, presumably acquiring the cognomen from some association with the Oppian Hill; but their use of the praenomen Statius suggests that they were natives of Samnium. Pollio, borne by the consul of AD 90, was a common surname of Latin origin, and originally indicated a polisher.Chase, p. 111.

III, p. 1237 ("Venno"). Proculus, which occurs as the surname of the first Plautius to obtain the consulship, also seems to have been a personal surname; it is not apparent whether this Plautius was part of the same family as the Vennones. Proculus was an old praenomen, which the Roman antiquarians supposed to have been given to a child born when his father was far from home, although morphologically it seems to be a diminutive of Proca, a name occurring in Roman mythology as one of the Kings of Alba Longa.

The praenomen of his father (Publius) and his tribe (Quirina) are known from inscriptions. The element "Marcus Paccius" points to a testimonial adoption by an otherwise unknown Paccius; Juvenal (12.99) mentions a rich but childless Paccius, who was pursued by legacy hunters.Dov Gera and Hannah M. Cotton, "A Dedication from Dor to a Governor of Syria", Israel Exploration Journal, 41 (1991), pp. 258–66 Gargilius Antiquus was the governor of Arabia Petraea from 116 to 119;Werner Eck, "Jahres- und Provinzialfasten der senatorischen Statthalter von 69/70 bis 138/139", Chiron, 12 (1982), pp.

As part of Rome's foundation myth, this statement cannot be regarded as historical fact, but it does indicate the antiquity of the period to which the Romans themselves ascribed the adoption of hereditary surnames. In Latin, most nomina were formed by adding an adjectival suffix, usually -ius, to the stem of an existing word or name. Frequently this required a joining element, such as -e-, -id-, -il-, or -on-. Many common nomina arose as patronymic surnames; for instance, the nomen Marcius was derived from the praenomen Marcus, and originally signified Marci filius, "son of Marcus".

A Roman child. In the Peristyle (1874), John William Waterhouse, 1849–1917 The praenomen was a true personal name, chosen by a child's parents, and bestowed on the dies lustricius, or "day of lustration", a ritual purification performed on the eighth day after the birth of a girl, or the ninth day after the birth of a boy. Normally all of the children in a family would have different praenomina. Although there was no law restricting the use of specific praenomina, the choice of the parents was usually governed by custom and family tradition.

Although a nomen would long be required for official purposes, and, in isolated corners of the empire and in parts of Italy, its usage would persist into the seventh century, the nomen was generally omitted from the name (even of emperors) by the third century. Two factors encouraged its frequent non-use. Firstly, the cognomen increasingly became the distinguishing name and general name of address. As a result, "New Romans" and, under their influence, "old Romans" too, either dropped the nomen from their name or, in some cases, treated the nomen as a praenomen.

Map of the Roman Empire during the Year of the Four Emperors (69) The shorter version of his name is "Lucius Javolenus Priscus", or simply "Javolenus Priscus". His full name is known from , where the second praenomen is written inside the second O of Tossiaano (sic), leading Olli Salomies to suggest in his monograph on Imperial Roman naming practices that "Lucius" was "added at some later stage, perhaps erroneously".Salomies, Adoptive and polyonymous nomenclature in the Roman Empire, (Helsinski: Societas Scientiarum Fenica, 1992), p. 120 However, several inscriptions give his name as "Lucius Javolenus Priscus".

The patrician Antonii used the praenomina Titus and Quintus. Titus does not appear to have been used by the plebeian Antonii, who instead used Quintus, Marcus, Lucius, and Gaius. There is also one instance of Aulus, while Marcus Antonius the triumvir named one of his sons Iulus. This name, also borne by a later descendant of the triumvir, may have been an ancient praenomen revived by the family, but it was probably also intended to call to mind the connections of the Antonii with the illustrious gens Julia.

5 has Dentatus telling the Samnites to "report and remember that I can neither be defeated in battle nor be corrupted with money" (refertote et memento me nec acie vinci nec pecunia corrumpi posse). Although the truth of this story is unclear — it may have been an invention of Cato — it was the inspiration for a number of paintings by Jacopo Amigoni, Govert Flinck, and others. His praenomen is sometimes given erroneously as Marcus because the standard abbreviation of Manius (M'.) is confused with the M. that abbreviates Marcus. The Dutch Study Association 'S.

He is a member of the gens Neratia, whose origins were in Saepinum. Although he bears the praenomen Lucius, the same as Lucius Neratius Marcellus (suffect consul in 95 and ordinary consul in 129) and Lucius Neratius Priscus (suffect consul in 97), Proculus is the son of a Gaius Neratius. Proculus is also known to have a sister, Neratia Procilla, who married one Gaius Betitius Pietas, a notable of Aeclanum; their son and Proculus' nephew was Gaius Neratius Proculus Betitius Pius Maximillianus.Mireille Corbier, L'aerarium saturni et l'aerarium militare.

Few details of Velleius' life are known with certainty; even his praenomen is uncertain. Priscian, the only ancient author to mention it, calls him "Marcus", but the title page of the editio princeps, printed in 1520, calls him "Publius", probably due to confusion with a Publius Velleius mentioned in Tacitus. Elsewhere, the same volume calls him Gaius.Shipley, introduction to Velleius Paterculus' Roman History, note 1. Some modern writers use the latter name, based on an inscription found on a milestone at El Harrouch in Algeria, once part of Roman Numidia;Encyclopædia Britannica, 1911 ed.

Nałęcz from the Dąbrowski manor in Michałowice, Michałowice rural administrative district, Kraków county, Lesser Poland province, POLAND. See: Szlachta: Origins of szlachta surnames. The Polish state paralleled the Roman Empire in that full rights of citizenship were limited to the nobility/szlachta. The Polish nobility/szlachta in Poland, where Latin was written and spoken far and wide, used the Roman naming convention of the tria nomina (praenomen, nomen, and cognomen) to distinguish Polish citizens/nobles/szlachta from the peasantry and foreigners, hence why so many surnames are associated with the Radwan coat of arms.

The practice of using middle names dates back to ancient Rome, where it was common for members of the elite to have a praenomen (a personal name), a nomen (a family name, not exactly used the way middle names are used today), and a cognomen (a name representing an individual attribute or the specific branch of a person's family). Middle names eventually fell out of use, but regained popularity in Europe during the nineteenth century. Besides first, middle, and last names, individuals may also have nicknames, aliases, or titles.

Mamilianus Rufus Antistianus Funisulanus Vettonianus, as attested in an inscription recovered at Deva. The sources conflict over his praenomen, however. The Fasti Ostienses show it to be "Lucius"; a military diploma shows it to be "Titus"; and the British inscription mentioned above is damaged at that point, and cannot be used to resolve the matter. As for the final element in his name, "Funisulanus Vettonianus", authorities agree it indicates some connection to the general and suffect consul of 78 Lucius Funisulanus Vettonianus, but disagree what connection he has.

It is likely his commission with the VII Claudia coincided with that of his brother, Gaius Valerius Florinum; Dessau argues for this relationship based on the shared praenomen of their fathers (Lucius) and tribe (Quirina). Proculus then was appointed prefect of the Classis Alexandriae et Potamophylaciae—a combined command of the Roman fleet based at Alexandria, and the officials who policed the Nile and collected customs. At this point the civil track of his career begins. First Proculus was appointed procurator or governor of the province of Alpes Maritimae.

