Nephele

I think Latin's too good for the Vatican. -- Nephele

I'll get to work on your name right away, Urbs Aedificator I was wondering... If you would like me to do a name for your dear father, as well, I'll see if I can maybe work out my blanagrams so that the two of you share the same gens. I was so sorry to read of your loss. -- Nephele

Salve, noble Divi Filius! I've asked Flavia Gemina to help me get the birthday celebrations rolling, and together we've decorated your triclinium with sweet-scented garlands of myrtle and ivy, and draped your dining couches with luxurious silk throws. We've had to borrow extra dining couches from the villa of The Augusta, as you've so many friends coming to the party that the usual three couches just won't suffice! Flavia was a big help -- she brought her mule-cart to help transport the borrowed dining couches. Thanks, Flavia! (Nephele gives a carrot to Flavia's trusty mule, "Pertinax"). Oh dear, it's almost time for the party to begin! Where are the dancing slave girls? Where are the musicians? Oh, the pressure! Birthday hails to you, Divi Filius! -- Nephele

skiman305, you belong to the Maecilia gens, which gave birth to the noble Sp. Maecilius who served four terms as a Tribune of the Plebs in the 5th century B.C.E. Another noble ancestor of your gens was T. Maecilius Croto, a Lieutenant Legate who was entrusted by Ap. Claudius to receive the soldiers who survived Cannae and lead them to Sicily (Liv. 23.31.6). Your cognomen is Trachalus, which may be derived from the name of the ancient town of Trachas (located southeast of Rome near the Pomptine Marshes), suggesting that your family's branch of the Maecilii may have come from that town. Your praenomen is Publius, abbreviated as "P." and your full Roman name is: P. Maecilius Trachalus whialimcekrtplshaca -whk +uus Welcome to UNRV! -- Nephele

Thank you, Flavia! If you're just looking for a book that will provide you with plausible Roman names for characters that matches up the gentilicia with their actual cognomina, then of the books I listed I would choose Volume 2 of Broughton's The Magistrates of the Roman Republic. Even though the individuals listed in Volume 2 are from the first century B.C.E., the gentilicia and cognomina didn't really change by the first century C.E., so the book provides excellent examples of Roman names for your purposes. This volume is especially useful because of the handy index (which Volume 1 doesn't have). The drawback is that Broughton's Magistrates is difficult to come by, and expensive if you're looking to purchase it for your personal library. (There is a third, supplementary volume to the set, in fact, that I haven't been able to lay hands on at all.) For hunting down the volumes, AbeBooks.com is your best bet. I may have something else of practical use for you, which I'll try e-mailing it to you. -- Nephele

Welcome, skiman305! You'll find this a friendly, as well as informative, place! -- Nephele

