Page 76 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol. 3(2) (2015). Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem/University of Primorska Press.
P. 76
n qualities during life, which was a very com-studia universitatis her editati, letnik 3 (2015), številk a 2 76Victor is a very frequent cognomen found of-
mon Roman practice.50 ten across the Empire.51
hereditati
The name of Publius Aelius Victor suggests The inscription also mentions the father of
that he was a Roman citizen. He obtained Roman the deceased boy, whose name is Publius Aelius
citizenship by birth. Nomen gentile Aelius was Quartus.
granted to his parents during or sometime after the
rule of emperor Hadrian. Together with it and the Considering his nomen gentile, Publius Aelius
use of the abbreviation DM, the inscription can be Quartus lived or received his citizenship during or
dated to the 2nd century AD or later. after the rule of emperor Hadrian. It is also possi-
ble that his ancestors received the citizenship and
Funerary monument to Publius Aelius Victor he obtained it by birth.
The exact origin of this monument is unknown,
but it is thought to come from Koper (Inscr. It. X. Cognomen Quartus is often found among
3. 8; CIL V 493). The inscription reads: Romans and it certainly comes from Latin.52 Its
origin is probably from a common Roman pra-
D(is) M(anibus) ctice of giving nicknames to children in big fa-
P(ublio) (A)elio Victori milies, e.g. Primus, Secundus, Tertius or Tertia
annor(um) VI m(ensium) VIII d(ierum)IIII etc. for females.53 However, this cognomen is fo-
P(ublius) (A)elius Quart(us) et und in significant numbers across the western
Sal L(uci) f(ilia) Nicostrat(a) Roman provinces, especially in the places whe-
parentes pientissi(mi) re the Celtic population lived. The regions with
“To the spirits of the dead, to Publius Aelius highest number of inscriptions which mention
Victor, 6 years, 8 months, 4 days, Publius Ae- this name are Noricum, northern Italy and Gallia
lius Quartus, and Sal Nicostrata, daughter Narbonensis.54 This might indicate a former pe-
of Lucius, the most pious parents” regrine status and maybe a Celtic origin of Pu-
This funerary monument mentions three blius Aelius Quartus, but this is hard to prove.
people in total: the deceased boy Publius Aelius
Victor and his parents, Publius Aelius Quartus The only things certain are that before the
and Sal Nicostrata. rule of Hadrian, he or his ancestors were not ci-
Publius Aelius Victor, the person for whom tizens, therefore they must’ve been peregrines or
the monument is erected, was a Roman citizen, li- slaves. The most likely posibility is that Publius
kely by birth, because the tria nomina formula is Aelius Quartus was a descendant of or a person
used. He could have been a relative of the Publius himself who received the citizenship. Due to po-
Aelius Victor mentioned in the previous inscripti- pularity of his cognomen in the Celtic areas, it
on. is possible that he was named Quartus and kept
His praenomen, Publius, is one of the18 most this name after the conferral of citizenship or as
common Roman names. a descendant he received the name which was
Nomen gentile Aelius, like in previous already familiar among both Romans and Celts.
example, is related to Roman family name of The most likely posibility is then that he or the
which emperor Hadrian was the most famous ancestors of Publius Aelius Quartus received ci-
member, gens Aelia. It indicates that his parents tizenship as peregrines and then immigrated to
or further ancestors received citizenship during Aegida during the 2nd century AD.
or after the rule of Hadrian.
51 Alföldy, Die Personennamen in der Römischen Provinz Dalmatia,
50 Kajanto, The Latin Cognomina, 57 and 72. 326 and 341.
52 Alföldy, Die Personennamen in der Römischen Provinz Dalmatia,
341.