Septimus is the Latin word for seventh, and the name belongs to the same class as the masculine praenomina Quintus, Sextus, Octavius, Nonus, and Decimus, as well as the feminine names Prima, Secunda, Tertia, Quarta, Quinta, Sexta, Octavia, Nona, and Decima.George Davis Chase, "The Origin of Roman Praenomina", in Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, vol. VIII (1897) Originally, the praenomen was probably used for a seventh child, seventh son, or seventh daughter. However, it has also been postulated that such names referred to the month of the year in which a child was born.

Quintus () is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, which was common throughout all periods of Roman history. It was used by both patrician and plebeian families, and gave rise to the patronymic gentes Quinctia and Quinctilia. The feminine form is Quinta. The name was regularly abbreviated Q.Dictionary of Greek & Roman Biography & MythologyMika Kajava, Roman Female Praenomina: Studies in the Nomenclature of Roman Women (1994) Throughout Roman history, Quintus was one of the most common praenomina, generally occupying fourth or fifth place, behind Lucius, Gaius, and Marcus, and occurring about as frequently as Publius.

Although it was occasionally used by families of Latin origin, the praenomen Statius occurs much more frequently in Oscan gentes, and particularly amongst the Samnites. Chase concludes that the name is clearly of Oscan origin, although it may be that it belongs to that class of names which was common to both Oscan and Latin.Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita, books IX, XXIIIGeorge Davis Chase, "The Origin of Roman Praenomina", in Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, vol. VIII (1897) Aulus Gellius recorded the tradition that Statius was a name originally given to persons of servile origin.

The original meaning of Titus is obscure, but it was widely believed to have come to Rome during the time of Romulus, the founder and first king of Rome. Early in his reign, a war with the Sabines ended with the migration of a great many Sabine families to Rome, and Titus Tatius, king of the Sabine town of Cures, becoming co-regent with Romulus. Titus would thus have been an Oscan praenomen introduced to Rome, although it was later regarded as Latin. This explanation is accepted by Chase.

The praenomen Appius is often said to have been unique to the Claudii, and nothing more than a Latinization of the Sabine Attius. But in fact there are other figures in Roman history named "Appius", and in later times the name was used by plebeian families such as the Junii and the Annii. Thus, it seems more accurate to say that the Claudii were the only patrician family at Rome known to have used Appius. As for its Sabine equivalent, Attius has been the subject of much discussion by philologists.

This family flourished from the early years of the Republic down to the Samnite Wars, when the cognomen seems to have been replaced by Flaccus, a surname first borne by one of the Potiti, who must have been flabby or had floppy ears. Potitus was later revived as a praenomen by the Valerii Messallae, a practice that was common in aristocratic families toward the end of the Republic. As a distinct family, the Valerii Flacci continued down to the first century AD.Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. III, p.

The oldest branch of the Furii bore the surname Medullinus, which may indicate that they had originally come from the Latin town of Medullia.Chase, p. 113. All of the early Medullini probably bore the additional surname Fusus, probably an ancient praenomen that had fallen out of use before historical times, from which the nomen Furius (originally Fusius) was derived. This surname was also borne by the Furii Pacili, who were probably a cadet branch of the Medullini; Chase considers Pacilus a surname of Oscan origin, suggesting that this branch of the family had Sabine connections.

The Salvidieni regularly used the praenomina Gaius, Lucius, Marcus, and Quintus, four of the most common names throughout Roman history. At least one branch of the family used the more distinctive Servius, which may have been inherited from the Cornelii; the only members of this gens to bear the name without also bearing the nomen Cornelius were probably related to this family, or descended from its freedmen. A Salvidienus from Samnium bore the praenomen Vibius, which was scarce at Rome, although more common in Oscan-speaking parts of Italy.Chase, pp.

Caeso or Kaeso () is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, usually abbreviated K. Although never a common name, Caeso was regularly used by a number of prominent families, both patrician and plebeian, during the period of the Roman Republic. The feminine form is Caesula (also spelled Cesula, Caesulla, Caesilla, and Caesillia). The name also gave rise to the patronymic gens Caesonia. Kaeso is the older spelling, dating from the period when the letter K was still frequently used before the vowel A in Latin, and before the letters C and G were differentiated.

De Praenominibus (epitome by Julius Paris) One of the most common Etruscan praenomina was Aule or Aules (also spelled Avle, Aveles, etc.), the Etruscan cognate of Aulus. Deecke argued that the name was originally Etruscan, deriving it from avile, found in the plural form ("years") in numerous funerary inscriptions. The name would then have been brought to Rome during its period of Etruscan domination in the 6th century BC. The reason why avile should give rise to a personal name is unclear. Deecke also believed that the Latin praenomen Spurius was of Etruscan origin.

Sporus derives from the ancient Greek word σπορά spora, meaning "seed, sowing," related to σπόρος sporos, "sowing," and σπείρειν speirein, "to sow." In all references about this story, he is always called Sporus, a male name, when the female would be Spora. According to the Roman naming conventions, he would gain the nomen and praenomen of his former master retaining his former name as a cognomen. In that case, assuming that it was Nero who freed him (which is not clear), his full name would be Nero Claudius Sporus (after Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus).

Because one of the two historical figures named Mettius was Sabine, while the other was Latin, the praenomen may have been an ancient one common to both the Latin and Oscan languages. Its meaning remains obscure; it was not mentioned by either Varro or Festus, and Chase has nothing to say about the name. Scullard equates the name with the Oscan word meddix, apparently a cognate of the Latin magister. If this is correct, then the name would belong to a class of praenomina including the Etruscan Arruns and Lars, which were derived from words meaning prince and lord, respectively.

Germanicus Germanicus' praenomen is unknown, but he was probably named Nero Claudius Drusus after his father (conventionally called "Drusus"), or possibly Tiberius Claudius Nero after his uncle. He took the agnomen Germanicus, awarded posthumously to his father in honor of his victories in Germania, at which point he nominally became head of the family in 9 BC. By AD 4 he was adopted as Tiberius' son and heir. As a result, Germanicus was adopted out of the Claudii and into the Julii. In accordance with Roman naming conventions, he adopted the name "Julius Caesar" while retaining his agnomen, becoming Germanicus Julius Caesar.

After Augustus established the Roman Empire, the title imperator was generally restricted to the emperor, though in the early years of the empire it would occasionally be granted to a member of his family. As a permanent title, imperator was used as a praenomen by the Roman emperors and was taken on accession. After the reign of Tiberius, the act of being proclaimed imperator was transformed into the act of imperial accession. In fact, if a general was acclaimed by his troops as imperator, it would be tantamount to a declaration of rebellion against the ruling emperor.

Verus's praenomen and nomen indicate that the Tiberii Claudii would have been his traditional patrons. Just before the earthquake, Verus had been organizing games (ludi) in honor of Nero, to be held February 25 and 26. Among the planned festivities were a hunt (venatio), athletic games, and either "sprinklings of scented water to refresh the crowd" or distributions of money (sesterces): the inscription has been read both ways.CIL IV.7989a; Franklin, Pompeis Difficile Est, pp. 136–137; Antonio Varone, "Voices of the Ancients: A Stroll through Public and Private Pompeii," in Rediscovering Pompeii («L'Erma» di Bretschneider, 1990), p. 29.

Accua was a small town of ancient Apulia, mentioned only by Livy as one of the places recovered by Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus from the Carthaginians in the fifth year of the Second Punic War, 214 BCE. It appears from this passage to have been somewhere in the neighbourhood of Luceria, but its exact site is unknown. Vibius Accuaeus, was a native of Accua; he led a cohort of Paelignian soldiers in the Roman army in 212 BCE, during the Second Punic War, and fought with conspicuous bravery. It is not certain whether Vibius was his praenomen or his nomen.

