Marcus (praenomen)

This article is about the Latin praenomen. For other uses, see Marcus (name) and Marcus (disambiguation).

Marcus (Latin pronunciation: [ˈmaːrkʊs]), feminine Marca or Marcia, is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, which was one of the most common names throughout Roman history. The praenomen was used by both patrician and plebeian families, and gave rise to the patronymic gens Marcia, as well as the cognomen Marcellus. It was regularly abbreviated M.[1][2][3]

At all periods of Roman history, Marcus was the third-most popular praenomen, trailing only Lucius and Gaius. Although many prominent families did not use it, it was a favorite of countless others. The name survived the Roman Empire and has continued to be used, in various forms, into modern times.[1][2]

  1. ^ a b Dictionary of Greek & Roman Biography & Mythology
  2. ^ a b Realencyclopädie der Classischen Altertumswissenschaft
  3. ^ Mika Kajava, Roman Female Praenomina: Studies in the Nomenclature of Roman Women (1994)