Nephele

The following is an index to my Roman Surnames series, in which I have attempted to list and define the various surnames used by notable gentes of the Republic. For the purpose of this list, I have included cognomina, adoptive cognomina, and agnomina under the collective term of "surnames." This index, as also my Roman Surnames series, is a work in progress. Surnames will continue to be added to this index with each addition of a gens to my series. Acidinus: Surnames of the Manlii Acisculus: Surnames of the Valerii Aemilianus: Surnames of the Cornelii, Surnames of the Fabii, Surnames of the Livii Aeserninus: Surnames of the Claudii Africanus: Surnames of the Cornelii Agelastus: Surnames of the Licinii Ahala: Surnames of the Servilii Albinus: Surnames of the Junii Albus: Surnames of the Fabii Allobrogicus: Surnames of the Fabii Ambustus: Surnames of the Fabii Antias: Surnames of the Valerii Arquetius: Surnames of the Claudii Arquitius: Surnames of the Claudii Arvina: Surnames of the Cornelii Asellio: Surnames of the Sempronii Asellus: Surnames of the Claudii Asiagenus: Surnames of the Cornelii Asiaticus: Surnames of the Cornelii Asina: Surnames of the Cornelii Atratinus: Surnames of the Sempronii Atticus: Surnames of the Manlii Augur: Surnames of the Cornelii Augustus: Surnames of the Julii Axilla: Surnames of the Servilii Balbus: Surnames of the Cornelii Barbatus: Surnames of the Cornelii Barbula: Surnames of the Aemilii Blaesus: Surnames of the Sempronii Blasio: Surnames of the Cornelii Brocchus: Surnames of the Servilii Brutus: Surnames of the Junii, Surnames of the Servilii Bubulcus: Surnames of the Junii Buca: Surnames of the Aemilii Bucco: Surnames of the Licinii Bursio: Surnames of the Julii Buteo: Surnames of the Fabii Caecus: Surnames of the Claudii Caepio: Surnames of the Servilii Caesar: Surnames of the Julii Callaecus: Surnames of the Junii Callaicus: Surnames of the Junii Calussa: Surnames of the Cornelii Calvus: Surnames of the Cornelii, Surnames of the Licinii Canina: Surnames of the Claudii Capitolinus: Surnames of the Manlii Casca: Surnames of the Servilii Cato: Surnames of the Porcii, Surnames of the Valerii Catullus: Surnames of the Valerii Caudex: Surnames of the Claudii Caudinus: Surnames of the Cornelii Censorius: Surnames of the Porcii Centho: Surnames of the Claudii Cento: Surnames of the Claudii Centumalus: Surnames of the Claudii Cethegus: Surnames of the Cornelii Cicero: Surnames of the Claudii Cincinnatus: Surnames of the Manlii Cinna: Surnames of the Cornelii Claudianus: Surnames of the Livii Clineas: Surnames of the Claudii Clodianus: Surnames of the Cornelii Corculum: Surnames of the Cornelii Corvinus: Surnames of the Valerii Corvus: Surnames of the Valerii Cossus: Surnames of the Cornelii Crassinus: Surnames of the Claudii Crassus: Surnames of the Claudii, Surnames of the Licinii Crus: Surnames of the Cornelii Cruscellio: Surnames of the Cornelii Cunctator: Surnames of the Fabii Damasippus: Surnames of the Junii, Surnames of the Licinii