A number of personal cognomina appear among the Scandilii, some of which were the original names of freedmen who had assumed Roman names when they were manumitted. Of the others, Rufus was a common surname typically given to someone with red hair. Felix referred to someone happy, or fortunate, while Fabatus was derived from faba, a bean, and belonged to a large class of cognomina derived from the names of familiar objects, plants, and animals. Campana belongs to another group of surnames indicating one's place of origin, while Prima was originally a praenomen, given to an eldest daughter.

After biding their time for many years, the sons of Marcius gained their revenge by engineering the assassination of Tarquin, but they were again prevented from claiming the throne by a ruse of Tanaquil, the Roman queen, who installed her stepson, Servius Tullius, as regent, until he had sufficient support to rule on his own. The later Marcii claimed descent from Ancus Marcius, but nothing further is recorded of his sons or the generations between them and the Marcii of the early Republic.Livy, i. 41. The nomen Marcius is a patronymic surname, based on the common praenomen Marcus.

324 Olli Salomies, in his study of the naming practices of the first centuries of the Roman Empire, notes that it "seems plausible enough" to infer his mother was a member of the gens Aquillii, and suggests that his praenomen was inherited from that side of the family.Salomies, Adoptive and Polyonymous Nomenclature in the Roman Empire (Helsinki: Societas Scientiarum Fennica, 1992), p. 109 His career began in his teens with the Vigintiviri, as one of the tresviri monetalis;Alföldy, Konsulat und Senatorenstand, p. 328 assignment to this board was usually allocated to patricians or favored individuals.

470 BC The most important of these names was the nomen gentilicium, or simply nomen, a hereditary surname that identified a person as a member of a distinct gens. This was preceded by the praenomen, or "forename", a personal name that served to distinguish between the different members of a family. For example, a Roman named Publius Lemonius might have sons named Publius, Lucius, and Gaius Lemonius. Here, Lemonius is the nomen, identifying each person in the family as a member of the gens Lemonia; Publius, Lucius, and Gaius are praenomina used to distinguish between them.

Originally Roman women shared the binomial nomenclature of men; but over time the praenomen became less useful as a distinguishing element, and women's praenomina were gradually discarded, or replaced by informal names. By the end of the Republic, the majority of Roman women either did not have or did not use praenomina. Most women were called by their nomen alone, or by a combination of nomen and cognomen. Praenomina could still be given when necessary, and as with men's praenomina the practice survived well into imperial times, but the proliferation of personal cognomina eventually rendered women's praenomina obsolete.

The binomial name consisting of praenomen and nomen eventually spread throughout Italy. Nomina from different languages and regions often have distinctive characteristics; Latin nomina tended to end in -ius, -us, -aius, -eius, -eus, or -aeus, while Oscan names frequently ended in -is or -iis; Umbrian names in -as, -anas, -enas, or -inas, and Etruscan names in -arna, -erna, -ena, -enna, -ina, or -inna. Oscan and Umbrian forms tend to be found in inscriptions; in Roman literature these names are often Latinized. Many individuals added an additional surname, or cognomen, which helped to distinguish between members of larger families.

Originally these were simply personal names, which might be derived from a person's physical features, personal qualities, occupation, place of origin, or even an object with which a person was associated. Some cognomina were derived from the circumstance of a person's adoption from one family into another, or were derived from foreign names, such as when a freedman received a Roman praenomen and nomen. Other cognomina commemorated important events associated with a person; a battle in which a man had fought (Regillensis), a town captured (Coriolanus); or a miraculous occurrence (Corvus). The late grammarians distinguished certain cognomina as agnomina.

In ancient Rome the dies lustricus ("day of lustration" or "purification day") was a traditional naming ceremony in which an infant was purified and given a praenomen (given name). This occurred on the eighth day for girls and the ninth day for boys, a difference Plutarch explains by noting that "it is a fact that the female grows up, and attains maturity and perfection before the male."Plutarch, Roman Questions 102. Until the umbilical cord fell off, typically on the seventh day, the baby was regarded as "more like a plant than an animal," as Plutarch expresses it.

The nomenclature of the consul Rubrenus, evidently inherited from a number of other families, included the common surnames Priscus, elder, and Proculus, an old praenomen, said by some of the Roman antiquarians to have been given to a child born while his father was abroad, but perhaps originally a diminutive of Proca, a name known from Roman mythology as one of the Kings of Alba Longa.Chase, p. 111. Magianus, a surname derived from the Magia gens, seems to have been passed down among the Rubreni for several generations. Other surnames, including Phorus and Hylas, were of Greek origin.

Hostus (Opiter) Lucretius Tricipitinus was a consul of the Roman republic in 429 BC.Broughton, Magistrates of the Roman Republic, 1951, vol i, pp.65 Lucretius belonged to the ancient patrician Lucretia gens whose ancestors had been among the first consuls of the Republic. Lucretius was (presumably) the son of Lucius Lucretius Tricipitinus, consul in 462 BC, and the father of Publius Lucretius Tricipitinus, consular tribune in 419 BC.Broughton, vol i Diodorus Siculus has his praenomen as Opiter, while both Livy and Cassiodorus has him named Hostus.Livy, Ab Urbe Condita, iv, 30.4Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca historica, xii, 73.1Cassiodorus, ChronicaBroughton, vol i, pp.

Imagined portrait of Apuleius on a medallion of the 4th century. Apuleii Opera omnia (1621) Apuleius was born in Madauros, a colonia in Numidia on the North African coast bordering Gaetulia, and he described himself as "half-Numidian half- Gaetulian."Apuleius, Apology, 24 Madaurus was the same colonia where Augustine of Hippo later received part of his early education, and, though located well away from the Romanized coast, is today the site of some pristine Roman ruins. As to his first name, no praenomen is given in any ancient source;P. G. Walsh, (1999) The Golden Ass, page xi.

Salonianus' father was Marcus Porcius Cato, consul in 195 BC, and censor in 184. Celebrated for his courage, austerity, and strict moral code, the elder Cato, who already had a grown son by his first wife, Licinia, took a second wife at an advanced age, choosing the daughter of his client and scribe, Salonius. He was eighty years old when his younger son was born, and since both sons bore the praenomen Marcus, they later came to be referred to as Cato Licinianus and Cato Salonianus, after their mothers.Plutarch, "The Life of Cato the Elder", 27.

Penamun does not appear on any king list and his damaged cartouche was only found on a stone block from Kom Abu Billo (ancient Terenuthis) in the western Nile Delta., § 79 According to Jürgen von Beckerath, Penamun should have been a local Delta ruler during the 25th Dynasty (744–656 BC) who adopted the royal titulary; von Beckerath argues that he put his praenomen and nomen within the same cartouche, and that the lost portion on it could have contained the hieroglyph for "Re" (N5 in Gardiner's sign list) i.e. the standard suffix for pharaonic praenomina, thus becoming a Merytawyre., pp.

The cognomen Lepidus belongs to a class of surnames derived from the habits of the habits of the bearer, and evidently referred to someone with a pleasant demeanor.Chase, pp. 110, 111. The Aemilii Lepidi appear only a generation after the Aemilii Paulli, beginning with Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, consul in 285 BC, and produced many illustrious statesmen down to the first century AD. In the final decades of the Republic, they revived a number of names originally belonging to older stirpes of the Aemilian gens, including Mamercus as a praenomen, Regillus as a cognomen, and Paullus as both.

Children named Tiberius may have been named after the river and its patron god. Chase suggested that the same root may have connected the city of Tibur, the Umbrian town of Tifernum, and the mountain and river in Samnium known as Tifernus.George Davis Chase, "The Origin of Roman Praenomina", in Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, vol. VIII (1897)Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita, book I The Etruscan cognate of Tiberius is Thefarie, and an alternative interpretation of the name's origin is that the Latin praenomen was borrowed from Etruscan, or from the Etruscan name of the river.

