Sextus (praenomen)

This article is about the Latin praenomen. For a list of prominent individuals with this name, see Sextus (disambiguation).

Sextus (Latin pronunciation: [ˈsɛkstʊs]), feminine Sexta, 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 Sextia and Sextilia. The name was regularly abbreviated Sex., but occasionally is found abbreviated S. (usually used for the praenomen Spurius), or Sext.[1][2]

Sextus was about the tenth most-common praenomen for most of Roman history, although it became slightly more common in imperial times, as other praenomina declined in popularity. Many families did not use it, but it was widespread amongst all social classes, and was favored by some families[which?]. The name survived the collapse of Roman civil institutions in the 5th and 6th centuries, and has continued in use into modern times.[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