Common Names of the Aristocracy in the Roman Empire During the 6th and 7th Centuries

Berret Chavez, aka

Bardas Xiphias,
Mists, West

Jump to Later Byzantine Era

The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire (PLRE) is a directory, a tool one can use to
find primary source material for a given individual who was connected with the Roman
Empire between AD 260 and AD 641. To list and reference all such individuals would be an
enormous and impractical task. As it is, the PLRE has taken over forty years to produce, with
twenty years passing between the publication of the first and last volumes. So, the PLRE is
limited by three criteria: geography, class, and catholicity.

Geographically, the PLRE includes the area surrounding the Mediterranean. In class, its scope
is rulers, those who held high office or title (both civilian and military), and men of learning.
Those excluded are low office holders, "other" office holders, and ordinary civilians (who
number enough to warrant their own prosopography, should someone decide to take up the
task). Also excluded are those who would be included in the Christian Prosopography, a
French project under the direction of H. I. Marrou.

From the perspective of name research, the PLRE presents a couple of problems.

First, the names during the period covered by the PLRE were written in Latin or Greek. As a
research tool, the PLRE has normalized and Latinized them. Usually, though not always, the
original language rendition is included in the entry. One should be careful, however, when
analyzing the text. Because the original language references are direct quotes, often the names
are given in genitive case. Attention to context should be observed.

Second, there are far fewer entries dealing with women than with men. This is, of course,
typical of medieval onomastics.

In creating this index, I pruned the names in two ways: I excluded anyone and any name
which was clearly indicated as not Roman in origin; for masculine names, I included only
those which were"common"- that is those which were shared by at least two people. Since the
sample was so small and so biased, I included all feminine names of Roman origin. I have
included frequencies for all the names I list. This number includes the total number of entries
and cross references for the given name. The number for Ionnes (John), by the way, is no
mistake. There were 327 entries (some things never change...)

This index covers the third volume of the PLRE, published in 1992 in two parts. Volume three
covers AD 527 to AD 641. I hope this index can serve as a useful quick reference and guide to
those interested in names of upper class Romans in the 6th and 7th centuries.

Common Names of the Aristocracy in the Roman Empire During the 6th and 7th Centuries :
Masculine Names Alphabetically
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, L, M, N, O, P, R, S, T, V, Z

Return to the article.

Ablabius 3 Anastasius 43 Areobindus 6

Abramius 9 Anatolicus 2 Aristobulus 2
Abundanitus 3 Anatolius 13 Aristomachus 3
Acacius 6 Andreas 29 Armatus 3
Acindynus 3 Andronicus 6 Armenius 2
Aemilianus 6 Anthemius 4 Armentarius 5
Aeneas 2 Anthimus 3 Arsaphius 3
Aetherius 2 Antiochus 7 Arsenius 2
Agapetus 3 Antoninus 2 Asbadus 2
Agnellus 3 Antonius 2 Asclepiodotus 4
Agricola 2 Aphthonius 3 Asclepius 5
Albinus 7 Apion 5 Asterius 8
Alexander 23 Apollinarius 3 Athanasius 14
Amantius 2 Apollos 2 Attalus 2
Ammonianus 9 Aquila 2 Avienus 2
Ampelius 3 Archelaus 4 Aurelianus 3
Auxitius 2

Bacauda 2 Bassus 5 Boethius 3

Bacchus 3 Batzas 2 Bonifatius 5
Baduaruis 3 Beatus 2 Bonosus 2
Barbatus 2 Belisarius, Bellesarius 4 Bonus 11
Basilius 14 Beppolenus 2 Butlilinus 2

Caesarius 3 Christophorus 5 Constantianus 2

Callinicus 17 Claudius 4 Constantinianus 2
Callistus 2 Clementinus 2 Constantinus 52
Calopodius 3 Colluthus 6 Constantius 2
Carellus 3 Comentiolus 3 Cosmas 29
Carinus 3 Comentas 3 Cyricus 2
Celsus 2 Comitas, Cometas 14 Cyrillus 6
Charegiselus 2 Comitiolus 2 Cyrus 17
Chilbudius 2 Conon 4