This explanation is almost certainly wrong, and is an example of false etymology. However, it probably contributed to the decline in the use of the praenomen, and gave rise to the modern adjective spurious.Sextus Pompeius Festus, epitome by Paulus DiaconusGeorge Davis Chase, "The Origin of Roman Praenomina", in Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, vol. VIII (1897) While it cannot be proven that any Latin praenomina were borrowed from Etruscan, and Spurius was used by a number of gentes of indisputably Latin origin, the explanation that it was connected with a word meaning city or citizen appears reasonably likely.

As related by the historian Titus Livius and others, much of the early Roman populace was of Sabine origin, and Volesus was claimed as ancestor by one of the oldest, largest, and noblest houses at Rome. His descendants held every magistracy of the Roman Republic, included scholars, statesmen, and generals, and were in the forefront of public affairs throughout the whole of Roman history.Dictionary of Greek & Roman Biography & MythologyT. Robert S. Broughton, The Magistrates of the Roman Republic (1952) The praenomen Volesus was also used occasionally by the Valerii, who also used it as a cognomen, usually with the spelling Volusus.

Volesus may originally have been an Oscan praenomen that came to Rome with the founder of the Valerii. However, the name could also belong to a class of praenomina that was common to both Latin and Oscan. It was used by the Latin Publilii, and treated as a Latin name by the scholar Varro, who listed it amongst several antique praenomina, no longer in general use during the first century BC.Varro, quoted in De Praenominibus. Volesus is most likely derived from the Latin verb valere, "to be strong", or its Oscan cognate; however, Chase prefers a derivation from volo, "to wish" or "desire".

However, the name was by no means unique to the Claudian gens. During a political crisis in the middle of the 5th century BC, the Capitol was seized by a force of political refugees and slaves in a brief revolt led by Appius Herdonius. Herdonius was a Sabine, like the ancestors of the Claudii, but his name shows that Appius had an existence independent of that gens. During the later years of the Republic, and continuing into Imperial times, the praenomen Appius was used by several plebeian gentes, including the Annii, Junii, Modii, Popidii, Saufeii, Silvii, and Villii.

Anthony Birley notes there is a plausible possibility that Proculus also held a second suffect consulate; any man recorded as holding a second consulate after AD 103, held it as an ordinary consul, not as a suffect consul.This phenomena is discussed in Birley, "Hadrian and Greek Senators", Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik, 116 (1997), pp. 230-236 The origins of Proculus have been commonly surmised as in Gallia Narbonensis, based on his membership in the Roman tribe "Voltinia", that he was a Julius son of a man with the praenomen Marcus, and his cognomen Proculus. However, Birley notes Proculus could have had his origins instead in Larinum.

Older authors, such as Géza Alföldy and Ronald Syme, had thought Dexter's gentilicum was "Cassius", due to a second inscription, despite the fact that the inscription supplied a different praenomen for Dexter. Werner Eck and Peter Weiß have shown that, based on further inscriptions in Greek from Cilicia, that Dexter's gentilicum was Cornelius. His name in full, as attested in an inscription from Kesmeburun, is Publius Cornelius Dexter Augus[tanus Alpin]us Bellicus Sollers Metilius [...]us Rutillianus. Olli Salomies, in his monograph on names of Early Imperial Rome, based on similarities with the full name of Marcus Sedatius Severianus, suggests the lacuna before "Rutillianus" may be Nepos Rufinus.

Scholarly opinion is divided as to whether Marcus or Publius was the elder, but with Roman naming conventions, the eldest son almost always carried on his father's name, including the praenomen, or first name, while younger sons were named for a grandfather or uncle.Lawrence Keppie, Understanding Roman Inscriptions (Routledge, 1991), p. 19. The achievements of Publius, named after his grandfather (consul in 97 BC) and uncle, eclipse those of his brother to such an extent that some have questioned the traditional birth order.G.V. Sumner, The Orators in Cicero’s “Brutus” (University of Toronto Press, 1973) and Allen Ward, Marcus Crassus and the Late Roman Republic (University of Missouri Press, 1977).

Aulus is also a praenomen, while Agerius suggests the Latin verb ago, "I set in motion", as it is the plaintiff who initiates a lawsuit. One well-known legal formula, a model instruction to the judge in a civil lawsuit, began as follows: si paret Numerium Negidium Aulo Agerio sestertium decem milia dare oportere, meaning, "if it appears that Numerius Negidius ought to pay Aulus Agerius ten thousand sesterces..." In actual use, the names and amounts would be changed to the appropriate values. The initials N. N. can also stand for "name unknown" (nomen nescio), a placeholder name roughly equivalent to John or Jane Doe, Thomas Atkins, etc.

Bediani () was a medieval title, or a territorial epithet, of the Dadiani, the ruling family of Mingrelia in western Georgia, derived from the canton of Bedia, in Abkhazia, and in use from the end of the 12th century into the 15th. Bediani was occasionally used as a praenomen. The extent of the fief of Bedia is difficult to define; by the latter half of the 17th century, the Shervashidze of Abkhazia had supplanted the Dadiani in that area. The title of Bediani should not be confused with that of Bedieli, which, although derived from the same toponym, was the one used by the bishops seated at the Bedia Cathedral.

For a variety of reasons, the Roman nomenclature system broke down in the centuries following the collapse of imperial authority in the west. The praenomen had already become scarce in written sources during the fourth century, and by the fifth century it was retained only by the most conservative elements of the old Roman aristocracy, such as the Aurelii Symmachi. Over the course of the sixth century, as Roman institutions and social structures gradually fell away, the need to distinguish between nomina and cognomina likewise vanished. By the end of the seventh century, the people of Italy and western Europe had reverted to single names.

In subsequent generations, all reigning emperors assumed Imperator as an additional praenomen (usually without foregoing their original praenomina), and Augustus as a cognomen. Caesar came to be used as a cognomen designating an heir apparent; and for the first two centuries of the empire, most emperors were adopted by their predecessors. The result was that each emperor bore a series of names that had more to do with the previous emperor than the names with which he had been born. They added new cognomina as they fought and conquered enemies and new lands, and their filiations recorded their descent from a series of gods.

Gaius Julius Solinus cites Cato the Elder's lost Origines for the story that the city was founded by Catillus the Arcadian, a son of Amphiaraus, who came there having escaped the slaughter at Thebes, Greece. Catillus and his three sons Tiburtus, Coras, and Catillus drove out the Siculi from the Aniene plateau and founded a city they named Tibur in honor of Tiburtus. According to a more historical account, Tibur was instead a colony of Alba Longa. Historical traces of settlement in the area date back to the 13th century BC. The city's name may share a common root with the river Tiber and the Latin praenomen Tiberius.

She was the daughter of High Priest of Amun Pinedjem I, who was the de facto ruler of Southern Egypt from 1070 BCE onwards, then proclaimed himself pharaoh in 1054 BCE. Her mother was Duathathor-Henuttawy, a daughter of Ramesses XI, last ruler of the 20th dynasty. Maatkare received the title of 'Divine Adoratrice': God's Wife of Amun during her father's reign; she was the first God's Wife to take on a praenomen which used to be the prerogative of pharaohs. Her siblings held important positions too: a brother of hers became pharaoh, a sister became queen, and three brothers held the title High Priest of Amun in succession.