The Latin Cognomina, by Iiro Kajanto (published by the Societas Scientiarum Fennica, Helsinki, 1965). This 417-page book is, indisputably, the mother lode of Roman cognomina. Drawing from numerous collections of Latin inscriptions and literary documents of antiquity up to the year 600 C.E., the author's stated purpose of the work is "to publish all Latin cognomina in so far as I have been able to find them, and to elucidate the principles of Latin cognomen-formation." And so he does in this monumental work: Thousands of cognomina are presented here, logically arranged in categories covering names derived from geographical places, physical peculiarities, mental qualities, circumstances of birth, occupations, flora, fauna, inanimate nature and objects, etc. There is a complete index alphabetically listing all the cognomina (both masculine and feminine) included within the work. While it should be noted that the author has been criticized by one reviewer for not having provided more specific source references for each of the thousands of cognomina he includes in his work (which, alone, might necessitate an additional volume), if one is truly interested in following up on the background of any particular cognomen for any presumed additional information that might be gleaned from the Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum, one could only do better by initiating one's own, original research. Barring that, this book is the modern source for exhaustive information on Roman cognomina. The Magistrates of the Roman Republic, Volumes 1 and 2, by T. Robert S. Broughton (published by the American Philological Association, 1951). An excellent source for a highly detailed, year-by-year "Who's Who" of ancient Roman politicians. Volume 1 covers the years from 509 to 100 B.C.E. and Volume 2 continues with 99 through 31 B.C.E. What makes this combined 1,225-page work of particular value to those with an interest in Roman onomastics, are the listings of the representative Roman gentilicia with their corresponding cognomina. Volume 2, in particular, contains an index of all names from both volumes, arranged alphabetically according to gens, and then, within each gens, names are arranged alphabetically by cognomen and praenomen. The index also cites next to each name a magisterial position held and the year held, for cross-referencing within the body of the work for more details on an individual's career. The Origin of the Roman Praenomina, by George Davis Chase (published in Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, Vol. 8, 1897, pp. 103-184). This in-depth study not only traces the origins of the Roman praenomina, but begins with a highly detailed overview of the Roman cognomina and gentilicia, including origins and meanings behind the names. In the section on praenomina, the author presents a statistical comparison of 42 praenomina recorded from the first volume of the Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum. Of particular interest is the author's refutation of the commonly held belief that the praenomen "Appius" was used solely by the Claudian gens. (An error that can be found even in Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.) Two Studies in Roman Nomenclature, by D.R. Shackleton Baily (published by the American Philological Association, 1991). This book is divided into two chapters -- the first, titled "Onomasticon Pseudotullianum", attempts to correct a number of traditional errors and confusions in the names of various people mentioned in the manuscripts of Cicero. The second chapter, titled "Adoptive Nomenclature in the Late Roman Republic", describes in detail the manner in which the names (and social status) of Roman males were changed under two forms of adoption -- inter vivos (while the adopter was still living) and testamentary (adoption for the purpose of inheritance upon the death of the adopter, as in the case of Octavius's adoption by his great-uncle Julius Caesar). This chapter also includes a section titled "Register of Adoptions", covering the years from roughly 130 to 43 B.C.E. and showing the forms of the new names subsequently taken by the adoptees. What's in a Name? A Survey of Roman Onomastic Practice from c. 700 B.C. to A.D. 700, by Benet Salway (published in The Journal of Roman Studies, Vol. 84, 1994, pp. 124-145). The author traces the development of the Roman name from its earliest, binominal form of the regal period, to the most familiar form of the tria nomina of the republic and principate periods, to the dominate period (where he compares dynastic nomina -- or, "status-nomina" -- with the traditional nomina), and finally to the end of the evolving Roman naming system when the nomen disappeared from general use and the cognomen passed into the single-name form in use by that point (with the praenomen having long since been "fossilized" and no longer used as the bearer's "given name"). -- Nephele

Okay, you knew I had to anagram him. Because all is revealed in anagram: Joseph Alois Ratzinger = "I, Joe Nazi, halt progress." -- Nephele

Nice. Actually, Mel Gibson & Co. can knock themselves out with their prayers, as far as I'm concerned. Just as long as they leave me the hell alone. -- Nephele

Welcome, Karenadl! What sci-fi cons have you been to? Ever go to I-CON on Long Island? -- Nephele

Great pictures! The horsemen look convincingly authentic, and of course you know that I'm absolutely smitten with the horses. "Only four horsemen in all (not the regulation 40"? That must be a glorious sight to see -- a complete and armed calvary with 40 charging horses! -- Nephele

Funny picture, Pertinax: "The stew here is good, but I'll have the leg of man." -- Nephele

I can imagine ancient Roman doctors brusquely telling their patients to "take it like a Roman". Thanks for the images of those surgical instruments, Pertinax! I especially liked the blood-splattered costume on your friend, John the Medicus. I presume he's dressed as a battlefield physician? -- Nephele

Brilliant essay, Ursus! I have a question... Do you see a difference between those cities that adopted a god as their patron, and those cities that adopted a goddess? Not asking because I do or don't see a difference, myself. But interested in your take on it. Specifically, whether the chosen gender of the patron deity might have influenced the cultural development of the city (towards either militarism or the arts -- although, in the case of Athena, I guess she encompasses both of these perceived masculine and feminine attributes). Or, whether a deity of male or female gender was chosen because the city already was inclined towards either a perceived masculine or feminine cultural nature. -- Nephele