Damianus, Domianus 11 Deuterius 3 Domnicus 3

Daniel, Danielus 3 Ddymus 2 Domninus 2
David 8 Diogenes 8 Domnitziolus 2
Decius 3 Diomedes 4 Donatus 3
Demetrius 11 Dionysius 6 Donus 2
Demosthenes 5 Dioscorus 10 Dorotheus 20
Desiderius 5 Domitius 4 Droserius 2
Deusdedit 4 Domentziolus 2 Dulcitius 3
Dynamius 5

Elias 19 Ennodius 4 Eulogius 4

Epiphanius 6 Eupatarius 2 Eustratius 2
Eudaemon 3 Euphemius 4 Euthalius 2
Eudoxius 2 Euphratas 2 Eutolmius 2
Eugenius 4 Euphronius 2 Eutychianus 5
Eustochius 2 Eutychius 2

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Faustinus 3 Flavianus 4 Fortunatus 3

Faustus 7 Florentinus 4 Francio 2
Felix 13 Florentius 7 Fronto 2
Firminus 2 Florus 3

Gabriel, Gabrielius 10 Gennadius 8 Gerontius 6

Gallus 3 Georgius 81 Godilas 2
Genethlius 2 Germanus 17 Gregoras 3
Gregorius 27

Hadrianus 5 Hermias, Hermeias 2 Himerius 2

Helias 2 Hermongenes 3 Honoratus 2
Helladius 2 Herodianus 2 Honorius 8
Heraclius 8 Hilarius 3 Hypatius 4

Ioseph, Iosephius,
Iacobus 8 7 Iulianus 50
Iosephus
Ianuarius 3 Iovinus 3 Iulius 2
Innocentius 3 Iovivus 2 Iustinianus 8
Ionnacius 2 Irenaeus 2 Iustinus 15
Ionnes 327 Isaac, Isaacius, Isaaces 11 Iustus 10
Iordanes 5 Isidorus 13

Laurentius 9 Leo, Leon 26 Longinus 6

Lazarus 3 Leontius 46 Lucinus 4

M
Macedonius 5 Martinianus 3 Maximus 9
Macrobius 4 Martinus 7 Megas 3
Magnus 3 Martyrius 2 Megistus 2
Manuel 4 Maruthus 2 Melminius 2
Marcellinus 7 Maurentius 3 Menander 2
Marcellus 13 Maurianus 5 Menas 54
Marcianus 12 Mauricius 10 Menelaus 2
Marcus 10 Maurinus 2 Mercurius 2
Marianus 13 Maurus 3 Michael, Michaelius 16
Marinus 18 Maxentius 2 Moschus 4
Marius 2 Maximianus 2 Musonius 2
Marthanes 2 Maximinus 2

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Narses 18 Nicetas 15 Nilus 3

Nazares 2 Nicetius 3 Nonnosus 2
Nicephorus 5 Nicolaus 7 Nonnus 7

Olybrius 4 Olympius 8 Opilio 3

Olympiodorus 3

Palladius 8 Pegarius 2 Photinus 3

Pamphilus 2 Pelagius 2 Photius 7
Pancratius 2 Perigenes 2 Placidus 2
Pantagathus 2 Petronas 2 Plato 7
Papirius 2 Petronius 3 Plutinus 2
Pardus 2 Petrus 77 Pompeius 3
Parthenius 2 Philagrius 6 Praesentinus 3
Paschalis 3 Philaretus 2 Praetextatus 2
Pastor 4 Philippicus 3 Principius 2
Paternus 2 Phillippus 9 Priscus 6
Patricius 12 Philoxenus 9 Probus 8
Paulinus 4 Phocas 9 Procopius 10
Paulus 75 Phoebammon 22 Ptolemaeus 7

Rogatus 2 Romulus 2 Rusticius 2

Romanus 14 Rufinus 11 Rusticus 7

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Samuel 5 Severianus 2 Speciosus 2

Sarapammon 2 Severinus 2 Stauracius 3
Sarapion 3 Severus 5 Stephanus 86
Saturninus 2 Simplicius 3 Strategius 12
Scholasticus 4 Sisinnius 5 Syagrius 3
Sebastianus 4 Sittas 2 Symeon, Symeonius 6
Senuthius 2 Smaragdus 2 Symmachus 4
Serenus 6 Solomon 6 Synesius 2
Sergius 56 Soterichus 4

Tatianus 5 Theodulus 4 Timotheus 7

Taurinus 5 Theogenius 3 Traianus 5
Taurus 2 Theon 2 Trasaricus, Trasaric 2
Theocharistus 2 Theopemptus 11 Tribonianus 3
Theoctistus 6 Theophanes 5 Tribunas 5
Theodoricus 6 Theophilius 5 Tribunus 2
Theodoracius 3 Theophylactus 15 Trolius 4
Theodoretus 3 Theotimus 2 Tryphon 4
Theodorus 230 Thomas 39 Tullianus 2
Theodosius 52 Tiberius 4 Tzittas 3
Theodotus 14

Vaanes 3 Vasacius 4 Vigilius 3

Valentinus 7 Venantius 6 Virus 2
Valerianus 6 Venerandus 2 Vitalianus 4
Valerius 4 Viator 2 Vitalius 5
Varazes 2 Victor 18 Vrbicus 2

Zacharias 16 Zeno 4 Ziper 3

Zemarchus 5 Zenobius 2 Zoilus 3

Common Names of the Aristocracy in the Roman Empire During the 6th and 7th Centuries :
Feminine Names Alphabetically

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, L, M, P, R, S, T, V, X

Return to the article.

Adeodata 1 Alexandria 3 Arabia 1

Adula 1 Anastasia 8 Arethusa 1
Aelia 2 Anna 2 Argentea 1
Aemiliana 1 Anthusa 1 Armentaria 1
Aetheria 1 Antipatra 1 Athanasia 3
Aetia 1 Antonina 3 Augustina 1
Agnella 1 Anzoy 1 Aurelia 1
Agnes 1 Appa 1 Aureliana 2

Basilia 1 Baudegundis 1 Bore 1

Basina 1 Bobila 1 (By)z(a)n(tia)(*) 1

Cesarea 3 Charito 1 Comito 1

Campana 1 Clementina 1 Consolantia 1
Candida 2 Cleopatra 1 Constantina 4
Catella 1 Columba 1 Cyra 1
Cervella 1

Damiane 1 Domentzia 2 Domnica 2

Destasia 1 Dominica 3 Domnola 1
Didyma 1

Epiphania 2 Eudocia 1 Euphemia 4

Erchantrudis 1 Epiphania 1 Euphrasia 1
Evantia 1 Eugenia 3 Eusebia 2

Fausta 1 Flavia 1 Flora 1

Firmina 1
Return to the Directory

Gabrielia 1 Germana 1 Gregoria 3

Galla 1 Gordia 2 Gundesvinda 1
Georgia 2 Gordiana 1

Helena 3 Hesychia 1 Honoria 1

Herena 1 Honorata 1

Ianuaria 1 Ionnina 1 Iulia 1

Ionna 1 Irene 1 Iuliana 4
Ionnia 1 Italica 1 Iustina 2

Labinia 1 Leocadia 1 Leontia 2

Macedonia 1 Martina 2 Megethia 1

Marcia 2 Masticana 1 Melissa 1
Maria 17 Maximina 1 Minicea 1
Martha 2 Megaris 1

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N
Nereida 1 Nicasia 1 Nonna 1

Palatina 2 Pericleia 1 Pompeiana 1

Passara 1 Petronella 1 Praeiecta 3
Pateria 1 Petronia 2 Proba 2
Patricia 5 Placidia 2 Probina 1
Paula 1 Placidina 1 Proseria 1
Paulina 2

Rhode 1 Rustica 1 Rusticana 4

Salvianella 1 Silvia 2 Stephanous 1

Sergia 1 Sophia 3 Syagria 1
Sidonia 1

Tetradia 1 Theodora 4 Theodosia 2

Theocharista 3 Theodoracis 1 Theognosia 1

Valeria 1 Victorina 1 Vitula 1

Valeriana 1 Vigilantia 1 Viviana 1
Veneranda 1 Vigilia 1

X
Xanthippe 1