One name sufficed for them, although freedmen might take the name of their patrons. Curtius Rufus omits the praenomen, or first name. If the magistrate is to be identified with the historian, it must be Quintus, under the Republic spelled Quinctus, “the Fifth.” As the Romans used the same name in different generations, it may originally have had a numerical significance, but after dozens of Quinti it was perhaps just a name, abbreviated to an ignored Q. The indispensable portion of the name was the nomen, “name,” the name of the gens, “clan.” All males of the gens Curtia were named Curtius, and all females Curtia.

Marcus Fabius Vibulanus was consul of the Roman republic in 483 and 480 BC.Livy, Ab urbe condita, 2.42-43 For a seven year period from 485 to 478 BC, one of the two consuls was a member of the gens Fabia, a domination of the office Gary Forsythe describes as "unparalleled in the consular fasti of the Roman Republic."Forsythe, A Critical History of Early Rome (Berkeley: University of California, 2005), p. 195 His brothers were Quintus (consul in 485 and 482 BC) and Kaeso (consul in 484, 481, and 479 BC). According to the recorded filiation of his son, Marcus' father's praenomen was Caeso Fabius.

As with other families of imperial times, the Nymphidii known to history used only a few praenomina, Gaius and Publius occurring in ancient writers and inscriptions. Tryphon, a Greek name appearing in the name of Tryphon Nymphidius Philocalus, was never a praenomen, although he may have used it in place of one; although unusual, it was not unheard of for freedmen to continue using their original names in place of praenomina, even after obtaining Roman nomina. Since the inscription mentioning him suggests that he was wealthy, it also seems possible that Tryphon was part of a longer name, perhaps the surname of one of his ancestors.

Quintus Marcius Barea Soranus was a Roman senator who lived in the first half of the first century AD. He was suffect consul in 34 with Titus Rustius Nummius Gallus, and proconsul of Africa from 41 to 43. An inscription found in Hippo Regius provides information about Soranus.E. Mary Smallwood, Documents Illustrating the Principates of Gaius, Claudius and Nero (Cambridge, 1967), No. 405 His filiation in this inscription attests that his father's praenomen was Gaius. Soranus was one of the quindecimviri sacris faciundis, the collegium of Roman priests entrusted with the care of the Sibylline oracles, as well as having been appointed a fetial.

VIII (1897) Hostus is best known from Hostus Hostilius, a companion of Romulus, the founder and first king of Rome. Hostus was a Roman champion who fell in battle against the Sabines under Titus Tatius in the earliest years of the city. His grandson was Tullus Hostilius, the third king of Rome. Although rare, the name was still evidently in use more than three centuries later, when Hostus Lucretius Tricipitinus was consul late in the 5th century BC. As with other praenomina, the name may have been more widely used by the plebeians and in the countryside; but writing in the 1st century BC, Marcus Terentius Varro described it as an archaic praenomen, no longer in general use.

Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus, surnamed "Cunctator". Maximus was the branch of the Fabia gens to which he belonged; Verrucosus was a personal cognomen referring to a wart above his upper lip; Cunctator a cognomen ex virtute referring to his delaying strategy against Hannibal. Statue at Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna The cognomen, the third element of the tria nomina, began as an additional personal name. It was not unique to Rome, but Rome was where the cognomen flourished, as the development of the gens and the gradual decline of the praenomen as a useful means of distinguishing between individuals made the cognomen a useful means of identifying both individuals and whole branches of Rome's leading families.

Apart from the praenomen, the filiation was the oldest element of the Roman name. Even before the development of the nomen as a hereditary surname, it was customary to use the name of a person's father as a means of distinguishing him or her from others with the same personal name, like a patronymic; thus Lucius, the son of Marcus would be Lucius, Marci filius; Paulla, the daughter of Quintus, would be Paulla, Quinti filia. Many nomina were derived in the same way, and most praenomina have at least one corresponding nomen, such as Lucilius, Marcius, Publilius, Quinctius, or Servilius. These are known as patronymic surnames, because they are derived from the name of the original bearer's father.

Scholarly opinion is divided as to whether Publius or his brother Marcus was the elder, but with Roman naming conventions, the eldest son almost always carries on his father's name, including the praenomen, or first name, while younger sons are named for a grandfather or uncle.Lawrence Keppie, Understanding Roman Inscriptions (Routledge, 1991), p. 19 online. The achievements of Publius, named after his grandfather (consul in 97 BC) and uncle, eclipse those of his brother to such an extent that some have questioned the traditional birth order.G.V. Sumner, The Orators in Cicero’s “Brutus” (University of Toronto Press, 1973) and Allen Ward, Marcus Crassus and the Late Roman Republic (University of Missouri Press, 1977).

Nitocris is not mentioned, however, in any native Egyptian inscriptions and she probably did not exist. It was long claimed that Nitocris appears on a fragment of the Turin King List, dated to the Nineteenth Dynasty, under the Egyptian name of Nitiqreti (nt-ỉqrtỉ). The fragment where this name appears was thought to belong to the Sixth Dynasty portion of the king list, thus appearing to confirm both Herodotus and Manetho. However, microscopic analysis of the Turin King List suggests the fragment was misplaced in reassembling the fragmentary text, and that the name Nitiqreti is in fact a faulty transcription of the praenomen of a clearly male king Netjerkare Siptah I,Ryholt, Kim.

Cognomen came to refer to any other personal or hereditary surnames coming after the family name, and used to distinguish individuals or branches of large families from one another.William Smith, A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities As the tria nomina developed throughout Italy, the importance of the praenomen in everyday life declined considerably, together with the number of praenomina in common use. By the 1st century CE they were occasionally omitted from public records, and by the middle of the 4th century CE they were seldom recorded. As the Roman Empire expanded, much of the populace came from cultures with different naming conventions, and the formal structure of the tria nomina became neglected.

The only cognomen borne by the Sallustii of the Republic was Crispus, belonging to an abundant class of surnames derived from the physical features of an individual, and originally belonging to someone with curly hair.Chase, p. 110. Passienus, borne by some of the Sallustii during the early decades of the Empire, was a gentile name inherited from the paternal line when one of the Passieni was adopted by his granduncle, the historian Sallust, becoming part of his gens. Lucullus, borne by an ill-fated member of this family in the time of Domitian, may have been derived from lucus, a grove, although it might also have been a diminutive of the praenomen Lucius.

As the Roman nomenclature system began to break down towards the end of the Western Empire in the 4th and 5th centuries, Faustus once again became a personal name, and it has survived into modern times.Realencyclopädie der Classischen AltertumswissenschaftMika Kajava, Roman Female Praenomina: Studies in the Nomenclature of Roman Women (1994) The best-known examples of this praenomen are from the family of the dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla, who in 81 B.C. named his twin children Faustus and Fausta. The name continued to be used regularly by his descendants over the next two centuries. Other gentes from which examples are known include the Antistii, Decimii, Lartii, Paccii, Veidii, and Vibii; and perhaps also the Julii, Servii, and Sestii.

Elymas the sorcerer is struck blind before Sergius Paulus. Painting by Raphael from the Raphael Cartoons. Lucius"In passing, it may be noted that it is far from certain that the Sergius Paulus of the Acts bore the praenomen Lucius. One L. Sergius Paulus was under Claudius curator alvei Tiberis and therefore an ex-consul (Dessau, 5926). That he is to be identified with the proconsul of Cyprus is at best a conjecture, now somewhat weakened by Myres' reading of IGR iii, 935." T. B. Mitford, "Notes on Some Published Inscriptions of Roman Cyprus" Annals of the British School at Athens, 42 (1947), p. 206 n. 22 Sergius Paulus or Paullus was a Proconsul of Cyprus under Claudius (1st century AD).

The inhabitants of the island are called barbaroi in Greek (verse 2), the standard term for non-Greek speakers, because they originally came from Carthage and their native language was Punic. The castaways were brought to a local landowner with the common Roman praenomen, Publius (verse 7), whose Maltese title as 'first man' is attested from ancient inscriptions found in the island. The healing on Publius's sick father (verse 8) recalls Jesus' healing of Peter's mother-in-law, and as in the gospels, prompting other islanders to come for healing (verse 9), indicating that 'God whom Paul serves (Acts 27:23) is still with him' and that 'the whole shipwreck incident has served to load him with honor' (verse 10).

Plutarch presents a highly colored version of how Sextilius rejected Marius and furnishes a moral:See T.F. Carney, "The Flight and Exile of Marius," Greece & Rome 8 (1961) 98–121: "It must occur to anyone who reads Plutarch's account of Marius' flight and exile to wonder how much of this thrilling and romantic tale is historically true." Little is known of this Sextilius. It is likely that he belonged to the senatorial family of Sextilii who used the praenomen Publius, among them a 2nd-century B.C. praetor from whom a letter fragment survives.E. Badian, “A fundus at Fundi,” American Journal of Philology 101 (1980), p. 111; D.R. Shackleton Bailey, “The Roman Nobility in the Second Civil War,” Classical Quarterly 10 (1960), p.

The origin of this binomial system is lost in prehistory, but it appears to have been established in Latium and Etruria by at least 650 BC. In written form, the nomen was usually followed by a filiation, indicating the personal name of an individual's father, and sometimes the name of the mother or other antecedents. Toward the end of the Roman Republic, this was followed by the name of a citizen's voting tribe. Lastly, these elements could be followed by additional surnames, or cognomina, which could be either personal or hereditary, or a combination of both. The Roman grammarians came to regard the combination of praenomen, nomen, and cognomen as a defining characteristic of Roman citizenship, known as the tria nomina.

Another confusing practice was the addition of the full nomenclature of maternal ancestors to the basic tria nomina, so that a man might appear to have two praenomina, one occurring in the middle of his name. Under the weight of these practices and others, the utility of the praenomen to distinguish between men continued to decline, until only the force of tradition prevented its utter abandonment. Over the course of the third century, praenomina become increasingly scarce in written records, and from the fourth century onward their appearance becomes exceptional. The descendants of those who had been granted citizenship by the Constitutio Antoniniana seem to have dispensed with praenomina altogether, and by the end of the western empire, only the oldest Roman families continued to use them.

An example of the filiation of slaves and freedmen would be: , "Alexander, slave of Lucius Cornelius", who upon his emancipation would probably become , "Lucius Cornelius Alexander, freedman of Lucius"; it was customary for a freedman to take the praenomen of his former owner, if he did not already have one, and to use his original personal name as a cognomen. Another example might be , "Salvia Pompeia, freedwoman of Gnaeus (Pompeius) and Gaia"; here Gaia is used generically, irrespective of whether Pompeius' wife was actually named Gaia. A freedman of the emperor might have the filiation , Augusti libertus. Although filiation was common throughout the history of the Republic and well into imperial times, no law governed its use or inclusion in writing.

Alfenus Varus (whose praenomen might have been Publius) was a pupil of Servius Sulpicius Rufus, and the only pupil of Servius from whom there are any excerpts in the Pandects. Nothing is known about him except from a story preserved by the scholiast Helenius Acron, in his notes on the satires of Horace.Horace, Satires i. 3. 130 The scholiast assumes the "Alfenus Vafer" of Horace to be the lawyer, and says that he was a native of Cremona, where he carried on the trade of a barber or a botcher of shoes,Both readings are present, the Latin tonsor and sutor that he came to Rome to become a student of Servius, attained the dignity of consulship, and was honored with a public funeral.

Unlike the other cultures of Europe, which dealt with this problem by adopting dithematic names (names expressing two ideas), the peoples of Italy developed the first true surnames, or cognomina.Realencyclopädie der Classischen Altertumswissenschaft At first these were generally personal names, and might refer to any number of things, including a person's occupation, town of origin, the name of his or her father, or some physical feature or characteristic. But gradually an increasing number of them became hereditary, until they could be used to distinguish whole families from one generation to another. As this happened, the word nomen came to be applied to these surnames, and the original personal name came to be called the praenomen, or "forename", as it was usually recited first.

It was later said that it was a contraction of the phrase, sine pater filius, "son without a father", and thus used for children born out of wedlock. This belief may have led to the gradual disappearance of the name during the 1st century AD. Appius is sometimes said to be of Oscan origin, since it is known chiefly from the descendants of Appius Claudius, a Sabine from the town of Cures, who came to Rome in the early years of the Republic, and was admitted to the Patriciate. His original name was said to be Attius Clausus, which he then Romanized. However, the praenomen Appius is known from other Latin sources, and may simply represent the Latin name closest in sound to Attius.

For example: Appius was used only by the Claudii, Caeso by the Fabii and the Quinctii, Agrippa by the Furii and the Menenii, Numerius by the Fabii, Mamercus by the Aemilii and the Pinarii, Vopiscus only by the Julii, and Decimus was not used by any patrician family (unless the Junii were, as is sometimes believed, originally patrician), although it was widely used amongst the plebeians. Throughout Roman history, the most common praenomen was Lucius, followed by Gaius, with Marcus in third place. During the most conservative periods, these three names could account for as much as fifty percent of the adult male population. At some distance were Publius and Quintus, only about half as common as Lucius, distantly followed by Titus.

Translators since the late 19th century predominantly interpret presbeutes as legatus, a Roman rank, on the border between higher officer and legion-level officer. As in the above translation, Varro becomes "a legatus of the Romans" in some sort of capacity as acting commander. The "envoy" interpretation is still credible to some, such as J.S. Arkenberg, who refers to "Aulus Terentius Auli filius Varro, ambassador of the Romans, guest of the state, and benefactor of the people." Attempts to discover more about the real person encounter the same problems as for most of the magistrates of the times: the Terentii Varrones family, as well as most of the others, gave all their males the same name, rarely changing the praenomen, or first name.

The sources give no indication of Pilate's life prior to his becoming governor of Judaea. His praenomen (first name) is unknown; his cognomen Pilatus might mean "skilled with the javelin ()," but it could also refer to the or Phrygian cap, possibly indicating that one of Pilate's ancestors was a freedman. If it means "skilled with the javelin," it is possible that Pilate won the cognomen for himself while serving in the Roman military; it is also possible that his father acquired the cognomen through military skill. In the Gospels of Mark and John, Pilate is only called by his cognomen, which Marie-Joseph Ollivier takes to mean that this was the name by which he was generally known in common speech.

Paris was a slave of Domitia Lepida Minor who became wealthy enough to buy his freedom from her, adding her praenomen and cognomen to his own name to make his citizen name Lucius Domitius Paris. In return, she influenced him via Atimetus (another of her freedmen) to use his favour with Nero himself to convince him of her fabrication that his mother Agrippina was plotting to depose him.Tac. Ann. xiii. 19 - 22 However, Paris stood so high in the theatre-loving Nero's favour that, even when the plot failed, he alone among the conspirators was not punished and was even declared freeborn (ingenuus) by the emperor soon afterwards, forcing Domitia to hand back the sum she had accepted to free him.Tac, Ann.

