Quintus (praenomen)

This article is about a Latin praenomen. For the name in other languages, see Quintus. For a list of individuals with this name, see Quintus (disambiguation).

Quintus (Latin pronunciation: [ˈkᶣiːntʊs]), feminine Quinta, is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, which was common throughout all periods of Roman history. It was used by both patrician and plebeian families, and gave rise to the patronymic gentes Quinctia and Quinctilia. The name was regularly abbreviated Q.[1][2]

Throughout Roman history, Quintus was one of the most common praenomina, generally occupying fourth or fifth place, behind Lucius, Gaius, and Marcus, and occurring about as frequently as Publius. Although many families did not use the name at all, it was particularly favored by others. The name continued to be used after the collapse of Roman civil institutions in the fifth and sixth centuries, and has survived to the present day.[1][3]

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