Comitatvs Guides for Members ~ Names Page 1 of 21 Late Roman Names Winter 2010 Confidential to Comitatus members. Please consider this as an informal collection of a few examples relying on easily accessed sources, rather than an exhaustive guide. I'd recommend taking a look at my more general discussion of the subject at: http://www.comitatus.net/romanwho.html My main advice is to choose a name you like and can remember. Secondly, if you have a strong preference for a particular regional identity, you may like to choose a name to reflect it. On one level it would be elegant to have the group represent a microcosm of typical Late Roman names and currently we lean more to the 'traditional Roman' and could do with more British and Germanic names. However, many Romans who identify themselves on monuments as having a particular provincial origin have quite standard Roman names, so 'traditional fits all'. Several members have ended up with less evidenced ones or plausible sounding nicknames and I think that's actually pretty realistic: sometimes a name just fits. It's worth Googling any that interest you, then checking with myself / John before settling, as we may know cultural associations, unexpected pronunciation etc. which can prompt a re-think. Women can adapt most male Roman names by simply changing the ending to the feminine form e.g. Cornelius to Cornelia. Several female members have a male military persona as well and use the same name with the different endings for convenience. The ‘Tria Nomina’ system of the Republican aristocracy, with family praenomen, nomen and cognomen, declined in popularity and strict usage under the Empire and this became accelerated when Caracalla extended full Roman citizenship to all free inhabitants of the Empire in the 3 rd century. Where, in the early Empire, polite usage became to address someone by nomen and cognomen and only close friends (or enemies!) would use the cognomen alone, just as Martial in the 1 st century addresses characters in his epigrams, things got increasingly informal towards our period. One can see the everyday official military usage of single names, sometimes qualified with a differentiating rank, specialism or second name as early as the 1 st century in the Vindolanda tablets, such as Tagamatis vexillarius (standard bearer), Atrectus Ceruesar[ius] (the brewer), Frontinus eques (the horseman), or Sabinus Trever (Sabinus is Roman but Trever suggests he was of the Gallic tribe, the Treveri or perhaps was born in their capital, modern Trier). Salvianus 1/1/10 Stephen Kenwright
Transcript
Comitatvs Guides for Members ~ Names Page 1 of 21
Late Roman NamesWinter 2010
Confidential to Comitatus members.
Please consider this as an informal collection of a few examples relying on easily accessed sources, rather than an exhaustive guide. I'd recommend taking a look at my more general discussion of the subject at:
http://www.comitatus.net/romanwho.html
My main advice is to choose a name you like and can remember. Secondly, if you have a strong preference for a particular regional identity, you may like to choose a name to reflect it. On one level it would be elegant to have the group represent a microcosm of typical Late Roman names and currently we lean more to the 'traditional Roman' and could do with more British and Germanic names. However, many Romans who identify themselves on monuments as having a particular provincial origin have quite standard Roman names, so 'traditional fits all'.
Several members have ended up with less evidenced ones or plausible sounding nicknames and I think that's actually pretty realistic: sometimes a name just fits. It's worth Googling any that interest you, then checking with myself / John before settling, as we may know cultural associations, unexpected pronunciation etc. which can prompt a re-think.
Women can adapt most male Roman names by simply changing the ending to the feminine form e.g. Cornelius to Cornelia. Several female members have a male military persona as well and use the same name with the different endings for convenience.
The ‘Tria Nomina’ system of the Republican aristocracy, with family praenomen, nomen and cognomen, declined in popularity and strict usage under the Empire and this became accelerated when Caracalla extended full Roman citizenship to all free inhabitants of the Empire in the 3rd century. Where, in the early Empire, polite usage became to address someone by nomen and cognomen and only close friends (or enemies!) would use the cognomen alone, just as Martial in the 1st
century addresses characters in his epigrams, things got increasingly informal towards our period.
One can see the everyday official military usage of single names, sometimes qualified with a differentiating rank, specialism or second name as early as the 1st
century in the Vindolanda tablets, such as Tagamatis vexillarius (standard bearer), Atrectus Ceruesar[ius] (the brewer), Frontinus eques (the horseman), or Sabinus Trever (Sabinus is Roman but Trever suggests he was of the Gallic tribe, the Treveri or perhaps was born in their capital, modern Trier).
