Agnomen

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(adoptive agnomina)
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<onlyinclude>Under some circumstances Romans were given an additional ''cognomen'', called an ''agnomen''. These were the exception to the general rule that ''cognomina'' were not complimentary.</onlyinclude>
 
  
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==Honorific ''Agnomina''==
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{{Roman name articles}}<onlyinclude>Under some circumstances Romans were given an additional ''cognomen'', called an ''agnomen''. These were the exception to the general rule that ''cognomina'' were not complimentary.</onlyinclude>
  
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Sometimes very eminent Romans were given honorific ''cognomina'' in recognition of their great achievements. These were the exception to the general rule that ''cognomina'' were not complimentary. Such honorific ''cognomina'' are called ''agnomina''.  
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;Adoptive ''Agnomina'' : In the case of adoption, the original ''nomen'' of an adoptive child was used in adjectival form as an additional ''cognomen''. As an example, when P. Aemilius L. f. Paulus was adopted by P. Cornelius Scipio Africanus he used the name P. Cornelius P. f. Scipio Aemilianus. "Aemilianus" is the adjective form of "Aemilius".
  
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An ''agnomen'' may refer to a victory over a particular enemy people (e.g. '''Britannicus''', "victor over the Britons") or in a particular place (e.g. '''Africanus''', "victor in Africa"). An ''agnomen'' might also refer to a particular virtue (e.g. '''Pius''', "dutiful"; '''Sapiens''', "prudent"), or to general preeminence (e.g. '''Magnus''', "great"; '''Maximus''', "very great").
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;Honorific ''Agnomina'' : Sometimes very eminent Romans were given honorific ''cognomina'' in recognition of their great achievements. These were the exception to the general rule that ''cognomina'' were not complimentary. An ''agnomen'' may refer to a victory over a particular enemy people (e.g. '''Britannicus''', "victor over the Britons") or in a particular place (e.g. '''Africanus''', "victor in Africa"). An ''agnomen'' might also refer to a particular virtue (e.g. '''Pius''', "dutiful"; '''Sapiens''', "prudent"), or to general preeminence (e.g. '''Magnus''', "great"; '''Maximus''', "very great").  
  
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Obviously a person cannot give himself an ''agnomen'': it is always given by others.
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;Matronymic ''Agnomina'' : In very rare cases a Roman might use an extra ''cognomen'' formed from his mother's ''nomen''. The ''-ia'' ending was replaced with an ''-ianus'' ending or an ''-inus'' ending. For example, M. Porcius Cato had one son by his first wife Licinia, and another son by his second wife Salonia. Each son was called M. Porcius Cato. To tell them apart, people called them M. Porcius Cato Licinianus and M. Porcius Cato Salonianus.
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==Adoptive ''Agnomina''==
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In the case of adoption, the original ''nomen'' of an adoptive child was used in adjectival form as an ''agnomen''. As an example, when P. Aemelius L. f. Paulus was adopted by P. Cornelius Scipio Africanus he used the name P. Cornelius P. f. Scipio Aemelianus. "Aemelianus" is the adjective form of "Aemelius".
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==References==
 
==References==
 
<references/>
 
<references/>
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{{Bookinfo
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| title=Personal Names in the Roman World
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| author=Clive Cheesman
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| date=November 30, 2008
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| publisher=Duckworth Publishers
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| ISBN=0715636189
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| comment=Paperback, 160 pages
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| name=[[User:M. Lucretius Agricola|Agricola]]
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}}
  
 
[[Category:Ancient Rome]]
 
[[Category:Ancient Rome]]

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Roman names

·Ancient Rome ·
Roman name - Praenomen - Nomen - Cognomen - Agnomen

·Nova Roma·
Choosing a Roman name - Using Roman names

Under some circumstances Romans were given an additional cognomen, called an agnomen. These were the exception to the general rule that cognomina were not complimentary.
Adoptive Agnomina 
In the case of adoption, the original nomen of an adoptive child was used in adjectival form as an additional cognomen. As an example, when P. Aemilius L. f. Paulus was adopted by P. Cornelius Scipio Africanus he used the name P. Cornelius P. f. Scipio Aemilianus. "Aemilianus" is the adjective form of "Aemilius".
Honorific Agnomina 
Sometimes very eminent Romans were given honorific cognomina in recognition of their great achievements. These were the exception to the general rule that cognomina were not complimentary. An agnomen may refer to a victory over a particular enemy people (e.g. Britannicus, "victor over the Britons") or in a particular place (e.g. Africanus, "victor in Africa"). An agnomen might also refer to a particular virtue (e.g. Pius, "dutiful"; Sapiens, "prudent"), or to general preeminence (e.g. Magnus, "great"; Maximus, "very great").
Matronymic Agnomina 
In very rare cases a Roman might use an extra cognomen formed from his mother's nomen. The -ia ending was replaced with an -ianus ending or an -inus ending. For example, M. Porcius Cato had one son by his first wife Licinia, and another son by his second wife Salonia. Each son was called M. Porcius Cato. To tell them apart, people called them M. Porcius Cato Licinianus and M. Porcius Cato Salonianus.

References


    Personal Names in the Roman World

    0715636189.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg
    Clive Cheesman. (November 30, 2008). Duckworth Publishers. ISBN 0715636189
    Paperback, 160 pages Contributed by Agricola
    Buy from Amazon: Canada UK USA
    Retrieved from "http://novaroma.org/nr/Agnomen"
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