Demetrias: Surnames of the Julii Denter: Surnames of the Livii Dives: Surnames of the Licinii Dolabella: Surnames of the Cornelii Dorso: Surnames of the Fabii Dorsuo: Surnames of the Fabii Drusus: Surnames of the Claudii, Surnames of the Livii Eburnus: Surnames of the Fabii Esquilinus: Surnames of the Licinii Falco: Surnames of the Valerii Falto: Surnames of the Valerii Felix: Surnames of the Cornelii Fidenas: Surnames of the Servilii Flaccus: Surnames of the Valerii Flamen: Surnames of the Claudii Fulvianus: Surnames of the Manlii Gaetulicus: Surnames of the Cornelii Gallaecus: Surnames of the Junii Gallus: Surnames of the Cornelii Geminus: Surnames of the Servilii Geta: Surnames of the Licinii Getha: Surnames of the Licinii Glaber: Surnames of the Claudii Glaucia: Surnames of the Servilii Glicia: Surnames of the Claudii Globulus: Surnames of the Servilii Glycias: Surnames of the Claudii Gracchanus: Surnames of the Junii Gracchus: Surnames of the Sempronii Gurges: Surnames of the Fabii Hadrianus: Surnames of the Fabii Helenus: Surnames of the Julii Hispallus: Surnames of the Cornelii Hispaniensis: Surnames of the Fabii Hispanus: Surnames of the Cornelii Hortator: Surnames of the Claudii Imbrex: Surnames of the Licinii Imperiosus: Surnames of the Manlii Inregillensis: Surnames of the Claudii Isauricus: Surnames of the Servilii Iullus: Surnames of the Julii Iulus: Surnames of the Julii Iuncus: Surnames of the Junii Iunianus: Surnames of the Licinii Jullus: Surnames of the Julii Julus: Surnames of the Julii Juncus: Surnames of the Junii Junianus: Surnames of the Licinii Labeo: Surnames of the Fabii Lactuca: Surnames of the Valerii Lactucinus: Surnames of the Valerii Laeca: Surnames of the Porcii Laevinus: Surnames of the Valerii Lentinus: Surnames of the Manlii Lentulus: Surnames of the Cornelii Lepidus: Surnames of the Aemilii, Surnames of the Claudii Libo: Surnames of the Julii, Surnames of the Livii Licinianus: Surnames of the Porcii Licinus: Surnames of the Fabii, Surnames of the Porcii Livianus: Surnames of the Aemilii Longus: Surnames of the Sempronii Longus: Surnames of the Manlii, Surnames of the Servilii Lucullus: Surnames of the Licinii Lupus: Surnames of the Cornelii Macatus: Surnames of the Livii Macedonicus: Surnames of the Aemilii Macer: Surnames of the Licinii Maluginensis: Surnames of the Cornelii Mamercinus: Surnames of the Aemilii Mamercus: Surnames of the Aemilii Mamilianus: Surnames of the Livii Mammula: Surnames of the Cornelii Mancinus: Surnames of the Manlii Manlianus: Surnames of the Junii Marcellinus: Surnames of the Cornelii Marcellus: Surnames of the Claudii Maximus: Surnames of the Fabii, Surnames of the Valerii Mento: Surnames of the Julii Merenda: Surnames of the Cornelii Merula: Surnames of the Cornelii Messala: Surnames of the Valerii Mocilla: Surnames of the Julii Mucianus: Surnames of the Licinii Murena: Surnames of the Licinii Musca: Surnames of the Sempronii Nasica: Surnames of the Cornelii Nero: Surnames of the Claudii Nerva: Surnames of the