Postumius
Poh-stoo-mee-uss (poh as in “so”—stoo as in “too”)
Rutilius
Roo-tee-lee-uss
Saufeius
Sow-fay-ee-uss (sow as in “cow”—fay as in “say”)
Sempronius
Sem-proh-nee-uss (sem as in “hem”—proh as in “so”)
Sergius
Sair-gee-uss (sair as in “air”—the g as in “gear”)
Sertorius
Sair-tor-ee-uss (tor as in “or”)
Servilius
Sair-vee-lee-uss
Siccius
Sick-ee-uss (sick as in “kick”)
Sosius
Soh-see-uss (soh as in “so”)
Sulpicius
Sool-pick-ee-uss (sool as in “fool”—pick as in “kick”)
Terentius
Tair-en-tee-uss (fair as in “air”—en as in “ten”)
Thorius
Thor-ee-uss (thor as in “or”)
Titius
Tit-ee-uss (tit as in “fit”)
Tullius
Too-lee-uss
Turpilius
Tur-pill-ee-uss (tur as in “fur”—pill as in “will”)
Vagiennius
Vah-gee-en-ee-uss (the g as in “gear”)
Vettius
Vet-ee-uss (vet as in “yet”)
The Cognomen (the Last Name, Surname, or Distinguishing Name)
These names had definite meanings, so I shall give the meanings where we know them, as well as a guide to pronunciation.
Africanus
Ah-frick-ah-nuss “of Africa”
Agelastus
Ah-gel-ah-stuss “never smiles” (the g as in “get”)
Ahala
Ah-hah-lah unknown
Ahenobarbus
Ah-hay-noh-barb-uss “red-or bronze bearded”
Albinus
Ahl-bee-nuss “whitish”
Augur
Ow-goor (goor as in “good”) “an augur”
Balearicus
Bah-lay-ah-rick-uss “of the Balearic Isles”
Bambalio
Bahm-bah-lee-oh unknown
Bestia
Best-ee-ah (best as in “rest”) “the beast”
Brocchus
Broh-kuss “buck-toothed”
Brutus
Broo-tuss “animal stupidity
Caecus
Kye-kuss “blind”
Caepio
Kye-pee-oh “the onion vendor”
Caesar
See-zar (Latin, Kye-sar) “a fine head of hair
Caesoninus
Kye-soh-nee-nuss unknown
Caldus
Kahl-duss “lukewarm”
Calvus
Kahl-vuss “bald”
Camillus
Kah-mill-uss unknown
Caprarius
Kah-prah-ree-uss “billy goat”
Carbo
Kar-boh “burned out” or “cinder”
Cato
Kay-toh (Latin, Kah-toh) “shrewd but up-tight
Catulus
Kah-too-luss “pup” or “cub”
Cicero
Siss-er-oh (Latin, Kick-er-oh) “chick-pea”
Cotta
Kot-tah (kot as in “pot”) “wine splash”(?)
Crassus
Krass-uss (krass as in “ass”) “thick”
Cunctator
Koonk-tah-tor “he who holds back”
Dalmaticus
Dahl-mah-tee-kuss “of Dalmatia”
Dentatus
Den-tah-tuss (den as in “ten”) “born with teeth”
Diadematus
Dee-ah-dem-ah-tuss “of a royal head-band
Dives
Dee-vays “the heavenly one”
Drusus
Droo-suss (droo as in “too”) unknown
Eburnus
Ay-boor-nuss “made of ivory”
Fimbria
Fim-bree-ah (fim as in “Him”) “hair worn in a fringe”
Flaccus
Flah-kuss “big ears”
Galba
Gahl-bah “potbelly”
Getha
Gay-thah “from the ends of the earth”
Glaucia
Glow-kee-ah (glow as in “cow”) “grey-green”
Gracchus
Grah-kuss “jackdaw”(?)
