Page 87 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol. 3(2) (2015). Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem/University of Primorska Press.
P. 87
ia universitatis This is a funerary monument which menti- m, thickness: 0,13 m). The pediment is decora-
onomastical analysis of inscr iptions from koper and its vicint y 87 ons two persons, husband and wife. ted with a rose inside, with single dolphins re-
presented on the sides. It was found in the villa-
Tria nomina formula suggests that Publius ge of Monte, in the the wall of the church of St.
Acisinius Venius was a Roman citizen. His filia- Mary. It still stands there. The inscription reads:
tion reveals tha he was son of Gaius.
P(ublius) Sardius
Praenomen Publius is one of the most used P(ubli) l(ibertus) Prudens
Roman names. v(ivus) f(ecit)
“Publius Sardius Prudens, freedman of Pu-
Nomen gentile Acisinus is quite rare, this blius, made it while stil alive”
inscription being the only one containing it in The monument records the name of citizen
Italy and the western provinces.130 Authors have Publius Sardius Prudens, who obtained the citi-
suggested that it might be of Etruscan or more zenship by manumission and his former master,
likely, of Illyrian origin.131 Publius.
Pranenomen Publius is one of the most often
Cognomen Venius is practically unknown used Roman names.
and is recored only as a nomen on two inscripti- Nomen gentile Sardius is quite rare, with only
ons.132 two inscriptions from Italy, including this one,
mentioning it.133 It is likely that upon his manu-
It is very hard to discern the origin of this mission, the former slave inherited it from his new
person or its name, especially because he has a patron. His master was probably a member of in-
very unusual combination of non-Latin nomen digenous population living in Istria and northern
gentile and cognomen, together with the filiati- Italy, as the root of the name is considered to be of
on in genitive case, but with a common Roman such origin.134
name. If his nomen gentile is not of Italic origin, Cognomen Prudens in this form is attested on
then it is possible that Publius was a former pe- eighteen inscriptions in the western provinces and
regrine who obtained the citizenship later in life, Italy135. However, different forms of this name, e. g.
despite his father having a proper Roman prae- Prudentia and Prudentius, are relativley common.
nomen. Its origin is Latin and can be considered a true Ro-
man cognomen which was given to denote a speci-
The inscription also mentions the name of al quality a person possessed, in this case a mental
the wife. There are conflicting vievs if the name qualitiy136, a common practice in Roman nomen-
inscribed is Galla or Calla. It is probably a cog- clature.137 It is likely that this indvidiual served his
nomen and because of that, it is possible that the
wife was a freedwoman or a peregrine whose 133 Mócsy, Nomenclator provinciarum Europae Latinarum et Galliae
name was not fully recorded. Cisalpinae, 253; Lőrincz, Onomasticon provinciarum Europae Lati-
narum, vol. IV, 49.
This monument has only one epigraphical
feature which can date it and that is the lack of 134 Wilhelm Schulze, Zur Geschichte lateinischer Eigennamen (Berlin-
DM abbreviation, which can then set the date to -Zürich-Dublin: Weidmann, 1966), 113; Starac, “Pitanje istočne grani-
1st century AD. ce Cisalpinske Galije i odnos općina Tergeste i Egida”, 29.
Funerary monument of Publius Sardius 135 Mócsy, Nomenclator provinciarum Europae Latinarum et Galliae
Prudens Cisalpinae, 235; Lőrincz, Onomasticon provinciarum Europae Lati-
This is a stella (Inscr. It. X. 3. 33; CIL V 503) made narum, vol. III, 169.
of local limestone (height: 1,37 m, width: 0,44
136 From the Latin prudens, -entis, adj. knowing, skilled, experienced, ver-
130 Mócsy, Nomenclator provinciarum Europae Latinarum et Galliae sed.
Cisalpinae, 3; Lőrincz, Redő, Onomasticon provinciarum Europae
Latinarum, vol. I: Aba-Bysanus, 15. 137 Alföldy, Die Personennamen in der Römischen Provinz Dalmatia,
250; Kajanto, The Latin Cognomina, 341.
131 Krahe, Lexikon Altillyrischer Personennemen, 16; Križman, Rimska
imena u Istri, 103.
