Sertor (praenomen)
Encyclopedia
Sertor is a Latin praenomen
, or personal name
, which was used during the Roman Republic
. It was never common, and is not known to have been used by any prominent families at Rome. It gave rise to the patronymic gens Sertoria. The feminine form was probably Sertora. The name was not regularly abbreviated, but is sometimes found as Sert.
The praenomen Sertor was used by the plebeian gentes Mimesia, Varisidia, Vedia, and perhaps Resia, and must once have been used by the ancestors of gens Sertoria
, whose most distinguished member was the Roman general Quintus Sertorius
. The name was familiar to the scholar Marcus Terentius Varro
, who described it as an antique praenomen, no longer in general use by the 1st century BC. As with other praenomina, it may have been more common, and survived longer, in the countryside; at least one example from Umbria dates to Varro's time or later.
.
Chase believed that the praenomen was probably of Umbrian origin, and was the equivalent of the Latin word servator, one who protects or preserves. Its meaning would thus be similar to the more common praenomen Servius
. However, the name seems to have been used throughout Italy, for the Mimesii were apparently Latins, while the Sertorii were of Sabine extraction; and in any case Varro considered it to be Latin, if obsolete.
An inscription belonging to the obscure gens Resia gives the praenomen Fertor, which some scholars amend to Sertor. Chase postulates that it might be a separate praenomen, meaning "one who supports." The Etruscan praenomen Sethre might be derived from Sertor.
Praenomen
The praenomen was a personal name chosen by the parents of a Roman child. It was first bestowed on the dies lustricus , the eighth day after the birth of a girl, or the ninth day after the birth of a boy...
, or personal name
Given name
A given name, in Western contexts often referred to as a first name, is a personal name that specifies and differentiates between members of a group of individuals, especially in a family, all of whose members usually share the same family name...
, which was used during the Roman Republic
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
. It was never common, and is not known to have been used by any prominent families at Rome. It gave rise to the patronymic gens Sertoria. The feminine form was probably Sertora. The name was not regularly abbreviated, but is sometimes found as Sert.
The praenomen Sertor was used by the plebeian gentes Mimesia, Varisidia, Vedia, and perhaps Resia, and must once have been used by the ancestors of gens Sertoria
Sertoria (gens)
The gens Sertoria was a Roman family, probably of Sabine origin. It was relatively undistinguished, except for the Roman general Quintus Sertorius , who fought alongside Gaius Marius and Lucius Cornelius Cinna, and later established an independent state in Hispania during the dictatorship of...
, whose most distinguished member was the Roman general Quintus Sertorius
Quintus Sertorius
Quintus Sertorius was a Roman statesman and general, born in Nursia, in Sabine territory. His brilliance as a military commander was shown most clearly in his battles against Rome for control of Hispania...
. The name was familiar to the scholar Marcus Terentius Varro
Marcus Terentius Varro
Marcus Terentius Varro was an ancient Roman scholar and writer. He is sometimes called Varro Reatinus to distinguish him from his younger contemporary Varro Atacinus.-Biography:...
, who described it as an antique praenomen, no longer in general use by the 1st century BC. As with other praenomina, it may have been more common, and survived longer, in the countryside; at least one example from Umbria dates to Varro's time or later.
Origin and meaning of the name
In his epitome, De Praenominibus ("Concerning Praenomina"), Julius Paris derives Sertor from satio, a planted field; while Festus derived it from the same root as adsertor, a person who asserts the freedom of another, or claims him as his own. These appear to be examples of false etymologyFalse etymology
Folk etymology is change in a word or phrase over time resulting from the replacement of an unfamiliar form by a more familiar one. Unanalyzable borrowings from foreign languages, like asparagus, or old compounds such as samblind which have lost their iconic motivation are...
.
Chase believed that the praenomen was probably of Umbrian origin, and was the equivalent of the Latin word servator, one who protects or preserves. Its meaning would thus be similar to the more common praenomen Servius
Servius (praenomen)
Servius is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, which was used throughout the period of the Roman Republic, and well into imperial times. It was used by both patrician and plebeian families, and gave rise to the patronymic gens Servilia. The feminine form is Servia...
. However, the name seems to have been used throughout Italy, for the Mimesii were apparently Latins, while the Sertorii were of Sabine extraction; and in any case Varro considered it to be Latin, if obsolete.
An inscription belonging to the obscure gens Resia gives the praenomen Fertor, which some scholars amend to Sertor. Chase postulates that it might be a separate praenomen, meaning "one who supports." The Etruscan praenomen Sethre might be derived from Sertor.