Laenas
Lye-nahss (sibilant ending “priestly mantle”
Lentulus
Len-too-luss (len as in “ten” “tardy” or “slow”
Lepidus
Lep-id-uss (lep as in “step”) “a wonderful fellow”
Limetanus
Lim-ay-tah-nuss (lim as in “dim”) “of a boundary”
Longinus
Long-gee-nuss (the g as in “get”) “in the far distance
Lucullus
Loo-kull-uss (kull as in “pull”) “a little grove of trees”
Macedonicus
Mahn-ked-on-ee-kuss “of Macedonia’’
Mactator
Mahk-tah-tor “slaughterman”
Magnus
Mahg-nuss “great”
Mancinus
Mahn-kee-nuss “of a cripple”
Margarita
Mar-gah-ree-tah “pearl”
Maximus
Mahx-ee-muss “greatest”
Meminius
Mem-in-ee-uss (mem as in “hem”) “of the Gallic Meminii”
“hem”)
Merula
Me-roo-lah (me as in “met”) “blackbird”
Metellus
Met-ell-uss (met as in “get”) “a liberated mercenary”
Mus
Moos “rat” or “mouse”
Nasica
Nah-see-kah “nosy”
Nerva
Nair-vah (nair as in “air”) “stringy” or “tough”
Numidicus
Noo-mid-ee-kuss (mid as in “bid”) “of Numidia”
Orator
Oh-rah-tor “the public speaker’’
Orestes
Oh-rest-ays (rest as in “nest”) “mother died in birth”
Paullus
Pow-luss (pow as “cow”) “wee one” or “trifle”
Philippus
Fill-ip-uss (fill as in “will”) “of Philippi”
Pipinna
Pip-in-ah (pip as in “hip) “little boy’s penis”
Piso
Pee-soh “I grind down”
Porcella
Por-kell-ah “piglet” or “little girl’s genitals”
Postumus
Poss-too-muss (poss as in “boss”) “born after father died”
Pulcher
Pool-ker “beautiful”
Ravilla
Rah-vill-ah (vill as in “will”) “talked himself hoarse”
Reginus
Ray-gee-nuss (the “of a queen” g as in “get”)
Rex
Rayx “king”
Rufinus
Roo-fee-nuss “of a red-haired family”
Rufus
Roo-fuss (fuss as in “puss”) “red-haired”
Ruso
Roo-soh “a country bumpkin”
Saturninus
Sah-tur-nee-nuss “of Saturn”
Scaevola
Skye-voh-lah “left-handed”
Scaurus
Skow-russ (show as in “cow”) “puffy feet” or “dropsical”
Scipio
Skee-pee-oh “a ceremonial rod”
Serranus
Se-rah-nuss (se as in “set”) “of a saw” or “serrated”
Sesquiculus
Say-skwee-koo-luss “an arsehole and a half”
Siculus
See-koo-luss “of Sicily”
Silanus
See-lah-nuss “ugly puggy face”
Silo
See-loh “snub-nosed”
Stichus
Stick-uss (stick as in “kick”) slave’s name (Greek)
Strabo
Stray-boh (Latin, Strah-boh) “cross-eyed”
Sulla
Soo-lah unknown
Tubero
Too-bear-oh “hump” or “morally bad”
Varro
Vah-roh “bandy-legged”
Vatia
Vah-tee-ah “knock-kneed”
Verrucosis
Ve-roo-koh-sus (ve as in “vet”) “covered in warts”
Vopiscus
Voh-piss-kuss “survivor of twins”
PRONUNCIATION GUIDE TO OTHER NAMES AND TERMS
Because the guide to pronunciation of male names should familiarize the reader with general Latin pronunciation, the list which follows is considerably abbreviated.
Achaeans
Ah-kye-ans
Achilles
Ah-kill-ees
Adherbal
Ahd-her-bahl
aedile
eye-deel (English, ee-dyel or ay-dyel)
Aedui
Eye-doo-ee
Aeneas
Eye-nay-ahs (English, An-ee-ass or Ay-nee-ass)
Aeschylus
Eye-skee-luss (English, Ee-skee-luss)
ager publicus
ah-ger (the g as in “got”) pub-lee-kuss
Agger
Ag-er (ag as in “hag”)
Allobroges
Al-oh-broh-gays (at as in “pal”)
Ambrones
Am-broh-nays (am as in “ham’’)
Amor
Ah-mor
Anopaea
Ah-noh-pye-ah
Antigone
Ant-ig-oh-nay (ant as in “pant”—ig as in “pig”)
Apulia
Ah-poo-lee-ah
aqua
ah-kwah
Aquae Sextiae
Ah-kwye Sex-tee-eye
Arausio
Ah-row-see-oh (row as in “cow”)
Ariadne
Ah-ree-ahd-nay
Aricia
Ah-rick-ee-ah (rick as in “kick”)