By the late C4th most ordinary people were known by just one name, usually an old cognomen, or a regional (not traditionally Roman) name, sometimes 'Latinised', with perhaps just such a practical qualifier as we read at Vindolanda, even if some notables retained two or more names, just as our commander Victor Iustinianus and his wife Katharina Flavia. Many born in the provinces had traditional Roman names, particularly those of past emperors, but it is usually accepted that 'non-Roman' names suggest a strong tribal or national identity (presumably at least in the previous generation).
I find it handy to have all my re-enactment personae share my own initial, for marking equipment. There are obvious advantages to keeping a young child's name as close as possible to their real one. At the end of the day no-one is going to be shocked if you have to use their modern name in front of the public. Some prefer the Latin root or translation of their own name, but these are often pronounced quite differently and it's purely a matter of taste. Nor is there a particular reason to have one which has a descriptive 'meaning': my real Christian name derives from “garland” or "crown" in the original Greek, thus perhaps 'regal' and popularised after the first martyr, but to most modern ears “Stephen” simply sounds like a common traditional English name (and I am no saint!). Even very specific descriptives were used indifferently by our time, e.g. 'Quintus' (fifth-born) given to any Tom, Dick or Harry. Christians sometimes had names with conspicuously pagan origins like Bacchus, emperor's very traditional names were given to freed slaves and so on.
To minimise confusion, please avoid something that is similar to a name in current or recent use within Comitatus (and perhaps by other well-known Late Roman re-enactors). The poet Helvius Cinna was murdered by mistake because he had the same name as Lucius Cornelius Cinna, one of Caesar's assassins - I'd hate for a Silvanus to get blamed for Salvianus' mistakes! Some examples from the group and folk we know from RAT:
Female:Aemilia
Ammiana
Arthes
Clodia
Corvina
Elle
Helena
Illica
Isidora
Iulia
Katharina Flavia ("Katarina")
(Libitina)
Marina
Sabina
Serena
Sophia
Viventia
Salvianus 1/1/10 Stephen Kenwright
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Male:Alexander
Ammianus
Antonius
Caballo
Caius
Cynric
Decimus
Diocles
Fasta
(Faventianus)
Ferreus
Fortunatus
Fronto
Hariso
Ingar
(Ioannes)
Lucius
Marcus
Marius
Miccalus
Nertomarus
Nobiscum
(Peronis)
Paulus
Rufus
Salvianus
Secundus
Sextus
Severus
Siphonarius
Tadius Danartus
Theodoric
(Theodosius)
Ursus
Tranquilus
(Valerius)
Venedotius
Victor Iustinianus
Victor Minimus
(Virilis)
Viventius
(Vortigern)
It is worth emphasising that pronunciation in C4th Britain was probably quite varied, from the most educated speaking close to Classical Latin, to the majority speaking the multi-national lingua franca of the camps with different vowel sounds even recorded on military monuments by our period.
I thus propose that no-one worries too much about 'proper' pronunciation of names etc, but if at all interested I am happy to give my best opinion of how it might have sounded in the day. If you want to be called something still common like 'Paula' or 'Monica' you might want to pronounce it the classical way, just so it doesn't sound odd, (if you see what I mean).
Salvianus 1/1/10 Stephen Kenwright
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Recorded 4th Century SoldiersThe best source for male names in Comitatus' area of interest, Hugh Elton lists examples used by Late Roman military personnel in "Warfare in Roman Europe AD 350-425", identified as 'Roman' and 'Barbarian' in origin. Most of the Roman names are old cognominia like Albinus or Vitalis, or Greek imports like Antiochus, Aristophanes, Eusebius, Isidorus or Olympius but a couple are surviving nomina like Sallustius or even praenomina: Marcus and Paulus.
For example, names probably 'non-Roman' in origin: Abruna, Adabrandus, Alagildus, Bantio, Batemodus, Derdio, Evingus, Flainus, Gainas, Higgo, Ilateuta, Manio, Mundilo, Natuspardo, Odiscus, Perula, Sanbatis, Sauma, Servilius, Sindila and Totila.
