Significance of Avatar/ Profile Name

Lots of you have Profile names that remain an enigma to me. I'd love you to explain them. Even if the meaning of the name is apparent (like a historical character), there's probably an interesting reason why you chose that particular character. And also, just becasue that character is well known to you, doesn't mean I (or others on UNRV) know anything about them.

Please enlighten us all. We'd love to know.

I will start the ball rolling.

Some of you may know that my area of expertise (I love pretending) is Hadrian's Wall, and a few years ago I discovered Augustus Ceasar's "Hadrian's Wall" website, and its forum. I wanted to ask a question, so I registered, calling myself 'Centurion'. Now all I needed was an avatar.

One of the little lectures I give my clients on the Hadrian's Wall tour is all about a 19th Century antiquarian by the name of John Clayton, who is responsible for much of the preservation of Hadrian's Wall. My avatar is from a painting of a Centurion supervising construction work on Hadrian's Wall and (nice touch this) the artist has painted the centurion with John Clayton's face. I chose this avatar as the first image of a Centurion that came to mind.

A short while later, I joined UNRV and, to my peevement, found that 'Centurion' was already taken. I already had the avatar with John Clayton's face. Hence, Ghost of Clayton.

QED.

Your turn.

I use my profile name "Medusa" in many (Roman) fora because it is my arena name. I chose this name because names from Greek mythology were common as arena names of gladiators and Medusa of course is more catchy than Penthesilea or something else. I didn't want to take one of the two names attested of gladiatrices Amazon or Achillia though Amazon is my avatar.

I believe there are 3 or 4 threads on this from the past 6 years or so, but since I am too lazy to dig them up:

Last name Baer. From the original B

One of the little lectures I give my clients on the Hadrian's Wall tour is all about a 19th Century antiquarian by the name of John Clayton, who is responsible for much of the preservation of Hadrian's Wall. My avatar is from a painting of a Centurion supervising construction work on Hadrian's Wall and (nice touch this) the artist has painted the centurion with John Clayton's face. I chose this avatar as the first image of a Centurion that came to mind.

Is that the painting where a Roman (Barbarian? I can't remember) woman is dressed like a Victorian aristocrat?

Anyway, my user name derives, just as Ursus, from my last name - it's simply a short version of Klingborg (Klingan also just so happen to mean the blade in Swedish).

My name is Christine, so the first name that came to mind to use was "Crispina". Afterward I learned Crispina was the name of the first wife of Commodus!

I picked Trajan because he is the emperor I find most interesting due to his being multi-faceted. He was a great soldier and general, as well as social and economical reform.

I believe there are 3 or 4 threads on this from the past 6 years or so,

For completenesses sake, here's a link to the main one.

I thought using my real name, Patricia, would be too clich

I thought using my real name, Patricia, would be too clich

Couldn't think of a name to use so I just chose 'Decimus'. If I remember correctly the name was already taken, so I tried to think of a surname. Being unimaginative I just went with the most famous and obvious cognomen 'Caesar'. Thinking back I wish I had taken the time to think up a more imaginative name.

No one has asked...but my avatar is Antonius Musa, Augustus' personal physician.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonius_Musa

I was wondering the significance of other members' avatar.

guy also known as gaius

No one has asked...but my avatar is Antonius Musa, Augustus' personal physician.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonius_Musa

 

I was wondering the significance of other members' avatar.

 

 

guy also known as gaius

Hey, Dr. Musa was a hottie!

Aragorn, from the Lord of the Rings. One of my favorite fictional characters.

Nephele found me a pic of a Roman mosaic, which I shortened to avatar length.

I think it's connection to my username is obvious.

Two separate threads on this topic have now been merged here.

BTW I suspect that I have told some of this before on the welcome thread as my forum name comes from my period in a Roman Re-enactment society. My "avatar" image actually comes from a mosaic I photographed in Tunisia another version of which is on my Leptiminus gallery.