Licinii Niger: Surnames of the Cornelii, Surnames of the Valerii Norbanus: Surnames of the Junii Numida: Surnames of the Aemilii Ocella: Surnames of the Livii Octavianus: Surnames of the Julii Orca: Surnames of the Valerii Ovicula: Surnames of the Fabii Paciacus: Surnames of the Junii Paciaecus: Surnames of the Junii Papus: Surnames of the Aemilii Paullus: Surnames of the Aemilii Paulus: Surnames of the Aemilii Pennus: Surnames of the Junii Pera: Surnames of the Junii Pictor: Surnames of the Fabii Pitio: Surnames of the Sempronii Pollio: Surnames of the Licinii Ponticus: Surnames of the Licinii Poplicola: Surnames of the Valerii Porcina: Surnames of the Aemilii Potitus: Surnames of the Valerii Praeconinus: Surnames of the Valerii Priscus: Surnames of the Manlii, Surnames of the Porcii, Surnames of the Servilii Privernas: Surnames of the Aemilii Procillus: Surnames of the Valerii Publicola: Surnames of the Valerii Pulcher: Surnames of the Claudii Pulex: Surnames of the Servilii Pullus: Surnames of the Junii Regillensis: Surnames of the Claudii Regillus: Surnames of the Aemilii Rufinus: Surnames of the Cornelii Rufus: Surnames of the Cornelii, Surnames of the Sempronii, Surnames of the Valerii Rullianus: Surnames of the Fabii Rullus: Surnames of the Fabii, Surnames of the Servilii Russus: Surnames of the Claudii Rutilus: Surnames of the Cornelii, Surnames of the Sempronii Sabinus: Surnames of the Claudii Sacerdos: Surnames of the Licinii Salinator: Surnames of the Julii, Surnames of the Livii Salonianus: Surnames of the Porcii Salutio: Surnames of the Cornelii Salvitto: Surnames of the Cornelii Sanga: Surnames of the Fabii Sapiens: Surnames of the Porcii Scaeva: Surnames of the Junii Scapula: Surnames of the Cornelii Scaurus: Surnames of the Aemilii Scipio: Surnames of the Cornelii Senator: Surnames of the Fabii Serapio: Surnames of the Cornelii Sergianus: Surnames of the Manlii Servilianus: Surnames of the Fabii Sibylla: Surnames of the Cornelii Silanus: Surnames of the Junii Sisenna: Surnames of the Cornelii Sophus: Surnames of the Sempronii Soranus: Surnames of the Valerii Spinther: Surnames of the Cornelii Stolo: Surnames of the Licinii Strabo: Surnames of the Julii, Surnames of the Licinii Structus: Surnames of the Servilii Sulla: Surnames of the Cornelii Sura: Surnames of the Cornelii Sylla: Surnames of the Cornelii Tappo: Surnames of the Valerii Tegula: Surnames of the Licinii Torquatus: Surnames of the Manlii Triarius: Surnames of the Valerii Tucca: Surnames of the Servilii Tuditanus: Surnames of the Sempronii Unimanus: Surnames of the Claudii Uritinus: Surnames of the Cornelii Uticensis: Surnames of the Porcii Varus: Surnames of the Licinii Vatia: Surnames of the Servilii Vergilianus: Surnames of the Fabii Verrucosus: Surnames of the Fabii Vestalis: Surnames of the Claudii Vibulanus: Surnames of the Fabii Virgilianus: Surnames of the Fabii Volso: Surnames of the Manlii Volusus: Surnames of the Valerii Vopiscus: Surnames of the Julii Vulso: Surnames of the Manlii -- Nephele