Caecilius woz 'ere Some people like to be able to link to a name specifically from Britain and to a particular memorial inscription or find. The number of securely Late military names is relatively small, but broadening the date range helps to expand one's options.
http://www.roman-britain.org/main.htm
includes the corpus of memorial inscriptions and can be mined for glimpses of the people who lived what we re-enact. Try scanning the summary of The Roman Inscriptions of Britain:
Soldiers:Cintusmus and Melisus, Soldiers of the Fourth Cohort of Gauls, Templeborough: RIB 619
Cosconianus, prefect of the First Cohort of Batavians, Carrawburgh: RIB 1534 - a unit recorded at the site from the early C3rd and in the Notitia Dignitatum, so possibly C4th
Hilarius of the First Cohort of Batavians, Carrawburgh: RIB 1562
Longini[us?] Bucinator, First Cohort of Batavians, Carrawburgh: RIB 1559
Christian namesBiblical, saints and martyrs' name became very popular under Imperial Christianity: whilst traditional folk religion and other eastern cults clearly persisted, their worship and sacrifice had been increasingly legislated against over the preceding twenty years and it has been suggested that one now needed to be conspicuously Christian to get ahead in the army. Note how traditional Roman names are repeated, including many with pagan origins. 'Fidelis' was popular for obvious reasons, 'Katerina' was spelled 'Katharina' by Christians to emphasise the Greek meaning of 'purity', but many pagan gods' names were adopted by the most devout.
Marcellus, Martinus, Menas & Mercurius were saints reputed to have been Roman soldiers whose names were common in the 4th century. Other apparently Christian soldiers include Agathius, Artemius, Bacchus, Proculus, Sabbas (a Goth), Sergius, Varus and Victricius.
Other 4th century Christians include:
Female:Bibiana, Cantianella, Crispina, Dorothea, Euphemia, Euphrasia, Exuperantia, Gorgonia, Iustina, Livia, Macrina, Marcella, Melania, Monica, Nonna, Pelagia, Thecla, Theoclia and Theosebia Recorded in Christian inscriptions in Britain: Innocentia
Male:Achillas, Aërius, Agricius, Amphilochius, Anastasius, Antigonus, Apollinaris, Arnobius, Athanasius, Audentius, Caesarius, Cassian, Damasus, Epiphanius, Erasmus, Felix, Gaudentius, Germinianus, Helvidius, Isaac, Leontius, Liberius, Macarius, Maternus, Maximin, Meletius, Romanus, Petrus, Philastrius, Pierius, Porphyrius, Proculus, Protus, Prudentius, Satyrus, Simeon, Siricius, Theotimus, Urban, Viator, Vitalis and Zeno Recorded in Christian inscriptions in Britain: Exuperius, Perseverantius, Publianus, Restitutus and Virbonus
Salvianus 1/1/10 Stephen Kenwright
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Literary Sources:It is probably best to avoid well-known figures from history, but there are many less famous names available, particularly further afield over the empire. Some C4th examples:
Arbitio, general and consul under Constantius and Julian.
Charito, the wife of the emperor Jovian.
Dulcitius was a Dux Britanniarum, praised by Ammianus for his ability.
Laeta, the second wife of the emperor Gratian.
Oribasius (Greek: Ορειβάσιος), Greek medical writer and physician to Julian.
Pacianus, bishop of Barcelona from about 365 AD to 391 AD.
Siburius, from the Bordeaux region, magister officiorum under Gratian.