Arpinum
Ar-pee-noom (oom is “short”—like the u in “puss”)
Atuatuci
Ah-too-ah-too-kee
auctoritas
owk-tor-ee-tahss (ow as in “cow”)
augur
ow-goor (ow as in “cow”—the g as in “good”)
Aurelia
Ow-ray-lee-ah (English, Awe- ree-lee-ah)
Baetis
Bye-tiss
Baiae
Bye-eye
Berenice
Bear-en-ee-kay (English, Bear-en-eye-kee)
biga
bee-gah
Bithynia
Bith-in-ee-ah (bith as in “pith”)
Boii
Boy-ee
Boiohaemum
Boy-oh-hye-moom (oo sounded like the u in “put”)
Boiorix
Boy-or-ix
Bomilcar
Bom-ill-kar (bom as in “torn”)
Bona Dea
Boh-nah Day-ah
boni
bonny (as in Scots “bonny”)
Brundisium
Broon-dis-ee-oom (dis as in “this”)
Burdigala
Boor-dee-gah-lah (boor as in “poor”)
Caelian
Kye-lee-ahn
Campania
Kam-pah-nee-ah (kam as in “ham”)
campus
kam-puss (same then as now)
Capena
Kap-ay-nah (kap as in “tap”)
capite censi
kap-it-ayken-see(ken as n “ten”)
Capua
Kap-oo-ah (oo as in “too”)
career
kar-ker
Carinae
Ka-reen-eye (ka as in “can”)
Celt
Kelt (as in “spelt”)
Cercina
Ker-kee-nah (ker as in “her”)
Charybdis
Kah-rib-dis (rib as in “crib”)
Cherusci
Ker-oos-kee
Cilicia
Kill-ick-ee-ah (English, Sill-ish-ah)
Cimbri
Kim-bree (kirn as in “him”)
Circei
Ker-kay-ee
cloaca
kloh-ah-kah (kloh as in “so”)
confarreatio
kon-fah-ray-ah-tee-oh
consultant
kon-sool-toom
contio
kon-tee-oh
corona
kor-oh-nah
cottabus
kot-ah-buss (kot-as in “pot”)
Croesus
Kree-suss
culibonia
kool-ee-bon-ee-ah (bon as in “upon”)
Cumae
Koo-mye
cunnus
koo-nuss
curia
koo-ree-ah
cursus honorunt
koor-suss hon-or-oom (hon as in “upon”)
curule
koo-rool
Danae
Dan-ah-ay (dan as in “can”)
dignitas
deen-yee-tahss (sibilant ending)
domus
dom-uss (dom as in “torn”)
Druentia
Droo-en-tee-ah
Epaphroditus
Ep-ah-froh-dee-tuss (English, Ep-afroh-dye-tuss)
Euxine
Erx-een (English, Yewx-een)
fasces
fass-kays (fass as in “lass”)
fasti
fah-stee
Fauces Suburae
Fow-kays (fow as in “cow”) Soo-boo-rye
Felix
Fay-licks
fellator
fell-ah-tor (fell as in “sell”)
flamen
flah-men (men as in “ten”)
flamen Dialis
flah-men Dee-ah-lis
flumen
floo-men (floo as in “too”)
Fortuna
For-too-nah
forum
for-oom
Forum Boarium
Boh-ah-ree-oom
Forum Frumentarium
Froo-men-tah-ree-oom
Forum Holitorium
Hol-it-or-ee-oom (hoi as in “doll”)
Forum Piscinum
Piss-kee-noom
Forum Romanum
Roh-mah-noom
Gades
Gah-days
Gaetuli
Gye-too-lee
Gallia
Gal-ee-ah (gal as in “pal”)
Gallia Comata
Com-ah-tah (com as in “torn”)
garum
ga-room (ga as in “gap”)
Garumna
Gah-room-nah
Gauda
Gow-dah (gow as in “cow”)
gens
gens (the g as in “get”—word rhymes with “hens”)
Germalus
Ger-mah-luss (the g as in “get”—ger as in “her”)
Germani
Ger-mah-nee (the g as in “get”—ger as in “her”)
Getorix
Gay-tor-ix (ix as in “six”)
Halicyae
Hal-ee-kee-eye (hal as in “pal”)
Hiempsal
Hee-emp-sal
Hispania
Hiss-pah-nee-ah
Hispania Citerior
Kit-er-ee-or (kit as in “sit”)
Hispania Ulterior
Ool-ter-ee-or
hubris
hoo-briss
lampsas
Yamp-sahss (yamp as in “lamp”)
lamus
Yah-muss
Icosium
Ee-koh-see-oom
Illyricum
Ill-ir-ee-coom (ir as in “stirrup”)
imagines
im-ah-gee-nays (the g as in “gear”)
imago
im-ah-goh (im as in “him”)
imperator
im-pair-ah-tor
imperium
i
m-pair-ee-oom (English, im-peer-ee-oom)
insula
in-soo-lah
lol
Yol (as in “doll”)
Masters of Rome Boxset: First Man in Rome, the Grass Crown, Fortune's Favourites, Caesar's Women, Caesar Page 241