Out of curiosity, I decided to compile a statistical listing of what I shall presume to have been the most powerful and influential gentes of Rome during the time of the Republic. I'm basing this assessment on the number of magistrates produced by each gens. The following list contains the gentes of magistrates listed in volumes I and II of Broughton's The Magistrates of the Roman Republic (509 BCE to 31 BCE), including consuls, praetors, aediles, tribunes, quaestors, etc. 262 gentes are represented here, listed from 1st place to 41st place, in descending order of rank. Gentes that contributed equal numbers of magistrates share the same ranking. Gentes that contributed only one magistrate, during the years covered, have not been included on this list. The first number appearing before a gens is the ranking of that gens on the list. The second number represents the number of members from that gens who are listed in Broughton's as having been magistrates during the covered years of the Republic. Notes on names: While Norbana isn't strictly the name of a gens, I've included it on this list because members of this family tended to use Norbanus as their nomen gentilicium anyway. Those Norbani listed in Broughton's had appended the cognomina of Balbus and Flaccus to their name, thus further indicating that Norbanus, while not originally a nomen gentilicium, nevertheless developed into one through usage as such. Claudia and Clodia have been combined, as these are variations of the same name. Likewise with Caelia/Coelia, Plautia/Plotia, and Quinctia/Quintia. In each instance where spelling variations of the same name have been combined, I've included in parentheses the number of magistrates listed in Broughton's originally assigned to each name. One may ask: "What is the value of such a list?" Well, besides giving me something amusing to do this weekend, this list may not only serve to illustrate which gentes may have been the most influential during the time of Rome's Republic, but also indicate the degree of each gens' influence in comparison with other gentes. 1 185 Cornelia 2 92 Claudia (81) / Clodia (11) 3 78 Valeria 4 72 Fabia 5 64 Licinia 5 64 Servilia 6 62 Manlia 7 56 Aemilia 8 53 Junia 9 52 Papiria 9 52 Sempronia 10 50 Furia 10 50 Marcia 10 50 Postumia 11 47 Caecilia 12 43 Sulpicia 13 39 Julia 13 39 Minucia 14 36 Quinctia (34) / Quintia (2) 15 35 Atilia 16 34 Calpurnia 16 34 Fulvia 17 30 Plautia (27) / Plotia (3) 18 29 Pompeia 19 28 Octavia 20 27 Aurelia 21 26 Pomponia 22 24 Cassia 22 24 Porcia 22 24 Terentia 23 23 Annia 23 23 Popillia 24 22 Aelia 24 22 Appuleia 25 20 Antistia 25 20 Lucretia 26 19 Fonteia 26 19 Oppia 26 19 Coelia (10) / Caelia (9) 27 18 Baebia 27 18 Domitia 27 18 Hostilia 27 18 Memmia 27 18 Verginia 28 17 Acilia 28 17 Genucia 29 16 Antonia 