53 Matijašić, Uvod u latinsku epigrafiju, 61-62.
54 Alföldy, Die Personennamen in der Römischen Provinz Dalmatia,
278; Mócsy, Nomenclator provinciarum Europae Latinarum et Galli-
ae Cisalpinae, 238; Lőrincz, Onomasticon provinciarum Europae La-
tinarum, vol. IV, 167-168.
mon Roman practice.50 ten across the Empire.51
hereditati
The name of Publius Aelius Victor suggests The inscription also mentions the father of
that he was a Roman citizen. He obtained Roman the deceased boy, whose name is Publius Aelius
citizenship by birth. Nomen gentile Aelius was Quartus.
granted to his parents during or sometime after the
rule of emperor Hadrian. Together with it and the Considering his nomen gentile, Publius Aelius
use of the abbreviation DM, the inscription can be Quartus lived or received his citizenship during or
dated to the 2nd century AD or later. after the rule of emperor Hadrian. It is also possi-
ble that his ancestors received the citizenship and
Funerary monument to Publius Aelius Victor he obtained it by birth.
The exact origin of this monument is unknown,
but it is thought to come from Koper (Inscr. It. X. Cognomen Quartus is often found among
3. 8; CIL V 493). The inscription reads: Romans and it certainly comes from Latin.52 Its
origin is probably from a common Roman pra-
D(is) M(anibus) ctice of giving nicknames to children in big fa-
P(ublio) (A)elio Victori milies, e.g. Primus, Secundus, Tertius or Tertia
annor(um) VI m(ensium) VIII d(ierum)IIII etc. for females.53 However, this cognomen is fo-
P(ublius) (A)elius Quart(us) et und in significant numbers across the western
Sal L(uci) f(ilia) Nicostrat(a) Roman provinces, especially in the places whe-
parentes pientissi(mi) re the Celtic population lived. The regions with
“To the spirits of the dead, to Publius Aelius highest number of inscriptions which mention
Victor, 6 years, 8 months, 4 days, Publius Ae- this name are Noricum, northern Italy and Gallia
lius Quartus, and Sal Nicostrata, daughter Narbonensis.54 This might indicate a former pe-
of Lucius, the most pious parents” regrine status and maybe a Celtic origin of Pu-
This funerary monument mentions three blius Aelius Quartus, but this is hard to prove.
people in total: the deceased boy Publius Aelius
Victor and his parents, Publius Aelius Quartus The only things certain are that before the
and Sal Nicostrata. rule of Hadrian, he or his ancestors were not ci-
Publius Aelius Victor, the person for whom tizens, therefore they must’ve been peregrines or
the monument is erected, was a Roman citizen, li- slaves. The most likely posibility is that Publius
kely by birth, because the tria nomina formula is Aelius Quartus was a descendant of or a person
used. He could have been a relative of the Publius himself who received the citizenship. Due to po-
Aelius Victor mentioned in the previous inscripti- pularity of his cognomen in the Celtic areas, it
on. is possible that he was named Quartus and kept
His praenomen, Publius, is one of the18 most this name after the conferral of citizenship or as
common Roman names. a descendant he received the name which was
Nomen gentile Aelius, like in previous already familiar among both Romans and Celts.
example, is related to Roman family name of The most likely posibility is then that he or the
which emperor Hadrian was the most famous ancestors of Publius Aelius Quartus received ci-
member, gens Aelia. It indicates that his parents tizenship as peregrines and then immigrated to
or further ancestors received citizenship during Aegida during the 2nd century AD.
or after the rule of Hadrian.
51 Alföldy, Die Personennamen in der Römischen Provinz Dalmatia,
50 Kajanto, The Latin Cognomina, 57 and 72. 326 and 341.
52 Alföldy, Die Personennamen in der Römischen Provinz Dalmatia,
341.
53 Matijašić, Uvod u latinsku epigrafiju, 61-62.
54 Alföldy, Die Personennamen in der Römischen Provinz Dalmatia,
278; Mócsy, Nomenclator provinciarum Europae Latinarum et Galli-
ae Cisalpinae, 238; Lőrincz, Onomasticon provinciarum Europae La-
tinarum, vol. IV, 167-168.
