Virī Rōmānī tria nōmina habent.

Gaius Iulius Caesar

Gaius is praenomen

Not many praenomina in use

Often indicated by an abbreviationA. – Aulus M. – Marcus

App. – Appius P. – Publius

C. – Gaius Q. – Quintus

Cn. – Gnaeus Ser. – Servius

D. – Decimus T. – Titus

L. – Lucius Ti. - Tiberius

praenomen used within family or between close friends

“Gaie, ambulēmus,” dīxit Marcus.

“Fiat, Marce,” dīxit Gaius.

Iulius is nōmen

Originally name of clan

Familiar names in ancient Rome

Aemilius Iunius

Claudius Pompeius

Cornelius Antonius

Domitius Valerius

Iulius Tullius

If person had no cognōmen, then would be called by nōmen.

Mihi nōmen est Gnaeus Pompeius. Quaeso, vocāte mē Pompeius.

Caesar is cognōmen

This is like immediate family name

Often nickname, then handed down as family name

Various explanations given in antiquity for “Caesar”

e.g. from word for “hairy”

or from word for “cut” – original ancestor born by Caesarian section

cognōmen most commonly used among friends

Mihi nōmen est Cicero. Quid est nōmen tibi?

Plutarch tells us that cognōmen, Cicero, meant chickpea. Distant ancestor had cleft in tip of nose

resembling a chickpea

Women’s names simpler systemfeminine form of name of nomen, clan

thus Iulia, Claudia, Aemilia, Cornelia, Domitia, Pompeia, Antonia

distinguished from other Iulias by father’s cognomen, once married by

husband’s cognomen

Thus Tullia Ciceronis, daughter of Marcus Tullius Cicero, became

Tullia Dolabellae, wife of Publius Cornelius Dolabella

If more than one daughter, then Iulia maior or Iulia minor or prīma, secunda, tertia, quarta, quinta, etc.

Slaves had single name

Freedmen took praenomen and nomen of master

slave name kept as cognomen

Freedwomen took feminine form of master’s nomen, plus slave name

Marcus Tullius Cicero’s slave Tiro when freed

became Marcus Tullius Tiro

It was Tiro who collected and published Cicero’s works after his

death

If Dāvus becomes freed by Gaius Cornēlius, what will he

be called?