29 16 Aquillia 29 16 Livia 29 16 Sergia 29 16 Titia 29 16 Veturia 30 13 Publicia 30 13 Titinia 31 12 Mucia 31 12 Pinaria 31 12 Rutilia 31 12 Scribonia 32 11 Aebutia 32 11 Fannia 32 11 Flavia 32 11 Maria 32 11 Plaetoria 32 11 Sextilia 33 10 Attia 33 10 Decia 33 10 Juventia 33 10 Maenia 33 10 Mamilia 33 10 Nautia 33 10 Opimia 33 10 Publilia 33 10 Quinctilia 33 10 Sicinia 33 10 Tullia 33 10 Vibia 34 9 Aufidia 34 9 Cloelia 34 9 Cosconia 34 9 Curtia 34 9 Herennia 34 9 Horatia 34 9 Lucilia 34 9 Lutatia 34 9 Manilia 34 9 Menenia 34 9 Sextia 35 8 Atinia 35 8 Carvilia 35 8 Duillia 35 8 Flaminia 35 8 Hortensia 35 8 Mummia 35 8 Nonia 35 8 Rubria 35 8 Volumnia 36 7 Considia 36 7 Decimia 36 7 Gabinia 36 7 Lollia 36 7 Poetelia 36 7 Silia 36 7 Trebonia 36 7 Villia 37 6 Caninia 37 6 Curia 37 6 Didia 37 6 Fundania 37 6 Gegania 37 6 Icilia 37 6 Laetoria 37 6 Mallia 37 6 Munatia 37 6 Otacilia 37 6 Papia 37 6 Peducaea 37 6 Perperna 37 6 Pupia 37 6 Sestia 37 6 Tremellia 38 5 Anicia 38 5 Ateia 38 5 Caedicia 38 5 Canuleia 38 5 Cluvia 38 5 Curiatia 38 5 Egnatia 38 5 Fabricia 38 5 Laelia 38 5 Matiena 38 5 Naevia 38 5 Ogulnia 38 5 Petillia 38 5 Roscia 38 5 Voconia 38 5 Volcatia 39 4 Aburia 39 4 Allia 39 4 Antia 39 4 Apustia 39 4 Aurunculeia 39 4 Calidia 39 4 Cincia 39 4 Cominia 39 4 Cornificia 39 4 Gallia 39 4 Gellia 39 4 Helvia 39 4 Magia 39 4 Metilia 39 4 Numitoria 39 4 Petronia 39 4 Sentia 39 4 Septimia 40 3 Afrania 40 3 Albinia 40 3 Arria 40 3 Asellia 40 3 Asinia 40 3 Aulia 40 3 Autronia 40 3 Caesetia 40 3 Catia 40 3 Cestia 40 3 Cocceia 40 3 Coponia 40 3 Coruncania 40 3 Crepereia 40 3 Decidia 40 3 Fufia 40 3 Gratidia 40 3 Insteia 40 3 Laberia 40 3 Maelia 40 3 Norbana 40 3 Rabiria 40 3 Rupilia 40 3 Salonia 40 3 Saufeia 40 3 Siccia 40 3 Stertinia 40 3 Tarquitia 40 3 Vargunteia 40 3 Velleia 40 3 Vergilia 40 3 Vettia 40 3 Volusia 41 2 Afinia 41 2 Albia 41 2 Aliena 41 2 Ampia 41 2 Ancharia 41 2 Apronia 41 2 Arrenia 41 2 Arruntia 41 2 Axia 41 2 Caepasia 41 2 Caesia 41 2 Carisia 41 2 Cicereia 41 2 Cispia 41 2 Cossutia 41 2 Critonia 41 2 Cupiennia 41 2 Digitia 41 2 Duronia 41 2 Egnatuleia 41 2 Epidia 41 2 Erucia 41 2 Falcidia 41 2 Folia 41 2 Fufidia 41 2 Furnia 41 2 Herminia 41 2 Hirtuleia 41 2 Labiena 41 2 Larcia 41 2 Ligaria 41 2 Livineia 41 2 Lucceia 41 2 Maecilia 41 2 Maevia 41 2 Maiania 41 2 Mania 41 2 Mindia 41 2 Nasidia 41 2 Nigidia 41 2 Novia 41 2 Numicia 41 2 Numisia 41 2 Occia 41 2 Pedia 41 2 Procilia 41 2 Pullia 41 2 Quintia 41 2 Rabuleia 41 2 Raecia 41 2 Remmia 41 2 Saenia 41 2 Sallustia 41 2 Salvia 41 2 Scantinia 41 2 Scantia 41 2 Scaptia 41 2 Serria 41 2 Sosia 41 2 Statia 41 2 Thoria 41 2 Tillia 41 2 Tituria 41 2 Trebellia 41 2 Tuccia 41 2 Turia 41 2 Turullia 41 2 Valgia 41 2 Varia 41 2 Ventidia 41 2 Venuleia 41 2 Vibullia 41 2 Vinicia 41 2 Volteia 41 2 Volusena -- Nephele

