CHOOSING A NAME
As a Roman re-enactor you get to play an historic persona. Choosing a name is a personal thing. The Nova Roma website gives good explanations about the meanings of various names, and you can add your own historic background (father/mother, where you came from, etc). You can play multiple roles with many different personas as required.
Some of our members choose Roman names based on their own name, for example Brutus (Brett), Petronius (Pete), Marcus (Mitch) and Marius (Martin) that are easier for others to remember, while some want to be associated with historical figures, like the famous historian Titus Flavius Josephus (Dave), or with their personality like Lautentius Maximus Hilarius (Ben).
Choosing a gladiator name can be fun too. For example, we have Glaucus (The Grey), Lucius Damnatio (The Damned), Marcus Carnifex (The Butcher), and Pinguis Sus (The Fat Pig). We are happy to give advice to help you choose.
Choosing a gladiator name can be fun too. For example, we have Glaucus (The Grey), Lucius Damnatio (The Damned), Marcus Carnifex (The Butcher), and Pinguis Sus (The Fat Pig). We are happy to give advice to help you choose.
Romans used a three-name system (see Choosing a name)
1. Praenomen ("first-name") was usually chosen from a short common list.
2. Nomen ("gens or clan name") was hereditary from your father.
3. Cognomen ("family name within a gens") was usually hereditary, and had interesting meanings.
4. Agnomen ("added-name") could be awarded for some feat, such as Africanus, Germanicus and Parthicus (that conquered Africa, Germany and the Parthians respectively).
1. Praenomen ("first-name") was usually chosen from a short common list.
2. Nomen ("gens or clan name") was hereditary from your father.
3. Cognomen ("family name within a gens") was usually hereditary, and had interesting meanings.
4. Agnomen ("added-name") could be awarded for some feat, such as Africanus, Germanicus and Parthicus (that conquered Africa, Germany and the Parthians respectively).
Praenomens include:
Gaius, Lucius, Marcus, Publius, Quintus, Titus, Tiberius, Sextus, Aulus, Decimus, Gnaeus, Spurius, Manius, Servius, Appius, Numerius, Vibius, Postumus, and sometimes Kaeso.
Women's Praenomens include:
AELIA, AELIANA, AEMILIA, AGRIPPINA, ALBINA, ANTONIA, AUGUSTA, AURELIA, CAMILLA, CASSIA, CECILIA, CLAUDIA, CORNELIA, DECIMA, DOMITIA, DOMITILLA, DRUSILLA, FABIA, FAUSTINA, FLAVIA, FLORA, GRATIANA, HORTENSIA, IULIA, IULIANA, IUNIA, LAELIA, LIVIA, LUCIA, LUCRETIA, MARCELLA, MARCIA, MARINA, OCTAVIA, PAULA, PETRONIA, PORCIA, PRIMA, PRISCILLA, SABINA, SECUNDA, TERTIA, TULLIA, VALENTINA, VALERIA, and VIRGINIA
Nomens include:
AELIUS, AEMILIUS, ANNIUS, ANTONIUS, AURELIUS, CLAUDIUS, CORNELIUS, DOMITIUS, ENNIUS, FABIUS, FLAVIUS, FULVIUS, HELVIUS, HORATIUS, IULIUS, IUNIUS, LICINIUS, LIVIUS, LUCRETIUS, MANILIUS, MARCIUS, MARIUS, NIGIDIUS, NOVIUS, OCTAVIUS, OVIDIUS,PETRONIUS, PLAUTIUS, POMPEIUS, POMPONIUS, PLINIUS, PONTIUS, QUINCTIUS, ROSCIUS, RUTILIUS, SALVIUS, SENTIUS, SEPTIMIUS, SULPICIUS, TERENTIUS, TULLIUS, VALERIUS, VERGILIUS, and SALLUSTIUS
Cognomens include:
ALBINUS, AQUILA, ATTICUS, BRUTUS, CAESAR, CICERO, CATO, CORBULO, CAUDEX, CRISPUS, COTTA, CATULLUS, CAECUS, CURIO, FELIX, FESTUS, FLACCUS, LONGINUS, MAXIMUS, MARCELLUS, MARTIALIS, NERO, PAULINUS, PERTINAX, PRIMUS, PRISCUS, PULCHER, SULLA, SCIPIO, SECUNDUS, RUFUS, and VARUS
Agnomens include:
AELIANUS, AEMILIANUS, BALEARICUS, BRITANNICUS, CRETICUS, DALMATICUS, DOMITIANUS, FABIANUS, FLAVIANUS, GERMANICUS, GOTHICUS, IULIANUS, MACEDONICUS, OCTAVIANUS, PARTHICUS, VERGILLIANUS, and VALERIANUS
Gaius, Lucius, Marcus, Publius, Quintus, Titus, Tiberius, Sextus, Aulus, Decimus, Gnaeus, Spurius, Manius, Servius, Appius, Numerius, Vibius, Postumus, and sometimes Kaeso.
Women's Praenomens include:
AELIA, AELIANA, AEMILIA, AGRIPPINA, ALBINA, ANTONIA, AUGUSTA, AURELIA, CAMILLA, CASSIA, CECILIA, CLAUDIA, CORNELIA, DECIMA, DOMITIA, DOMITILLA, DRUSILLA, FABIA, FAUSTINA, FLAVIA, FLORA, GRATIANA, HORTENSIA, IULIA, IULIANA, IUNIA, LAELIA, LIVIA, LUCIA, LUCRETIA, MARCELLA, MARCIA, MARINA, OCTAVIA, PAULA, PETRONIA, PORCIA, PRIMA, PRISCILLA, SABINA, SECUNDA, TERTIA, TULLIA, VALENTINA, VALERIA, and VIRGINIA
Nomens include:
AELIUS, AEMILIUS, ANNIUS, ANTONIUS, AURELIUS, CLAUDIUS, CORNELIUS, DOMITIUS, ENNIUS, FABIUS, FLAVIUS, FULVIUS, HELVIUS, HORATIUS, IULIUS, IUNIUS, LICINIUS, LIVIUS, LUCRETIUS, MANILIUS, MARCIUS, MARIUS, NIGIDIUS, NOVIUS, OCTAVIUS, OVIDIUS,PETRONIUS, PLAUTIUS, POMPEIUS, POMPONIUS, PLINIUS, PONTIUS, QUINCTIUS, ROSCIUS, RUTILIUS, SALVIUS, SENTIUS, SEPTIMIUS, SULPICIUS, TERENTIUS, TULLIUS, VALERIUS, VERGILIUS, and SALLUSTIUS
Cognomens include:
ALBINUS, AQUILA, ATTICUS, BRUTUS, CAESAR, CICERO, CATO, CORBULO, CAUDEX, CRISPUS, COTTA, CATULLUS, CAECUS, CURIO, FELIX, FESTUS, FLACCUS, LONGINUS, MAXIMUS, MARCELLUS, MARTIALIS, NERO, PAULINUS, PERTINAX, PRIMUS, PRISCUS, PULCHER, SULLA, SCIPIO, SECUNDUS, RUFUS, and VARUS
Agnomens include:
AELIANUS, AEMILIANUS, BALEARICUS, BRITANNICUS, CRETICUS, DALMATICUS, DOMITIANUS, FABIANUS, FLAVIANUS, GERMANICUS, GOTHICUS, IULIANUS, MACEDONICUS, OCTAVIANUS, PARTHICUS, VERGILLIANUS, and VALERIANUS
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A Study of the Cognomina of Soldiers in the Roman Legions
by Lindley Richard Dean |
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