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?