There was a terrible earthquake in Italy today. Klingan, are you okay? Silentium, if you're out there, I'm wishing you safety, too. Thoughts of concern for all our UNRV members in the area, as well as for the citizens of L'Aquila. -- Nephele L'AQUILA, Italy

Since I've been doing these Hidden Roman Names here for some time, I figured it's time to update this posting, and provide a new scrambling tool. What I do here is find your "hidden" Roman name in your own name through the art of anagram or blanagram. A blanagram is like an anagram, except that one letter has been exchanged for another. In my Hidden Roman Names blanagrams, I may exchange more than one letter, because a masculine ancient Roman name will generally require the letters "i", "u", and "s". A feminine ancient Roman name will generally require the letters "i" and "a". All you need to do is provide me with a scramble of the letters of your first and last names (and let me know whether you are male or female). If you have a short name, then please include your middle name as well in your scramble. I ask you to scramble your name for privacy. Here is a scrambling tool if you need help: Scramble Me! (don't leave spaces between your first, middle, and last names as your type them out) Your resulting Roman name will be uniquely your own, as it will be created from the rearranged letters of your existing name. You may even receive your ancient Roman "family history", to go with your new name. More about Roman names. -- Nephele

Has anyone here read any of Lindsey Davis' Falco series? I'm currently reading Saturnalia and enjoying it. This is the first of her novels that I've tried, and I'm considering starting at the beginning of the Falco series now. She includes a wonderful amount of Roman cultural detail in her Flavian dynasty era novels. I've sort of "adopted" this era of Rome as my favorite era for fiction writing, as Caroline Lawrence's young adult novels are also set in the era of the Flavian dynasty. -- Nephele

I was originally going to post this to the topic Where do you see Latin today?, but it got kind of involved so I decided to start a new topic here on names that we see today that recall the days of ancient Rome. The U.S. Social Security Administration lists on their website the top names given to babies born in the U.S., and the U.K. Statistics Authority also list on their website the top names for boys and girls born in England and Wales. My own list below consists of names taken from the U.S. and U.K. top 100 names lists for both boys and girls born in the year 2007. I have, though the information I've given below, linked these modern-day names to those Roman names which preceded them. Here are the descendants of the proud Romans of yesteryear. Top names from England and Wales are in blue. Enjoy! #1 Emily and #77 Amelia: derived from the nomen gentilicium of Aemilius. Emily and Amelia also placed #4 and #10 on the top girls names list for England and Wales. #2 Ruby: derived from the cognomina and Latin words Ruber and Rubidus, meaning "red, reddish" (from whence comes the name of the ruby gemstone). #7 Anthony and #96 Antonio: derived from the nomen gentilicium of Antonius. #11 Lucy: derived from the praenomen Lucius, and the cognomina Lucianus, Lucilus, Lucinus, Luciolus, Luciosus, Lucullus, etc., meaning "light". #17 Natalie: derived from the cognomina Natalis, Natalianus, Natalicus, Natalinus, Natalio, Natalius, etc., relating to birth. This name had special significance among Rome's early Christians, who applied the meaning to the birth of Jesus. #20 Grace and #96 Gracie: derived from the feminine cognomen and Latin word Gratia, meaning "grace". Grace and Gracie placed #1 and #68 on the top girls names list for England and Wales. #28 Lauren: derived from the cognomina Laurens and Laurentius, meaning "from Laurentum", a town in Latium near Ostia. Lauren placed #47 on the top girls names list for England and Wales. #29 Victoria: derived from the feminine cognomen and Latin word Victoria, meaning "victory, conquest". Victoria placed #97 on the top girls names list for England and Wales. #30 Max: derived from the cognomina Maximus, Maxantius, Maxellius, Maxentius, Maximanus, Maximianus, Maximillus, Maximio, Maximius, Maximo, etc., meaning "great, distinguished". #41 Destiny: derived from the cognomen and Latin word Destinatus, meaning "fixed, determined". #44 Justin: derived from the cognomen Iustinus, which in turn was derived from the cognomen Iustus, meaning "just, equitable, fair". #47 Leo and #75 Leon: derived from the cognomina Leo, Leonianus, Leonicus, Leoninus, Leonius, meaning "lion, of a lion, leonine". #48 Austin: derived from the cognomen Augustinus, which in turn was derived from Augustus, the honorary cognomen given to Emperor Octavian, meaning "majestic, diginified". #61 Adrian: derived from the cognomen Adrianus and Hadrianus, meaning "from Hadria", the name of two ancient towns -- one in Picenum and one in Venetia. #61 Rosie and #95 Rose: derived from the cognomina Rosa, Rosarius, Rosatus, Rosatianus, meaning "a rose, garland of roses, made of roses". #66 Claire: derived from the cognomina Clarus, Claranus, Clarentius, Clarianus, Claricus, Clarinus, Clario, Clarissimus, Clarosus, meaning "bright, famous, illustrious." #66 Julian: derived from Iulianus, an adoptive cognomen formed from the nomen gentilicium of Iulius. #85 Dominic: derived from the cognomen Dominicus, an early Roman Christian theophoric name meaning "of the Lord". Dominic also placed #97 on the top boys names list for England and Wales. #89 Julia: derived from the nomen gentilicium of Iulius. #91 Autumn: derived from Autumna, Autumnina, feminine cognomina relating to the season of autumn. #98 Valeria: derived from the nomen gentilicium of Valerius. If there's interest in this here, I may expand this to include names of Roman origin taken from the top 1,000 modern-day boys and girls names lists. -- Nephele

