Decimus ( , ) is a Latin '' praenomen'', or personal name, usually abbreviated D. Although never especially common, Decimus was used throughout Roman history from the earliest times to the end of the Western Empire and beyond, surviving into modern times. The feminine form ''Decima'' was quite rare. The name also gave rise to the

patronymic A patronymic, or patronym, is a component of a personal name based on the given name of one's father, grandfather (avonymic), or an earlier male ancestor. Patronymics are still in use, including mandatory use, in many countries worldwide, alt ...

'' gens Decimia''. Decimus was especially favored by the plebeian ''gens Junia'', which may originally have been patrician. However, the name does not seem to have been used regularly by any other patrician family. It was widespread amongst the plebeians, and resisted the general trend of uncommon praenomina to become less frequent over time, instead becoming more popular towards the end of the

Roman Republic The Roman Republic ( la, Res publica Romana ) was a form of government of Rome and the era of the classical Roman civilization when it was run through public representation of the Roman people. Beginning with the overthrow of the Roman Ki ...

and into Imperial times.''Dictionary of Greek & Roman Biography & Mythology''

Origin and meaning of the name

Decimus is the Latin word for ''tenth'', and it falls into a class of similar praenomina including the masculine names '' Quintus, Sextus, Septimus, Octavius'', and '' Nonus'', as well as the feminine names ''Prima, Secunda, Tertia, Quarta, Quinta, Sexta, Septima, Octavia'', and ''Nona''. It is generally believed that the name was originally given to a tenth child, a tenth son, or a tenth daughter. However, it has also been argued that Decimus and the other praenomina of this type could refer to the month of the year in which a child was born. It may be that such names could be given for either reason.George Davis Chase, "The Origin of Roman Praenomina", in ''Harvard Studies in Classical Philology'', vol. VIII (1897) Whatever the original reason for the name, it is clear from the historical record that parents frequently chose these praenomina because they were family names, and not because of their meaning. Chase cites the example of a grandfather, father, and son in ''gens Junia'', each of whom bore the name Decimus, and achieved the consulship, as well as a later case in which the grandfather and father were both consuls. It was inconceivable that each of these was a tenth son, or even a tenth child. A similar case could be made for the many generations of certain families, such as the Fabii, who made extensive use of the praenomen ''Quintus'', or the

Julii The gens Julia (''gēns Iūlia'', ) was one of the most prominent patrician families in ancient Rome. Members of the gens attained the highest dignities of the state in the earliest times of the Republic. The first of the family to obtain the ...

with respect to the praenomen ''Sextus''. The

Oscan Oscan is an extinct Indo-European language of southern Italy. The language is in the Osco-Umbrian or Sabellic branch of the Italic languages. Oscan is therefore a close relative of Umbrian. Oscan was spoken by a number of tribes, including ...

praenomen ''Decius'' or ''Deciis'' is derived from the same root, and gave rise to the patronymic '' gens Decia''.''Realencyclopädie der Classischen Altertumswissenschaft''

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Decimus (Praenomen) Ancient Roman praenomina

Origin and meaning of the name

See also

Notes