4th Century names in the Ausoniana family, by approximate origin:
From ‘Cover Names’ and Nomenclature in Late Roman Gaul, The Evidence of the Bordelaise Poet Ausonius, By Altay Coskun
Earlier Military PersonnelAlthough relatively early for Comitatus, the Vindolanda Tablets Online includes a name list from the 1st & 2nd Century, and includes discussion of origins, listing by rank etc:
Acranius
Adiutor, Vittius, aquilifer
Aduectus
Africanus, Vocusius, praefectus
Agilis
Albinus
Albiso
Alio, ueterinarius
Amabilis
Salvianus 1/1/10 Stephen Kenwright
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Ammius
Andecarus
Arcanus, miles
Arquittius, optio
Ascanius
Asper
Asper, Licinius
Atrectus, ceruesarius
Atto, decurio
Audax
Auentinus
Bolanus, Vettius, consul
Brigionus
Brocchus, Aelius
Buccus
Butimas
Caecus
Candidus, optio
Celer
Certius
Cessius
Chrauttius
Claudius
Cogitatus
Conianus, Flauius
Corinthus
Crescens
Crescens, centurio
Crispa
Crispinus, Grattius
Crispus
Cuselus, centurio
Diligens
Dio
Equester, centurio
Equester, Annius, centurio regionarius
Exomnius, centurio
Expeditus
Faber, Cluuius
Fadus
Fatalis
Felicio, centurio
Ferox
Festus
Firminus
Firmus
Flauianus
Flauianus, Hostilius
Flauius
Fortunatus, centurio
Frontinus, eques
Frontius
Frumentius, centurio?
Furio
Fuscinius
Fuscus
Gambax
Gannallius
Gau(u)o
Genialis, Flauius, praefectus?
Genitor
Gleuco
Gracilis
Hermes
Ianuarius?
Imber, Furius
Ingenuus
Ircucisso
Iulius, Frontinius
Iustinus
Iustinus, optio
Iustus, Celonius
Karus, Claudius
Lepidina, Sulpicia
Lib(e)rinus?
Luca, uector
Lucco
Lucius, decurio
Lucius, scutarius
Lupelus, centurio
Lutius
Macrinus
Marcellus, consularis
Marcia
Marcus, medicus
Marcus, optio?
Marinus
Salvianus 1/1/10 Stephen Kenwright
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Masuetus
Messicus
Messor
Metto
Natalis
Niger
Niger, Oppius
Niger, Valerius
Octauius
Pac(a)ta
Pacatus
Paris
Pastor
Paterna
Paternus
Petrus, Flauius
Piso, Calpurnius, consul
Polio
Popa, Claudius
Primigenius, slave of Cerialis?
Primus, slave (?) of Lucius
Priscinius
Priscus
Priuatus
Proculus
Proculus, Flauius
Publicus
Quintia
Rhenus
Rhenus, slave of Similis
Rufinus
Rufinus, praefectus
Sabinus
Saco
Saecularis, Cassius Sancta
Sancta
Sanctus
Sattua
Sautenus
September, Caecilius
Settius
Seuera, Claudia
Seuerinus
Seuerus
Seuerus, Vettius
Similis
Similis, Flauius
Singularis
Sollemnis
Spectatus
Stipo
Super, Clodius
Super, Curtius
Tagamatis (genitive), uexillarius
Tagarminis
Tappo
Tertius
Tetricus
Thuttena
Tranquillus
Trophimus
Tullio
Tullio, centurio
Ucen(i)us, centurio
U]xperus
Valatta
Valentinus
Vattus
Velbuteius
Vel(de)deius, equisio consularis
Velox, Marcus cocceius
Veranius, praefectus
Verecundus, optio
Verecundus, Iulius, praefectus
Verus, [Cla]udius, decurio
Vettius
Victor
Victor, Felicius
Vindex
Virilis, ueterinarius
Vitalis
Vitalis, decurio
Vocontius, centurio
Voturius, centurio
Salvianus 1/1/10 Stephen Kenwright
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Probably Germanic in Origin:Chrauttius, Gannallius, Thuttena, Uxperus
Probably Danubian in Origin:Ucen(i)us, Butimas, Gambax, Ircucisso
Probably British: Andecarus, Albiso, Atto, Atrectus, Brigio(-nus), Gavo, Exomnius, Metto, Saco, Sattua, Sautenus, Velbuteius and Veldeius or Veldedeius
Salvianus 1/1/10 Stephen Kenwright
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Regional namesIt is sometimes possible to identify 'non-Roman' names with a particular culture, but often these belong to specific historical figures, such as the C5th Frankish kings Sigibert, Theudebert, Charibert, Chlodosind or Gundovald. Often the arguments for attributing the names and even the spellings cited are open to debate: one would be wise to follow up with a bit more research. One might feel that Romano-British names would be particularly suitable for Comitatus.