Osiride statue of Amenhotep I, currently housed in the British Museum Ahmose I was succeeded by his son, Amenhotep I. A minority of scholars have argued that Ahmose had a short co- regency with Amenhotep, potentially lasting up to six years. If there was a co-regency, Amenhotep could not have been made king before Ahmose's 18th regnal year, the earliest year in which Ahmose-ankh, the heir apparent, could have died. There is circumstantial evidence indicating a co-regency may have occurred, although definitive evidence is lacking. The first piece of evidence consists of three small objects which contain both of their praenomen next to one another: the aforementioned small glass bead, a small feldspar amulet and a broken stele, all of which are written in the proper style for the early 18th dynasty.

By the Middle Kingdom, Egyptian kings each had five different names, the "Horus" name; the "Two Ladies" name; the "Gold Horus" name; the praenomen or "throne name"; and a nomen, the personal name given at birth (also called a "Son of Ra" name as it was preceded by Sa Re'). Some Pharaohs also had multiple examples within these names, such as Ramesses II who used six Horus names at various times. Because Manetho's transcriptions agree with many king-lists, it is generally accepted that he was reliant on one or more such lists, and it is not clear to what extent he was aware of the different pharaonic names of rulers long past (and he had alternate names for some). Not all the different names for each king have been uncovered.

Much about the ancestry and career of Publius Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus is uncertain and is based on a great deal of supposition; what is certain is the praenomen of his father, Publius, which is attested in his filiation. It is postulated that our Marcellinus may have been the son of Publius Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus, who may have been a Triumvir monetalis in 50 BC, but it is certain he was elected quaestor in 48 BC; Marcellinus the quaestor commanded a portion of Julius Caesar's defences at Dyrrachium which was attacked by Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, and in the process Marcellinus sustained heavy losses.Broughton, p. 273 There is also a Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus, consul in 56 BC, who is considered the father of the quaestor, who could be the grandfather of our Marcellinus.

His Latin praenomen and nomen are markers of his citizenship; he may have assumed the name Gaius Julius in honour of Gaius Julius Caesar (as the divus Julius of Imperial cult). His father, like other Gaii Julii of the Aedui, may even have been granted Roman citizenship directly by Caesar in the aftermath of the Gallic Wars, since it was customary for naturalized citizens to take the gentilic name of their patron.J.F. Drinkwater, “The Rise and Fall of the Gallic Julii: Aspects of the Development of the Aristocracy of the Three Gauls under the Early Empire,” Latomus 37 (1978) 817–850. The Celtic personal name Vercondaridubnus has been interpreted as meaning “The Dark One of Great Wrath.” The prefix ver- is hierarchical (“above, highest, supreme”); con- (com-) is combinative (“with”) or intensive.

The last stele said that Amenhotep was "given life eternally", which is an Egyptian idiom meaning that a king is alive, but the name of Ahmose does not have the usual epithet "true of voice" which is given to dead kings. Since praenomen are only assumed upon taking the throne, and assuming that both were in fact alive at the same time, it is indicated that both were reigning at the same time. There is, however, the possibility that Amenhotep I merely wished to associate himself with his beloved father, who reunited Egypt. Second, Amenhotep I appears to have nearly finished preparations for a sed festival, or even begun celebrating it; but Amenhotep I's reign is usually given only 21 years and a sed festival traditionally cannot be celebrated any earlier than a ruler's 30th year.

Over the course of some fourteen centuries, the Romans and other peoples of Italy employed a system of nomenclature that differed from that used by other cultures of Europe and the Mediterranean Sea, consisting of a combination of personal and family names. Although conventionally referred to as the tria nomina, the combination of praenomen, nomen, and cognomen that have come to be regarded as the basic elements of the Roman name in fact represent a continuous process of development, from at least the seventh century BC to the end of the seventh century AD. The names developed as part of this system became a defining characteristic of Roman civilization, and although the system itself vanished during the Early Middle Ages, the names themselves exerted a profound influence on the development of European naming practices, and many continue to survive in modern languages.

Details about his personal life are scarce. What little is known comes from scattered hints throughout his work, the letters of his friend and admirer Pliny the Younger, and an inscription found at Mylasa in Caria.OGIS 487, first brought to light in Bulletin de correspondance hellénique, 1890, pp. 621–623 Tacitus was born in 56 or 57 to an equestrian family;Since he was appointed to the quaestorship during Titus's short rule (see note below) and twenty-five was the minimum age for the position, the date of his birth can be fixed with some accuracy but the exact place and date of his birth are not known, and his praenomen (first name) is also unknown; in the letters of Sidonius Apollinaris his name is Gaius, but in the major surviving manuscript of his work his name is given as Publius.

Because of the limited nature of the Latin praenomen, the cognomen developed to distinguish branches of the family from one another, and occasionally, to highlight an individual's achievement, typically in warfare. One example of this is Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, whose cognomen Magnus was earned after his military victories under Sulla's dictatorship. The cognomen was a form of distinguishing people who made important feats, and those who already bore a cognomen were awarded another exclusive name, the agnomen. For example, Publius Cornelius Scipio received the agnomen Africanus after his victory over the Carthaginian general Hannibal at Zama, Africa (Africanus here means "of Africa" in the sense that his fame derives from Africa, rather than being born in Africa, which would have been Afer); and the same procedure occurred in the names of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus (conqueror of Numidia) and Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus.

According to legend, the Junii avoided the names Titus and Tiberius because they were the names of two sons of Lucius Junius Brutus, the founder of the Republic, who were executed on the grounds that they had plotted to restore the king to power. Another legend relates that after Marcus Manlius Capitolinus was condemned for treason, the Roman Senate decreed that no member of gens Manlia should bear the praenomen Marcus, a tradition that seems to have been followed until the 1st century A.D. However, normally such matters were left to the discretion of the family. In most instances, the reason why certain praenomina were preferred and others avoided probably arose from the desire to pass on family names. Several names were used by only a few patrician families, although they were more widespread amongst the plebeians.

In De Praenominibus (Concerning Praenomina), Julius Paris asserts that Lucius is derived from lux, light, and that the name was originally given to children who were born at dawn. This meaning alone would not be enough to account for the frequency with which the name was used, but as with all praenomina, parents were free to choose the name which most appealed to them, and once a praenomen became regularly used in any family, it tended to be passed down from one generation to the next, by the strength of tradition.De Praenombinibus (epitome by Julius Paris)William Smith, A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities Chase connects the name with the archaic adjective , which meant bright or shining, although by the classical period it had come to refer to a cleared grove. He points out the Greek cognate, leukos, from which the personal name Lucas or Luke is derived.

Ancient Greek names also follow the pattern, with epithets (similar to second names) only used subsequently by historians to avoid confusion, as in the case of Zeno the Stoic and Zeno of Elea; likewise, patronymics or other biographic details (such as city of origin, or another city the individual was associated with, borough, occupation) were used to specify whom one was talking about, but these details were not considered part of the name. A departure from this custom occurred, for example, among the Romans, who by the Republican period and throughout the Imperial period used multiple names: a male citizen's name comprised three parts (this was mostly typical of the upper class, while others would usually have only two names): praenomen (given name), nomen (clan name) and cognomen (family line within the clan) — the nomen and cognomen were almost always hereditary.William Smith, Dictionary of the Bible, p. 2060. Mononyms in other ancient cultures include the Celtic queen Boudica and the Numidian king Jugurtha.

Possibly originating from Hispania, son of a Lucius, Clemens Pinarius' polyonymous name poses a challenge: C. Castillo has argued that he was born a Cornelius L.f. who was adopted by a Gnaeus Pinarius; Olli Salomies, however, reports that "among the numerous Pinarii I can find only one Gnaeus, whereas, on the other hand, this praenomen was much in use among the Cornelii." This led Salomies to speculate that he was originally a Gnaeus Cornelius L.f. who added the element "Pinarius" from his mother's side; but noting the existence of Gnaeus Pinarius Aemilius Cicatricula, suffect consul in 72, Salomies concluded that "it is much better to assume" the existence of a Gnaeus Pinarius, despite absence otherwise of the senator, who adopted both men.Salomies, Adoptive and polyonymous nomenclature in the Roman Empire, (Helsinski: Societas Scientiarum Fenica, 1992), pp. 93f Prior to AD 74, most probably either AD 71 or 72, Clemens Pinarius was appointed consul suffectus.

It is not completely clear to which noble house Kutsna belonged. The latter part of his name, Amirejibi, or sometimes written as Amiredjibi, indicates his being a Prince-Chamberlain of the Kingdom of Georgia, but it is also the surname of the aristocratic family better documented from the early 17th century. Modern genealogists in Georgia have accepted the notion that Kutsna was one of the earliest members of that family as plausible. In the view of the historian Cyril Toumanoff, the praenomen of Kutsna as well as that of his grandfather Kurtsik may suggest that he belonged to the feudal house of Khurtsikidze or Khurtsidze from Samtskhe, but, on the other hand the family memory believes and certain historical documents, such as The King George the Excellent's "Khelmtsifis karis garigeba", dated close to 1340-46, suggests that the family surname of Amirejibi is Kvabulidze, or Kobulisdze, in later centuries pronounced as Gabelidze, or even Gobelidze.

Gaius, Iulius, and Caesar are Caesar's praenomen, nomen, and cognomen, respectively. In modern English usage, his full name might be something like "Gaius Iulius, the Caesar" or "Gaius Caesar of the Iulians", where 'Caesar' denoted him as a member of the 'Caesarian' family branch of the 'Iulian' clan or Iulii in proper Latin, and 'Gaius' was his personal name. Though contemporary writers sometimes referred to him as "Gaius Caesar," the name's historical usage was not the same as it is in the 21st century. Caesar's grand-nephew, Gaius Octavius Thurinus, duly took the full name "Gaius Julius Caesar" upon Caesar's posthumous adoption of him in 44 BC (while legally he should have been "Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus", and was/is called as such by contemporaries and historians, he himself never used either of his original surnames again), and the name of Caesar became fused with the imperial dignity after Octavianus became the first Roman Emperor, Augustus; in this sense it is preserved in the German and Bulgarian words Kaiser and Tsar (sometimes spelled Czar), both of which refer to an emperor.

However, although all three elements of the Roman name existed throughout most of Roman history, the concept of the tria nomina can be misleading, because not all of these names were required or used throughout the whole of Roman history. During the period of the Roman Republic, the praenomen and nomen represented the essential elements of the name; the cognomen first appeared among the Roman aristocracy at the inception of the Republic, but was not widely used among the plebeians, who made up the majority of the Roman people, until the second century BC. Even then, not all Roman citizens bore cognomina, and until the end of the Republic the cognomen was regarded as somewhat less than an official name. By contrast, in imperial times the cognomen became the principal distinguishing element of the Roman name, and although praenomina never completely vanished, the essential elements of the Roman name from the second century onward were the nomen and cognomen. Naming conventions for women also varied from the classical concept of the tria nomina.

The most familiar etymology of this praenomen was given by Gaius Plinius Secundus, and followed by Sextus Pompeius Festus, who derived it from the verb caedere, "to cut," and explained that it was originally given to a child who was cut from the mother's womb, in the operation that came to be known as the Caesarean section.Gaius Plinius Secundus, Naturalis HistoriaSextus Pompeius Festus, epitome by Paulus Diaconus This seems to be a reasonable etymology for the name of the operation, but it is probably an example of false etymology with respect to the name Caeso, as well as the cognomen Caesar, which appears to derive from the same root. Marquardt and Mommsen, while still deriving the name from caedere, speculated that Caeso was somehow connected with the lashings administered by the Luperci, or "brotherhood of the wolf," a body of priests, during the festival of the Lupercalia. As the Luperci ran about the ancient city wall, dressed in animal skins and carrying leather thongs, girls and young women would gather along the route to receive lashes, which were believed to promote fertility.

Although Osorkon I is thought to have been directly succeeded by his son Takelot I, it is possible that another ruler, Heqakheperre Shoshenq II, intervened briefly between these two kings because Takelot I was a son of Osorkon I through Queen Tashedkhons, a secondary wife of this king. In contrast, Osorkon I's senior wife was Queen Maatkare B, who may have been Shoshenq II's mother. However, Shoshenq II could also have been another son of Shoshenq I since the latter was the only other king to be mentioned in objects from Shoshenq II's intact royal tomb at Tanis aside from Shoshenq II himself. These objects are inscribed with either Shoshenq I's praenomen Hedjkheperre Shoshenq (though this is not certain as it requires reading the objects as a massive hieroglyphic text), or Shoshenq, Great Chief of the Meshwesh, which was Shoshenq I's title before he became king. Since Derry's forensic examination of his mummy reveals him to be a man in his fifties upon his death, Shoshenq II could have lived beyond Osorkon's 35-year reign and Takelot I's 13-year reign to assume the throne for a few years.

The full inscription, as recorded in the Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum, reads, > POST[UMUS] MIMESIUS C[AI] F[ILIUS] T[ITUS] MIMESIUS SERT[ORIS] F[ILIUS] > NER[IUS] CAPIDAS C[AI] F(ILIUS) RUF[US] / NER[IUS] BABRIUS T[ITI] F[ILIUS] > C[AIUS] CAPIDAS T[ITI] F[ILIUS] C[AI] N[EPOS] V[IBIUS] VOISIENUS T[ITI] > F[ILIUS] MARONES / MURUM AB FORNICE AD CIRCUM ET FORNICEM CISTERNAMQ[UE] > D[E] S[ENATUS] S[ENTENTIA] FACIUNDUM COIRAVERE The men who built the walls are identified as: #Postumus Mimesius, the son of Gaius; #Titus Mimesius, the son of Sertor; #Nerius Capidas Rufus, the son of Gaius; #Nerius Babrius, the son of Titus; #Gaius Capidas, the son of Titus and grandson of Gaius; and #Vibius Voisienus, the son of Titus. The praenomen Postumus was uncommon at Rome from the time of the early Republic, although a number of instances are known, and it later became a common cognomen.Chase, p. 150. Sertor, meanwhile, is not known to have been used by any prominent Roman families, although it was included by Varro in a list of fourteen old praenomina (including Postumus) that had fallen out of use.

The tria nomina, consisting of praenomen, nomen and cognomen, which are today regarded as a distinguishing feature of Roman culture, first developed and spread throughout Italy in pre-Roman times. Most of the people of Italy spoke languages belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European language family; the three major groups within the Italian Peninsula were the Latino-Faliscan languages, including the tribes of the Latini, or Latins, who formed the core of the early Roman populace, and their neighbors, the Falisci and Hernici; the Oscan languages, including the Sabines, who also contributed to early Roman culture, as well as the Samnites, and many other peoples of central and southern Italy; and the Umbrian languages, spoken by the Umbri of the Central Apennines, the rustic Picentes of the Adriatic coast, and the Volsci. In addition to the Italic peoples was the Etruscan civilization, whose language was unrelated to Indo-European, but who exerted a strong cultural influence throughout much of Italy, including early Rome.Oxford Classical Dictionary, 2nd Ed. (1970) The Italic nomenclature system cannot clearly be attributed to any one of these cultures, but seems to have developed simultaneously amongst each of them, perhaps due to constant contact between them.