Flare Sci-Fi Forums: Roman Agnomen

This is topic Roman Agnomen in forum Officers' Lounge at Flare Sci-Fi Forums.

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Posted by Vacuum robot lady from Spaceballs (Member # 239) on :

Recently, I read an article about Roman tria nomina, and it stated that while most Romans had the standard Praenomen, Nomen and Cognomen, a select few had an Agnomen.

Now, does anyone know what the Agnomen signified? I know of only one example offhand of an Agnomen, and that would be the Africanus associated with Scipio. Now, this leads me to believe that there is an association with Scipio's exploits in Africa and his Agnomen. (if indeed that's what it is)

Could the Agnomen symbolize perhaps recognition for honorable deeds or noteworthy events within a Cognomen?

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"Instructed by history and reflection, Julian was persuaded that, if the diseases of the body may sometimes be cured by salutary violence, neither steel nor fire can eradicate the erroneous opinions of the mind."

-Edward Gibbons, The Decline and Fall of The Roman Empire.

Posted by The_Tom (Member # 38) on :

"...My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, Commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next..."

I submit this thread for consideration for the Officer Lounge's "out-of-the-blue" award.

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well how'd you like that?
Dr. Landy, please tell me
I'm not just a pedagogue..."
-Brian Wilson, The Barenaked Ladies

[This message has been edited by The_Tom (edited March 19, 2001).]

Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :

I can't remember what Scipio Africanus' full name was, but I always assumed that 'Africanus' was his Cognomen.

For those of you not classically educated and going "huh?" it worked like this:

Gaius Julius Caesar - Gaius, of the Julian House, known as Caesar. Or you had Marcus Tullius Cicero, known nowadays as Cicero but sometimes (by the Victorians more than anyone else, I believe) called Tully, because that was his actual "surname. . ."

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Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :

A long explanation of all sorts of Roman names.

According to that, it's a nickname, but a rather special and elite sort of nickname.

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Posted by Nim (Member # 205) on :

So the guys with agnomen could get into any club in town? VIP?

Or...
"My agnoMen are loyal to me and me alone!"

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Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :

Hmm... I was/am classically educated, yet it seems I have forgotten most of what that education was based upon...

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Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :

The Classics, one would assume.

Posted by Vacuum robot lady from Spaceballs (Member # 239) on :

Sol: That = good. I = educated. I = almost right about my first assumption.

As much as I enjoyed Gladiator (In fact, it's my favorite movie, in like, ever), they did get Maximus' name a little wonky.

"Maximus Decimus Meridius"

Maximus is a Cognomen, not a Praenomen, meaning 'greatest'.

Decimus was one of the twenty primary Praenomen, and was never a name of any gens. Similarily, Decius and Decumius are both Nomen.

Meridius, and the goggles - THEY DO NOTHING! Actually, I can't find Meridius in a reference of any Roman names.

-Edward Gibbons, The Decline and Fall of The Roman Empire.

Posted by Nim (Member # 205) on :

Meridius is obviously related to "Meridian", no? Maybe his mommy was in Morocco when he was due? Maybe they could take/make any name they wanted for their child? Then your lists are poor rules for namegiving...

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Don't kill me, I'm charming!

Posted by Vacuum robot lady from Spaceballs (Member # 239) on :

Well, if so, he could be Nicole Kidman's son. I am Val Kilmer!

-Edward Gibbons, The Decline and Fall of The Roman Empire.

Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :

Looking for historical accuracy in Gladiator? You'll probably have more luck searching the movie for references to "all your base are belong to us".

The following analysis contains spoilers, if you haven't seen the movie yet...

Let's see... Marcus Aurelius gets killed relatively near to when the movie starts. So, the movie starts in A.D. 180 or earlier. At the end, Commodus gets killed, so that's A.D. 193. Hence, the movie spans about thirteen years. Funny how that little kid never aged, eh?

Of course, the kid obviously stopped aging long before the movie started. He was already at least nineteen years old when Marcus Aurelius died. He was at least thirty-two at the end of the movie.

How do I know this? The kid was the son of Lucius Verus, who was joint emperor w/ Marcus Aurelius. At least, he was until he died in A.D. 161. Meaning the kid was born either before that, or in the nine months following.

Historical accuracy in Gladiator? I think not.

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Posted by Shik (Member # 343) on :

Just to throw another kink into the works...

Before Maximus battles Tigris of Gaul, he's in the passageway talking with Proximo ("Shadows & DUST, Maximus!!"), you can hear Cassius announcing that he's in the "employ" of Antonius Proximo....

"CAESAR...is PROUD the present...the people's champion, Aelius...MAXimus!!!"

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"For people with resources, the right events happen. They may look like coincidences, but they arise out of necessity." --T�rk Hviid

Posted by Jay the Obscure (Member # 19) on :

I went searching for historical accuracy in Life of Brian

Reg: If you want to join the People's Front of Judea, you have to really hate the Romans.

Brian: I do!

Reg: Oh yeah, how much?

Brian: A lot!

Reg: Right, you're in.

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The negotiations have failed. Shoot him!
~ C. Montgomery Burns

[This message has been edited by Jay (edited March 20, 2001).]

Posted by Jay the Obscure (Member # 19) on :

Oh, and since were on Gladiator, I rather liked this page:
http://www.exovedate.com/the_real_gladiator_one.html

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The negotiations have failed. Shoot him!
~ C. Montgomery Burns

Posted by First of Two (Member # 16) on :

My Agnomen's off roamin' in the gloaming.

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The government that seems the most unwise, oft goodness to the people best supplies. That which is meddling, touching everything, will work but ill, and disappointment bring. - The Tao Te Ching