Viggen, I regularly receive the e-mail version of the newsletter of The Freethought Society of Greater Philadelphia, which includes a letterhead and nice logo on it. They send it to me as an attachment, so I guess that would be how you might have to send out the UNRV newsletter if you wanted to include all the fancy trimmings. If you want to PM me your e-mail address, I'll forward to you a copy of the Freethought Society newsletter, so you can have an example. -- Nephele

Hi, MPC. I've always thought of our U.S. universities as having state-of-the-art research facilities, too, and you've pointed out compelling evidence, in your earlier posting in this thread: "US university-based research generates more scientific publications and garners more Nobel prizes than any other nation by a very large margin." As I mentioned briefly to you in PM (and, thanks again for the link to that NY Times article you sent!), it seemed to me that Harvard graduate Michael Crichton may have a differing opinion. I wish I knew for certain what Crichton thinks of our U.S. universities, but haven't been able to find any essays or speeches of his on that particular subject. The reason why I wonder, is because in his novel Jurassic Park, he has one of his characters speak dismissively of universities, comparing their research capabilities unfavorably to private laboratories. Of course, the character's motives are questionable and he is merely a character in a novel. Nevertheless, I wondered whether Crichton might have been expressing his own views through his character's speech, as Ayn Rand and Robert Heinlein were noted for doing. Here is the passage from Crichton's novel: MPC, your opinion, please? -- Nephele

A few of the Republican candidates for nomination have eclipsed McCain when it comes to fundraising. Do you think that Paul will get the Republican nomination? He seems to antagonize his own party, doesn't he? And, hasn't he said that, if he doesn't get the nomination, he won't be running as an Independent? I wonder if he might change his mind on that. -- Nephele

I enjoyed I, Claudius immensely, too, and have probably watched it now more than a dozen times through. But last year I was introduced to The Caesars, a black & white production that pre-dated I, Claudius, and I found it absolutely outstanding. Tiberius isn't quite the monster in The Caesars as he winds up becoming in I, Claudius and, interestingly, the same actor who plays Tiberius' sidekick astrologer appears in the same role in both productions. The Caligula of The Caesars is a truly frightening, calculating piece of work. (I'm sorry, but John Hurt's Caligula in I, Claudius just seemed nuts, to me.) Freddie Jones, although perhaps not as endearing as Derek Jacobi in his I, Claudius role, nevertheless made a brilliant Claudius in The Caesars. The Caesars definitely gets my recommendation. -- Nephele

Philia: 'He raped my country Thrace! And then he came and did it again, and again!' Pseudolus: 'He raped Thrace thrice?' Pseudolus (examining an amphora of wine): "Was '1' a good year?" -- Nephele

If that's all it takes to make you an ancient Greek fan, then along with Aspasia and Phryne you may want to consider a *cough* closer "examination" of the following noteworthy courtesans: Archeanassa, Lais of Corinth, Lais of Hyccara, Neaira, Tha

Hello, Rustypickup. I see what you mean about it being exceedingly hard to find much information relating to Giuseppe Maggi. If your public or university library can interloan for you a circa 1983 edition of Sutter's Who's Who in Italy, that may be of some help. Barring that, if you already happen to know the university with which Dr. Maggi was affiliated, I would suggest contacting them directly for information. In the meantime, if you have access either to old issues of National Geographic Magazine or the CD-ROM version of Nat'l Geo, you'll find a nice color picture of Dr. Maggi (holding a skull) on page 688 of the December 1982 issue. The title of the article is "A Buried Roman Town Gives Up Its Dead". -- Nephele

Maybe it's a good thing that Cato never took up jogging. Considering that Cato went nekkid under his toga, if his toga should fly up whilst he was in carefree motion... Well, his fellow Republicans would've known for certain whether Cato was happy to see them or not... -- Nephele

Hahahaha! That was me who went "Huh? Wot newsletter?" But I saw the sign-up box first thing this morning! Now, no one can miss it. Not even ME! -- Nephele

Ephesus? -- Nephele

You are right, Flavia! I love AFTHotWttF for all the reasons you cited, not least of all being that it gets down and dirty with the scenes of ancient Roman city life. Not at all like the glitzy Hollywood productions that made ancient Rome look like a pristine Disney theme park. AFTHotWttF gets my vote for best film of ancient Rome! "Would you believe it? There was a mare sweating not two streets from here!" -- Nephele