Damn... If only ONE of Capua's Favorite Married Couple were to survive, I would've preferred it to have been John Hannah's character. -- Nephele

No, everyone in this particular thread is talking about the 2004 miniseries with the Croatian actor playing Spartacus that is still alive. -- Nephele

I'm currently watching this 2004 television miniseries on DVD. There was one scene in particular in this miniseries that I absolutely don't remember reading in the original Howard Fast novel, and I also don't remember reading about in any Roman history accounts. So I thought I'd ask for the expertise of my Roman history friends here to either verify or debunk this. (UNRV is the Snopes.com of Roman history, if you ask me. ) The scene in question involves a point where the Roman Senate feels it is necessary to "send a message" to the slave army that's running rampant in the countryside. And what they do is this: They pick 200 slaves at random from households in the city of Rome, and then burn them alive in what I presume was the city's forum. Did the Romans actually resort to this extreme and (by Roman thinking, I should imagine) wastefully expensive measure in an attempt to frighten Spartacus & Co. into capitulating? Note: I dug up this old topic, because I see that Decimus Caesar here made a comment about the mass immolation scene, and the overall consensus seems to be that this series was pretty lame. So can we dismiss this mass immolation scene as something that historically "never happened"? Or, was never likely to have happened? -- Nephele

I'm late to my own party! Thanks, everyone! I can't believe I'm already 5 years old! -- Nephele

Sounds like the sort of lurid and apocryphal tales that continually circulate on the Web. Wikipedia's Discussion page had this to say on that quote: Source. -- Nephele

Birthday hails to you, GoC! -- Nephele

Belated birthday hails to you, o bearish one! Sorry I missed the party! -- Nephele

Skywatcher, you are a member of the Paterclii, a Roman family whose sole claim to fame may be that a certain Paterclius was mentioned in an epigram of the poet Martialis (Book XII, Epigram LXXVII) as being the owner of some public latrines. Your cognomen of "Tyrrhenus" was bestowed upon you because of your family's ancient Etruscan connections (Tyrrhenus in Etruscan legend having been one of the founders of the Etruscan Federation of Twelve Cities). Your praenomen is "Gaius," traditionally abbreviated with the letter "C." Your full Roman name is: C. Paterclius Tyrrhenus = PrptcyhHnecaErkeltir (swapping the letters ehkp for usus) ********************************************** Wicked Tiff and Noricum, I was bit rusty the other night while doing your names, and didn't do a straight swap of letters (as in a proper blanagram). So I'm doing your names again. WickedTiff, you are a member of the Strabonii, a modest Roman family that includes in its ancestry a physician of some note. You originally came to this family as a slave, and they named you "Elethyia" (after the goddess of childbirth, because you were especially helpful to the mistress of the house when she gave birth to the master's heir). Because of your loyal service, you were granted your freedom. As was customary, you retained your slave name as your cognomen, and adopted the family name as your own. Your Roman name is: Strabonia Elethyia = Tafahlerntysbhfei (swapping the letters bfh for aio) ****************************************** Noricum, you are a member of the Staberii, your father being Lucius Staberius, a known friend of Pompey who was put in charge of the Greek city of Apollonia. Your parents named you "Regiola," because of your imperious nature even as an infant. You are the family's "little queen." Your full Roman name is: Staberia Regiola = Goaarrbtilberes (swapping the letters br for ia) -- Nephele