Probably British names:Name Location Date Source
Aessicunia Bath, Somerset c. AD 275–400 Alloy sheet[A]launa Bath, Somerset c. AD 275–400 Alloy sheetBeliatus Wanborough, Wiltshire Fourth century context Mortarium
Bellicus Binchester, County Durham NRC of fourth century Tile
Bodeni Thruxton, Hampshire Villa associated with coins c. AD 250–350 Mosaic
Butu Eccles Villa, Kent Late-Roman cursive, probably fourth century Lead sheet
Catugnavus Binchester, County Durham NRC of fourth century Tile
Comitinus ? Leintwardine, Herefordshire Fourth-century context Lead sheet
Cunedecanes
Leintwardine, Herefordshire Fourth-century context Lead sheet
Cunittus Leintwardine, Herefordshire Fourth-century context Lead sheet
Cunobarrus Caistor, Lincolnshire Late Antique Lead vessel
Cunovendus Binchester, County Durham NRC of fourth century Tile
Cunsa Bath, Somerset c. AD 275–400 Alloy sheetCunsus Bath, Somerset c. AD 275–400 Alloy sheetDeomiorix Bath, Somerset c. AD 275–400 Tin sheet
Diseta Chelmsford, Essex Context probably late fourth century
Coarse pottery
Doci[medis Bath, Somerset c. AD 275–400 Alloy sheetDocimedis Bath, Somerset c. AD 275–400 Alloy sheetDocimedis Bath, Somerset c. AD 275–400 Alloy sheet
Enestinus ? Leintwardine, Herefordshire Fourth-century context Lead sheet
Exuperatus Chesterholm, Northumberland Rubbish deposit c. AD 300 Coarse
potteryLocinna Bath, Somerset c. AD 275–400 Alloy sheet
Maglorius Leintwardine, Herefordshire Fourth-century context Lead sheet
Mantuten(a)eBath, Somerset c. AD 275–400 Alloy sheetSalvianus 1/1/10 Stephen Kenwright
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Map Gestingthorpe, Essex Context fourth century Coarse pottery
Motius ? Leintwardine, Herefordshire Fourth-century context Lead sheet
Muconius Hamble estuary, Hampshire Fourth century cursive Lead sheet
Paltucca Bath, Somerset c. AD 275–400 Alloy sheetPisso Bath, Somerset c. AD 275–400 Alloy sheet
Ruui Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire NRC c. AD 275–400 Carinated
bowlSco[ti]us Bath, Somerset c. AD 275–400 Alloy sheetSedebelia Bath, Somerset c. AD 275–400 Alloy sheetSeni<i>la Bath, Somerset c. AD 275–400 Alloy sheet
Seniciana Binchester, County Durham NRC of fourth century Tile
Senicianus Silchester, Hampshire Fourth century Finger-ring
Senicianus Binchester, County Durham NRC of fourth century Tile
Senicianus Bath, Somerset c. AD 275–400 Alloy sheet
Senorix Leintwardine, Herefordshire Fourth-century context Lead sheet
Solinus Binchester, County Durham NRC of fourth century Tile
Suagrius London Fourth century Pewter ingotSyagrius London Fourth century Pewter ingot
Uccu ? Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire NRC c. AD 275–400 Carinated
bowlUricalus Bath, Somerset c. AD 275–400 Alloy sheetValaunecus Bath, Somerset c. AD 275–400 Alloy sheetVendibedis Bath, Somerset c. AD 275–400 Alloy sheet
Vrocata Beckfoot, Cumbria Early fourth century pot Coarse pottery
From the searchable database of 'Celtic' personal names of Roman Britain:http://www.asnc.cam.ac.uk/personalnames/
Names from Gregory of Tours' History of the Franks:(Merovingian period, 5th-7th centuries, some getting a bit late. These would only fit a distinctively Germanic impression)
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Later namesAs Eastern influence increased more Greek, Biblical and by-names were used; relational (son/daughter of), descriptive (such as Chrysostom, ‘golden-mouthed’), locative, ('of Tarsus') or occupational ('the shepherd'). The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire covers the C6th – 7th in the largely Greek speaking East. It would be worth checking that these names would suit our C4th West.
Female names of the aristocracy, including their comparative frequency:
