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From: Thorleif Christoffer Owe <>
Subject: Re: Bogus names in Roman aristocracy
Date: Thu, 10 Oct 1996 13:11:23 GMT


John Yohalem () wrote:
: I wouldn't say it sounds bogus so much as ... FREAKING PARANOID! He will be
: telling you that Shakespeare's works were written by Julius Caesar next.
: Where on earth does he come up with the first hints of this? Why on earth
: would they have pulled a stunt like that? It has the flaw of all really
: deep paranoias: no one could be that devoted to maintaining such a secrecy
: for so long -- it would break down somewhere. The only reason such a thing
: could remain secret was if it was nonexistent.
:
That's my opinion too, but take a look at the following list of references.
Most of these references are books and articles by Ronald Syme. He seems
to be a reliable author. But if so, are there after all some truth in this?
I'm still wondering what is nonsense and what may be true. Unfortunately
I do not have access to any of these sources.

SOME REFERENCE ARTICLES ON NAMES AND PERSONS

(1) 'Emperors & Biography' (Studies of Historia Augusta) [a book],
a chapter titled 'The Bogus Names', by Ronald Syme, 1971.
Excerpts from this are as follows; "When the attempt is made
to expose a fraud, attack on all fronts is to be commended.
Since, however, the grand assault on the HA started from the
bogus names, it will be appropriate to revert to that approach,
but with a different emphasis, not seeking in the first instance
to establish a date for the compilation." Syme offers a listing
of ten considerations for observation of names (nomen), this,
particular to the HA, but also applicable to other times and
works of Roman history; 1. Indistinctive Names, 2. Imperial
Gentilicia, 3. Names from earlier Vitae, 4. Recurrent and
favourite Names, 5. The names of the Authors, 6. Names of
Classical Authors, 7. Names from Literature, 8. Names of fun and
Fantasy, 9. Perverted Names ("One example is clear, using Suetonius,
the author changed 'Mummia' to 'Memmia'. That is a mere trifle in
the devices of the HA. If an author is anxious to be plausible, he
may try to convey an impression of novelty (and hence of authenticity)
by names that look original because different.... One trick is to
modify the shape of familiar names. Several instances have been
detected." 10. Fictitious Characters, who, by their names (and or
attributes), reflect families eminent in the Roman aristocracy.
(2) 'Tacitus: Some Sources of his Information', JRS, 1982, page 68.
(Tacitus being 'Neratius Priscus'), Ronald Syme.
(3) 'The Composition of the Historia Augusta: Recent Theories', JRS,
1972-73, Ronald Syme (on general considerations in observation and
usage).
(4) 'Aelius Aristides', JRS, 1972-73, C.P. Jones (reference for Julius
Piso and Pedanius Fuscus).
(5) 'Sura and Senecio', JRS (after 1967), C.P. Jones (reference for Q.
Sosius Senecio, i.e., Pliny the Younger, as well as for Julius
Frontinus, and Quadratus Bassus).
(6) 'The Consulate of the Elder Trajan', JRS (Journal of Roman Studies),
vol. 43-45, 1953-55, page 79-80, by John Morris (ref. for Arrius
Antoninus).
(7) 'Calpurnius Siculus and the Claudian Civil War', JRS, 1982, T.P.
Wiseman (reference for the Calpurnii Pisos and their claim of
descent from Numa).
(8) 'Amicitia and the Profession of Poetry', JRS, 1978, Peter White
(on Statius the Poet, and the Pisonian conpiracy).
(9) 'The Bisection of the Books in Primative Septuagint Mss.', The
Journal of Theological Studies, vol. 9, 1907-8, H. St. J. Thackeray
(on differences in the versions of the Septuagint), also see
'Studies in the Septuagint' (the origins, recensions, and
interpretations), by Sidney Jelicoe.
(10)'New Insight into the Bar Kokhba War and a Reappraisal of Dio
Cassius', Jewish Quarterly Review, July 1986, by Mordechai Gichon,
Tel Aviv University (Archaeological evidence and reconstruction of
events and chronology of the war).
(11)'Piso Frugi and Crassus Frugi', JRS, 1960, Ronald Syme (on the family
of Licinianus Frugi Piso and ancestors).
(12)'Antonius Saturninus', JRS, 1978-80, Ronald Syme (some on Trajan,
Domitius Corbulo, Flavius Silva, and 'Antonius Primus' [Arrius
Piso] being Flavius Silva, i.e., 'Bassus' (Also see Suetonius'
reference to 'Antonius Primus' as the killer of emperor Vitellius
[at the end of 'Vitellius'], and his 'nickname' of 'Becco'/Bassus).
(13)'Some Flavian Connections', JRS, 1961, Gavin Townend (ref. for
'Paetus', Barea Soranus, T. Flavius Sabinus II, etc., with
genealogical chart).
(14)'The Roman Siege-Works of Masada, Israel', JRS (after 1960), I.A.
Richmond (Lucilius Bassus, Flavius Silva, etc., with map of Masada).
(15)'Some Pisones in Tacitus', PIR (after 1955), Ronald Syme (ref. for
Piso family relations).
(16)'People in Pliny (the Younger)', JRS, 1968-69, Ronald Syme (ref. for
nomen and nomenclature, 'Neratius Priscus'/Tacitus, general pedigree
of the Antonine emperors).
(17)'The Friend of Tacitus', JRS (after 1954), Ronald Syme (ref. for
Justus Piso and various names/persons).
(18)'Domitius Corbulo', JRS (after 1969), Ronald Syme (ref. for Pliny and
Trajan's ancestry, and conspiracy of the Pisos).
(19)'The Lower Danube under Trajan', JRS, 1959-60, Ronald Syme (ref. for
Justus Piso and his closeness to Tacitus, misc. dates/chronology and
other family members and names).

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*******************************************************************
Christoffer Owe GF-307
Dybdahlsvei 14 Norwegian University of Science and Technology
7017 Trondheim email:
Norway Home-page: http://www.stud.unit.no/~tco/
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