3 ms·

Gaius (also written Caius) was his given name, Ivlivs (Julius) the family name, Caesar the cognomen. In inscriptions (short): CAIVS IVLIVS CAESAR In speaking

Gaius (also written Caius) was his given name, Ivlivs (Julius) the family name, Caesar the cognomen. In inscriptions (short): CAIVS IVLIVS CAESAR In speaking he would (in English;)) rather formally introduce himself as "Gaius of the Iulii, called Caesar". His mother called him Gaius, his peers called him Caesar once he got or choose?) this name.

qwytw 3y ago
Wouldn't Ceasar be much closer to his last name,though? It's definitely not his personal nickname. His father was 'Gaius Julius Caesar' his grandfather (supposedly the first 'Ceasar') was 'Sextus Julius Caesar'. The Cognomen is presumable something that evolved as a way to tell apart people belonging to different branches of the same family/clan because the number of first names was very limited.
- throaway230831 3y ago
  I stand corrected: in case of Caesar, it was already hereditary in his family. Initially, it was more of a nickname or even an earned name, like with Caesars contemporary Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognomen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognomen
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
  - qwytw 3y ago
    > Magnus Nicer than his other nickname 'adulescentulus carnifex ("teenage butcher") ' I guess.. But yeah, the cognomen seems weird/hard to understand e.g. Pompey's dad was called Strabo but he seems to have never used that name himself, while other like Ceasa, Metellus or Cicero were pretty much just surnames. Romans probably found their naming system as confusing as we do so they started using nicknames ad hoc. It was even more awful if you were a woman, you technically didn't even have your own name until the imperial period. You and your sisters would just be called Aemilia I, Aemilia II, III etc (or the 'elder'/'younger'). if your father was belonged to the Aemilius clan for example...

3 ms·

Gaius (also written Caius) was his given name, Ivlivs (Julius) the family name, Caesar the cognomen. In inscriptions (short): CAIVS IVLIVS CAESAR In speaking

by throaway230831 3y ago

qwytw 3y ago
Wouldn't Ceasar be much closer to his last name,though? It's definitely not his personal nickname. His father was 'Gaius Julius Caesar' his grandfather (supposedly the first 'Ceasar') was 'Sextus Julius Caesar'. The Cognomen is presumable something that evolved as a way to tell apart people belonging to different branches of the same family/clan because the number of first names was very limited.
- throaway230831 3y ago
  I stand corrected: in case of Caesar, it was already hereditary in his family. Initially, it was more of a nickname or even an earned name, like with Caesars contemporary Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognomen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognomen
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
  - qwytw 3y ago
    > Magnus Nicer than his other nickname 'adulescentulus carnifex ("teenage butcher") ' I guess.. But yeah, the cognomen seems weird/hard to understand e.g. Pompey's dad was called Strabo but he seems to have never used that name himself, while other like Ceasa, Metellus or Cicero were pretty much just surnames. Romans probably found their naming system as confusing as we do so they started using nicknames ad hoc. It was even more awful if you were a woman, you technically didn't even have your own name until the imperial period. You and your sisters would just be called Aemilia I, Aemilia II, III etc (or the 'elder'/'younger'). if your father was belonged to the Aemilius clan for example...