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Surnames of the Julii


Ursus

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While the Julii did not spawn quite as many magistrates during the era of Rome's Republic as did at least a dozen other notable gentes, the Julii nevertheless were one of the earliest and most distinguished families of ancient Rome. Livy (1.3) tells us how the Julii descended from and took their nomen gentilicium from Iulus, an alternate name of Ascanius, who was the son of the Trojan chief Aeneas. As legend told that Aeneas was the son of Anchises and the goddess Venus, the Julii thereafter claimed divine descent from Venus -- an extraordinary claim which C. Julius Caesar (five times consul, 59, 48, 46, 45, and 44 BCE) was by no means reticent to use often and to his advantage for impressing both civilians and troops....

 

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Hail, Nephele! An excellent article in observance of the Ides.

 

Thanks, Ursus!

 

I just want to mention a Julian of the imperial era, whom I found interesting: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucius_Julius_Ursus_Servianus :D

 

An interesting Ursus from history! Since this member of the imperial era Julii was originally a member of the Servii, it's difficult to know whether his surname of "Ursus" was in use by the Julii, or whether it was a Servian surname that he simply appended to his new, adopted name. None of the recorded Julian or Servian magistrates of the republican era bore the surname of "Ursus."

 

Perhaps this surname of "Ursus" may even have been conferred upon him by his peers in recognition of his unusual strength -- one would have to be strong as a bear to live into one's nineties.

 

-- Nephele

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  • 3 weeks later...

Mean thread, sis. Information that I've always wanted to know. Cheers for the heads up, too!

NEPH IS THE BOMB! :suprise:

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Mean thread, sis. Information that I've always wanted to know. Cheers for the heads up, too!

NEPH IS THE BOMB! :suprise:

 

Aw, thanks, CS! And, good to see you back!

 

-- Nephele

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