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Praenomen
The first and last name of a Roman were similar to the way we use them today.
The first two names, the praenomen and nomen, were much like first and last
names in our time. The nomen was the family name, passed from a father to all of
his children. Just like today, certain family names carried more prestige than
others. A boy was given a praenomen name at birth and was known by it to his
family and close friends. Many boys were given exactly the same praenomen and
nomen.
Most popular praenomina were always represented on official documents and
inscriptions with a standard abbreviation.
It is almost always noticed that most Roman names end with the letters "us",
all the truly Roman praenomen and nomen ended in the letters "us," even the ones
often given different endings in modern translations.
The History of Rome - Part One 743 - 136 B.C. © Bible History Online (http://www.bible-history.com) |