Praenominal

perplexum usum praenominum et cognominum. ‘In origin and conception’ (says Mommsen) ‘the cognomen is very nearly akin to the praenomen, nay, in a certain degree, identical with it. For just as in the case of women the praenomen, without material alteration, and only through the absence of official recognition,has fallen into the position of a cognomen, as has been the case with a number of old ( male ) praenomina, e. g. Agrippa, Numa, Postumus, Proculus, so Volusus and Fusus, after dropping their praenominal quality, have continued in use as cognomina’ (l.c. p. 42).

Jewels of Princess Mererit: remains of mirrors, necklaces and shells, pectoral representing two enraged griffins trampling down two Asiatics and having between them the first named praenominal cartouche of Senusert III;

Occasionally, the praenomen Nero is preceded by the praenominal use of IMP· for imperator, as in an inscription c. 66 a.d. (Dessau, 233).

[…]all but three of the I’s that begin words are tall irrespective of their quantity or kind (the three of normal height that occur in in [one example of five], indixeruntin, and imp. [one of three]; at the same time there are nine long I’s that are not tall, seven that are, these seven including five when the I is initial) and in which praenominal initials are for the most part tall;[…](Capitoline Fasti of the years A.D. 8–10) has no tall initial letters; the rest, however, do have examples of tall praenominal initials, tall letters beginning paragraphs or the notes on festival days in the calendars,[…]

Additional examples abound. These include Felix Bebenianus Caesennianus (ILT 728; IOILA 3, no. 99) and the praenominal duonomen of P. Extricatus (IOILA 3, no. 99).

The centurion’s name is problematic, as there appears to be a dot separating the ‘M’ and ‘A’ following the century designation. If this is the case, the inscription would read: ‘(Property) of Aulus Aulus Saufeus in the century of Marcus.’ Although Aulus can be abbreviated with a single letter ‘A’ and as ‘AUL’, the name is a well-attested praenomen, but not nomen. The owner’s name, therefore, should be read as Aulus Saufeus and the ‘A’ is most likely associated with the centurion’s praenominal abbreviation.