Nameberry Goes Roman

[Nephele]

When I was asked to be a guest blogger at Nameberry.com (a website owned by best-selling baby names books mavens, Linda Rosenkrantz and Pamela Redmond Satran), I submitted an introductory article on ancient Roman nomenclature, along with a list of selected feminine names derived from various gentes.

 

My article ("Baby Girl Names from Ancient Rome") appears as the Nameberry Blog entry for June 1st, 2009 (with a nice link to UNRV). So, for those here also interested in names and naming... Enjoy!

 

http://nameberry.com/blog/2009/06/01/baby-...m-ancient-rome/

 

-- Nephele

[Formosus Viriustus]

My article ("Baby Girl Names from Ancient Rome") appears as the Nameberry Blog entry for June 1st, 2009 (with a nice link to UNRV). So, for those here also interested in names and naming... Enjoy!

 

http://nameberry.com/blog/2009/06/01/baby-...m-ancient-rome/

 

-- Nephele

Nice work, Nephele. You are going places !

 

But now, I still haven't found an answer to that nagging question : 'What was the fourth girl in the row named ?' We have plenty of references to Primas, Secundas, Tertias and Quintas, Quintias or Quintilias. But we never hear about number four. Did they just skip that one because it sounded too akward and nobody bothered to count that closely anyway ?

 

F rmosus

[Nephele]

Nice work, Nephele. You are going places !

 

But now, I still haven't found an answer to that nagging question : 'What was the fourth girl in the row named ?' We have plenty of references to Primas, Secundas, Tertias and Quintas, Quintias or Quintilias. But we never hear about number four. Did they just skip that one because it sounded too akward and nobody bothered to count that closely anyway ?

 

Thank you, Formosus!

 

As for Daughter #4... Her name would have been "Quarta," and there are a number of Quartae to be found in the CIL.

 

We also find the names "Quartilla," "Quartina," "Quartinula," "Quartua," and "Quartula" having been in use, although these were most likely derived from their fathers' nomina gentilicia and cognomina, rather than bestowed to indicate order of birth.

 

-- Nephele

[Nephele]

I have found a scheming, ambitious, and deliciously infamous Quarta for you, Formosus.

 

She was named Quarta Hostilia, a fourth-born daughter, and the wife of the consul Gaius Calpurnius Piso, who died while in office (180 BCE). It was believed that Quarta Hostilia had poisoned her husband, in a bid to advance her son born of a previous marriage:

 

The death of the consul aroused the strongest suspicion. He is said to have been murdered by his wife, Quarta Hostilia. When her son Q. Fulvius Flaccus was declared consul in place of his step-father, the death of Piso aroused much greater misgivings. Witnesses came forward who asserted that after Albinus and Piso had been declared consuls, Flaccus having been defeated in the election was reproached by his mother for having failed three times in his candidature for the consulship, and she went on to say that she was getting ready to canvass and would manage in less than two months to have him made consul. Livy 40.37

 

-- Nephele

[Formosus Viriustus]

Livy goes on

 

''.... Amongst much other evidence bearing on the case this utterance of hers, which was only too truly confirmed by what followed, did most to secure her condemnation.''

 

And this is were the story ends. The next sentence deals with the enrolment of fresh troops for the wars.

I'm often phased by the very laconic way the classical authors deal with such high profile cases.

 

Anyway, Quarta Hostilia has found her way into the history books and her name will live forever.

Thanks, Nephele.

 

Formosus

Edited June 2, 2009 by Formosus Viriustus