Roman Names

Notes #1

Men’s NamesRoman men who were citizens NORMALLY

had 3 names.

Each part of the name had a “title”:

Praenomen Nomen Cognomen

Praenomen• This was the first of the three names

• There were only about 20 in use for ALL of the Roman men!

• This was the name that members of your family or close friends would call you.

Praenomen• Some praenomens would correspond

with numbers such as:

– Quintus: “Fifth”– Sextus: “Sixth”– Decimus: “Tenth”

Nomen• This was the second of the three names

• It designated the gens or “clan” that you belonged to

• This was the name that people would use in a public setting and is hereditary

• It also designated social class

Social Classes• There were two primary social classes in

ancient Rome. They were:

– Patricians (The upper class; wealthy citizens)– Plebians (The lower class; moderate to poor

citizens)

Nomen• We get some modern day names

from the nomen of Romans. Here are some examples:

Cognomen• This was the third of three names.

• Often this was a second last name, and could often be witty or descriptive

o Agricola: Farmero Maximus: Very Bigo Petrus: Rock

Agnomen• Sometimes a Roman would have a fourth name

called an “Agnomen”

• This acted as a second cognomen

• It was also descriptive: May have been given after a certain achievement by senatorial decree

• Gaius Iulius Caesar Octavianus– 8th person to be adopted

• Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus– Served in the military in Africa

• On occasion (but rarely) a person could have more than one agnomen.

– Gaius Iulius Caesar Octavianus Augustus• Augustus: The honored one

Girl Names

• Women had only two names:

NomenCognomen

Nomen (Females)• First of two names

• Dad’s nomen was put in the Feminine form.

• Example:– If the girl’s father’s nomen was “Claudius”,

she would be named “Claudia”

Cognomen (Females)• Second of two names

• Husband’s nomen in the feminine form.

• Example:– If Claudia got married to “Iulius” she would

be named “Claudia Iulia”

Exceptions• What if there are two girls born to the same

family?

• Three girls would all share the same nomen, however their cognomens would differ.– Polla Prima– Polla Secunda– Polla Tertia

Dies Lustricus• Girls were named on the 8th day• Boys were named on the 9th day

• Guests, refreshments, gifts, wreath

• BULLA

BULLA Relief of a Roman

boy wearing a bulla

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

File:Roman_boy_wearing_bulla.jpg

BULLA Bulla picturing Daedalus and

Icarus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Etruscan_-

_Bulla_with_Daedalus_and_Icarus_-_Walters_57371_-

_Side_A.jpg