History/Medieval Studies 401

Syllabus: 
 Structure
 Schedule 

Readings: 
 Book List 
 Reserve Readings
 Authors

Chronologies: 
 Rise of Christianity
 Christianization

Handouts: 
 Roman Names
 Evolution of Christian Message
 Emperors

Links

MASCULINE NAMES:

Roman men had at least two names; most carried three names. These names are best illustrated by the name of the famous Scipio Aemilianus (cos. 147, 134 B.C.).

P. Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus Africanus

PRAENOMEN (pluarl praenomina) is the personal first name, which is abbreviated in all official documents.  P. stands for Publius. There were a limited number of such praenomina as follows:

1.      Aulus       D.    Decimus         P.        Publius            T.    Titus
App. Appius     L.    Lucius             Q.        Quintus          Tib.  Tiberius
C.     Gaius       M.   Marcus           Ser.     Servius
Cn.   Gnaeus     M'   Manius           S. or Sex.    Sextius

NOMEN GENTILE, the second name carried by all Roman men, is the name of the gens (pluarl gentes) or clan.  This name usually has the adjectival ending -ius; if not, then the name was originally non-Roman.

COGNOMEN, the third name, is carried by all members of the great aristocratic families of the Republic and Empire.  This name designates the family (familia) within the gens.

AGNOMEN, the fourth name (with the invariable adjectival ending of -ianus), designates the original gens of a man who was adopted into another family.  Aemilianus is the nomen gentile of P. Cornelius Scipio who was born as the second son of L. Aemilius Paullus (cos. 182, 168 B.C.), the conqueror of King Perseus of Macedon.  He was subsequently adopted by P. Cornelius Scipio, the son of P. Cornelius Scipio Africanus (cos. 205, 194 B.C.), who defeated Hannibal.

HONORIFIC is an adjectival name designating a defeated foe; Scipio Aemilianus, just as his adoptive grandfather, defeated Carthage and so he was honored with Africanus.

FEMININE NAMES:

In the Republic, women were given a single name, a feminine form of the nomen gentile.  Hence, Cornelia is the adoptive aunt of Scipio Aemilianus and mother of the two famous popularis reformers Tiberius and Gaius Sempronius Gracchus.  Daughters were distinguished within the family by cardinal adjectives Prima, Secunda, Tertia, Quarta, and Quinta (First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth).