The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Volume 03: TiberiusSuetonius
History
The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Volume 03: Tiberius
Suetonius
Emperors -- Rome -- Biography -- Early works to 1800; Rome -- History -- Empire, 30 B.C.-284 A.D.
[285] Among the Romans, all the descendants from one common stock were
called Gentiles, being of the same race or kindred, however remote. The
Gens, as they termed this general relation or clanship, was subdivided
into families, in Familias vel Stirpes; and those of the same family were
called Agnati. Relations by the father's side were also called Agnati,
to distinguish them from Cognati, relations only by the mother's side.
An Agnatus might also be called Cognatus, but not the contrary.
To mark the different gentes and familiae, and to distinguish the
individuals of the same family, the Romans had commonly three names, the
Praenomen, Nomen, and Cognomen. The praenomen was put first, and marked
the individual. It was usually written with one letter; as A. for Aulus;
C. Caius; D. Decimus: sometimes with two letters; as Ap. for Appius; Cn.
Cneius; and sometimes with three; as Mam. for Mamercus.
The Nomen was put after the Praenomen, and marked the gens. It commonly
ended in ius; as Julius, Tullius, Cornelius. The Cognomen was put last,
and marked the familia; as Cicero, Caesar, etc.
Some gentes appear to have had no surname, as the Marian; and gens and
familia seem sometimes to be put one for the other; as the Fabia gens, or
Fabia familia.
Sometimes there was a fourth name, properly called the Agnomen, but
sometimes likewise Cognomen, which was added on account of some
illustrious action or remarkable event. Thus Scipio was named Publius
Cornelius Scipio Africanus, from the conquest of Carthage. In the same
manner, his brother was called Lucius Cornelius Scipio Asiaticus. Thus
also, Quintus Fabius Maximus received the Agnomen of Cunctator, from his
checking the victorious career of Hannibal by avoiding a battle.
[286] A.U.C. 474.
[287] A.U.C. 490.
[288] A.U.C. 547.
[289] A.U.C. 304.
[290] An ancient Latin town on the Via Appia, the present road to
Naples, mentioned by St. Paul, Acts xxviii. 15, and Horace, Sat. i. 5, 3,
in giving an account of their travels.
[291] A.U.C. 505.
[292] Cybele; first worshipped in Phrygia, about Mount Ida, from whence
a sacred stone, the symbol of her divinity, probably an aerolite, was
transported to Rome, in consequence of the panic occasioned by Hannibal's
invasion, A.U.C. 508.
[293] A.U.C. 695.
[294] A.U.C. 611.
[295] A.U.C. 550.
[296] A.U.C. 663.
[297] A.U.C. 707.
[298] These, and other towns in the south of France, became, and long
continued, the chief seats of Roman civilization among the Gauls; which
is marked by the magnificent remains of ancient art still to be seen.
Arles, in particular, is a place of great interest.
[299] A.U.C. 710.
[300] A.U.C. 713.
[301] A.U.C. 712. Before Christ about 39.
[302] A.U.C. 744.
[303] A.U.C. 735.
[304] See before, in the reign of AUGUSTUS, c. xxxii.
[305] A.U.C. 728.
[306] A.U.C. 734.
[307] A.U.C. 737.
[308] A.U.C. 741.
[309] A.U.C. 747.
[310] A.U.C. 748.
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