Belisarius - Bellisario

[Faustus]

Salve -

 

Names do influence us to action. How would a name do that? Perhaps by reminding us of history, of standards, of excellence, of legacy, of action . . .an encoded calling, a prophecy of expectations.

 

Bell- (um) War (belligerant, bellicose, ie. all manner of military terms derived from)

SAR-(culum) a light hoe, garden hoe, a lance

SAR-isophorus a Macedonian Lancer

 

Here is a writer and a producer of films , named Bellisario, who produces film under the name of Belisarius. The theme or genre of all of his work is military, and he does an excellent job in his work. His JAG TV series is about a Female Marine, and a Navy officer, both in the Judge Advocate General corps(military lawyers). It's an excellent, accurate, and exciting, true to life portrayal of military people. He has followed this series with NCIS which is an acronym for Naval Counter Intelligence Service, which is about the same services, with different people; military sleuth-work.

 

I would posit that Belisarius of ancient Rome East chose his name for it's meaning or it was given to him for that very reason.

Edited November 19, 2007 by Faustus

[Maladict]

I would posit that Belisarius of ancient Rome East chose his name for it's meaning or it was given to him for that very reason.

 

I thought Belisarius was a corruption/latinization of his Illyrian name.

I'd have to look it up, because the original name did mean something.

Edited November 19, 2007 by Maladict

[Nephele]

I would posit that Belisarius of ancient Rome East chose his name for it's meaning or it was given to him for that very reason.

 

I thought Belisarius was a corruption/latinization of his Illyrian name.

I'd have to look it up, because the original name did mean something.

 

Smith's Dictionary states that the name "Belisarius" is derived from the "Sclavonic" (Slavonic) Beli-tzar, meaning "White Prince".

 

Smith probably took the sarius element of the name to have come from the old Slavic word tsesar or tsesari, which was derived from Caesar (and which ultimately developed into the Russian word "Tsar"), thus giving the name of "Belisarius" a "princely" connotation. But this etymology for "Belisarius" has since been discounted as being somewhat dubious.

 

-- Nephele

[Maladict]

Smith's Dictionary states that the name "Belisarius" is derived from the "Sclavonic" (Slavonic) Beli-tzar, meaning "White Prince".

 

Smith probably took the sarius element of the name to have come from the old Slavic word tsesar or tsesari, which was derived from Caesar (and which ultimately developed into the Russian word "Tsar"), thus giving the name of "Belisarius" a "princely" connotation. But this etymology for "Belisarius" has since been discounted as being somewhat dubious.

 

-- Nephele

 

That could be what I was looking for, though it doesn't ring any bells.

Do you have any ideas yourself?

[Faustus]

Smith's Dictionary states that the name "Belisarius" is derived from the "Sclavonic" (Slavonic) Beli-tzar, meaning "White Prince".

 

Smith probably took the sarius element of the name to have come from the old Slavic word tsesar or tsesari, which was derived from Caesar (and which ultimately developed into the Russian word "Tsar"), thus giving the name of "Belisarius" a "princely" connotation. But this etymology for "Belisarius" has since been discounted as being somewhat dubious.

 

-- Nephele

 

That could be what I was looking for, though it doesn't ring any bells.

Do you have any ideas yourself?

 

I didn't want to lean too heavily on "lancer" but that was all I found. I originally prefered a variation of Caesar as a "leader in-", but thought for the time period it was a leap. Perhaps the Illyrian name was a corruption of a Latin name, a step away, or once removed, as it were? (Aurelian was Illyrian and the son of a provincial.) Were all the rules followed for names by the provincials?

 

My original thought though, was on the importance of names and their influence regardless of the time frame. or maybe even more so.

[Faustus]

BTW Maladict, I made that same connection at the time with Belisarius and Bel Rios in Foundation that you did. My reading was about 1957. That became part of my fascination with the series: an empire, falling, falling. . .These days I try to loan out spare copies to interest others in Rome. It's a good way to share the enthusiasm, and inspire interest from a new direction.

Edited November 19, 2007 by Faustus