Sorry I got behind on these! WickedTiff, you are a member of the Trebii, a Roman family that included one of Caesar's officers in Gaul (M. Trebius Gallus), as well as a consul under the emperor Hadrianus (Trebius Sergianus). Your parents named you "Festina" because you were a quick child, always scurrying about. Your full Roman name is: Trebia Festina = Tafahlerntysbhfei (changing the y to an i, and removing the letters f,h,h,l) ****************************************** Noricum, you are a member of the Sertorii, a Roman family which included the military leader Quintus Sertorius. Your parents gave you the additional name of "Belgia" because your father (also a military leader), was an admirer of the ancient leader of the Gaulish army, Belgius, who defeated the Macedonians (in 280 BCE). Your full Roman name is: Sertoria Belgia = Goaarrbtilberes (adding an i, and removing the letters b,r) -- Nephele

Birthday hails, Virgil! -- Nephele

Glad you had a good one, GPM! Belated birthday hails to you! -- Nephele

Birthday hails to you, Bryaxis! Hope you had a great day! -- Nephele

Birthday hails to you, MPC! -- Nephele

Birthday hails to you, Viggen! May you have the best of days! -- Nephele

R. Walsh, you are a member of the Orchii, a plebeian gens which traces its lineage from that notable Gaius Orchius who not only distinguished himself as a tribune of the plebs in the third year after the consulship of Cato in 181 BCE, but who was also infamous for authoring a law which limited the number of guests to be present at entertainments. Macrobius tells us in his work, Saturnalia, that, when attempts were made to repeal this unpopular law, Cato defended it. Your cognoman is "Adrianus," as your family came from the town of Hadria in Picenum. Your praenomen is "Lucius," customarily abbreviated as "L." Your full Roman name is: L. Orchius Adrianus = ridashowanjrlchh -hhjw +iuus *************************************************************** Waterdragon, you are a member of the Salonii, a family of humble origins yet nevertheless proud of the fact that they are descended from Marcus Salonius, who was the father of the second wife of Cato the Censor. You happen to be the younger of two daughters in your family, and so your parents call you "Secunda," as is customary. (Your elder sister is called "Prima.") Your full Roman name is: Salonia Secunda = scoalusjneanmd -jm +ia -- Nephele

athene, you are a member of the Taurentii, a gens whose name is believed by some to have been derived from the Latin word taurus (indicating the strength of a bull), and by others as having been derived from the gens name of the plebeian Terentii. You entered the family as a Greek slave, and eventually was granted your freedom. As was customary, you took the gens name for your own, and your Greek name of "Chrysonoe" (meaning "golden mind"). Your full Roman freedwoman name is: Taurentia Chrysonoe = reoctuny ohnraemmst -mm +ia -- Nephele

Geek Amicus, you are a member of the Cominia gens, a plebeian gens that distinguished itself through members who served as tribune of the plebs and military tribune, as well as two brothers (Publius and Lucius) who were described by Cicero as having been men of character and eloquence. You were not born into this family, however, having entered it first as a Greek slave who was eventually granted her freedom. As was customary, upon obtaining your freedom you also took on the name of the family (Cominia). Your original Greek name of "Moera" (meaning "portion," as in the portion of life allotted to us all by the Fates) thereby became your cognomen. Your full Roman freedwoman name now is: Cominia Moera = mameonrciiok -k +a -- Nephele

"Marinius" is a gens name based on the cognomen "Marinus." If any Marinii existed at all, they probably would have been a rare family. "Interemnia" is an actual cognomen attested to by Iiro Kajanto in his work The Latin Cognomina. It indicated a person associated in some way with the town of Interemnia in Picenum. There was also the cognomen "Interamna," which was associated with the towns of Interamna in Latium and Umbria. Glad you enjoyed! -- Nephele

Macerinus, you are a member of the Marinii, a family that took their nomen from the cognomen of "Marinus" (meaning "of the sea"), as generations of sons distinguished themselves in the Roman navy. Your cognomen of "Interemnia" was taken from the name of the town in Picenum, as your particular branch of the Marinii hailed from that area. Your praenomen is "Servius," traditionally abbreviated as "Ser." Your full Roman name is: Ser. Marinius Interemnia = mersjninareriwseimtan -jw +iu -- Nephele