132 Mócsy, Nomenclator provinciarum Europae Latinarum et Galliae
Cisalpinae, 305; Lőrincz, Redő, Onomasticon provinciarum Europae
Latinarum, vol. I: Aba-Bysanus, 154.
onomastical analysis of inscr iptions from koper and its vicint y 87 ons two persons, husband and wife. ted with a rose inside, with single dolphins re-
presented on the sides. It was found in the villa-
Tria nomina formula suggests that Publius ge of Monte, in the the wall of the church of St.
Acisinius Venius was a Roman citizen. His filia- Mary. It still stands there. The inscription reads:
tion reveals tha he was son of Gaius.
P(ublius) Sardius
Praenomen Publius is one of the most used P(ubli) l(ibertus) Prudens
Roman names. v(ivus) f(ecit)
“Publius Sardius Prudens, freedman of Pu-
Nomen gentile Acisinus is quite rare, this blius, made it while stil alive”
inscription being the only one containing it in The monument records the name of citizen
Italy and the western provinces.130 Authors have Publius Sardius Prudens, who obtained the citi-
suggested that it might be of Etruscan or more zenship by manumission and his former master,
likely, of Illyrian origin.131 Publius.
Pranenomen Publius is one of the most often
Cognomen Venius is practically unknown used Roman names.
and is recored only as a nomen on two inscripti- Nomen gentile Sardius is quite rare, with only
ons.132 two inscriptions from Italy, including this one,
mentioning it.133 It is likely that upon his manu-
It is very hard to discern the origin of this mission, the former slave inherited it from his new
person or its name, especially because he has a patron. His master was probably a member of in-
very unusual combination of non-Latin nomen digenous population living in Istria and northern
gentile and cognomen, together with the filiati- Italy, as the root of the name is considered to be of
on in genitive case, but with a common Roman such origin.134
name. If his nomen gentile is not of Italic origin, Cognomen Prudens in this form is attested on
then it is possible that Publius was a former pe- eighteen inscriptions in the western provinces and
regrine who obtained the citizenship later in life, Italy135. However, different forms of this name, e. g.
despite his father having a proper Roman prae- Prudentia and Prudentius, are relativley common.
nomen. Its origin is Latin and can be considered a true Ro-
man cognomen which was given to denote a speci-
The inscription also mentions the name of al quality a person possessed, in this case a mental
the wife. There are conflicting vievs if the name qualitiy136, a common practice in Roman nomen-
inscribed is Galla or Calla. It is probably a cog- clature.137 It is likely that this indvidiual served his
nomen and because of that, it is possible that the
wife was a freedwoman or a peregrine whose 133 Mócsy, Nomenclator provinciarum Europae Latinarum et Galliae
name was not fully recorded. Cisalpinae, 253; Lőrincz, Onomasticon provinciarum Europae Lati-
narum, vol. IV, 49.
This monument has only one epigraphical
feature which can date it and that is the lack of 134 Wilhelm Schulze, Zur Geschichte lateinischer Eigennamen (Berlin-
DM abbreviation, which can then set the date to -Zürich-Dublin: Weidmann, 1966), 113; Starac, “Pitanje istočne grani-
1st century AD. ce Cisalpinske Galije i odnos općina Tergeste i Egida”, 29.
Funerary monument of Publius Sardius 135 Mócsy, Nomenclator provinciarum Europae Latinarum et Galliae
Prudens Cisalpinae, 235; Lőrincz, Onomasticon provinciarum Europae Lati-
This is a stella (Inscr. It. X. 3. 33; CIL V 503) made narum, vol. III, 169.
of local limestone (height: 1,37 m, width: 0,44
136 From the Latin prudens, -entis, adj. knowing, skilled, experienced, ver-
130 Mócsy, Nomenclator provinciarum Europae Latinarum et Galliae sed.
Cisalpinae, 3; Lőrincz, Redő, Onomasticon provinciarum Europae
Latinarum, vol. I: Aba-Bysanus, 15. 137 Alföldy, Die Personennamen in der Römischen Provinz Dalmatia,
250; Kajanto, The Latin Cognomina, 341.
131 Krahe, Lexikon Altillyrischer Personennemen, 16; Križman, Rimska
imena u Istri, 103.
132 Mócsy, Nomenclator provinciarum Europae Latinarum et Galliae
Cisalpinae, 305; Lőrincz, Redő, Onomasticon provinciarum Europae
Latinarum, vol. I: Aba-Bysanus, 154.
