Roman Nomenclature

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet."

Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)

Viri

• Praenomen=1st name for a Roman male

• equivalent to first name

• Only 18 at the time of Iulius Caesar• Usually abbreviated

Viri

• Nomen=family name of the Roman male • Equivalent to your last name

• Most important part of your name for political purposes

Viri

• Cognomen=nickname for the Roman male• E.g.=naso=big nose• brutus=stupid,dull• caesar=bald• crassus=stout,solid• cicero=chickpea

Viri

• Agnomen=a name granted to a man for an outstanding deed

• E.g.=P. Cornelius Scipio Africanus• defeated Hannibal in 201BC at Zama, Africa

Quid nomen mihi est?C. Iulius Caesar

Quid nomen mihi est?L. Iunius Brutus

Quid nomen mihi est?M. Antonius

Quid nomen mihi est?C. Iulius Caesar Octavianus Augustus

Divi Filius

Quid nomen mihi set?CN. Pompeius Magnus

Feminae

• Women only have one part to a name.

• This one part is derived from the feminine form of the family’s “nomen.”

• Name does not change when she marries.

Quid nomen mihi est?Calpurnia

Quid nomen mihi est?Livia

Quid nomen mihi est?Clodia

• What do names tell you about the Romans?