List of abbreviations used in the stemmata |
| ~ | married | |
| * | born | |
| † | died | |
| ‡ | not in use | reserved for future use |
| down arrow | issue | indicates descendents, see relevant stemma |
| left/right arrow | look left or right | the person is repeated elsewhere in the stemma |
| ab | from | used to indication geographical home location / town |
| ab epist | ab epistulis | the emperor's chief secretary; post held by a senior equestrian procurator |
| a libel | a libellis | "in charge of petitions"; post held by senior equestrian procurator |
| adlect | adlectus | enrolled into the senate directly with a rank, eg. adlectus inter consulares or inter tribunicios, without having had the office of consul; or enrolled as a Patrician (adlectus inter patricios) |
| advocat fisci | advocatus fisci | junior equestrian procuratorship created by Hadrian |
| adop | adopted | also test(amentary) adoption |
| aed | aedilis | local magistrate of town (outside Rome) |
| aed cer | aedilis cerialis | magistrate, magistracy held after the quaestorship, before the praetorship |
| aed cur | aedilis curulis | magistrate, magistracy held after the quaestorship, before the praetorship |
| aed pleb | aedilis plebis | magistrate, magistracy held after the quaestorship,before the praetorship Plebeian only |
| Aegyp | Aegyptus | province of Egypt, run by equestrian praefect |
| aerar mil | aerarium militare | the military treasury at Rome established 6 AD, office held by a praefectus aerarii militaris, an ex-praetor |
| aerar Satur | aerarium Saturni | the state treasury, housed in the temple of Saturn, office held by a praefectus aerarii Saturni, an ex-praetor |
| agens vice praesid | agens vices praesidis | "acting governor" |
| alae | alae | a unit of auxiliary cavalry of 300/500/1000 men, commanded by a praefectus |
| an.inc. | anno incertum | unknown year |
| amb | ambassador | used for legatus as ambassador to a foreign nation to avoid confusion with legatus used as a general or governor. Normally three or more senators were dispatched in an embassy. |
| ante or a | before | |
| a ration | a rationibus | "in charge of accounts"; post held by a senior equestrian procurator |
| Aquit | Aquitania | province in SW France |
| archon | archon | chief magistrate at Athens |
| aug | augur | priest belonging to the college of augurs. Increased to 15 members by Sulla. The emperor always headed the college. |
| Aug | Augusti or Augustorum | belonging to the Emperor |
| Brit | Britannia | province of Britannia (= present-day England and Wales). |
| c. or ca | circa | about |
| cand | candidatus | candidate for office (Republic) or senator supported by the emperor in election to a magistracy, e.g. q(uaestor) cand(idatus) (Empire) |
| Cappa | Cappadocia | province of Cappadocia in Asia Minor. |
| cens | censor | magistrate. Iin the Republic two were elected every 5th year, were normally ex-consuls |
| cent | centurio | centurion, officer commanding a century (normally 80 soldiers) in a legion or auxiliary cohort. |
| centarius | centarius | "100.000 sertertii man; salary grade of procurators |
| class | classis | naval or fleet |
| coh | cohors | cohort, an infantry unit of ca 500-600 men, 10 per legion. Auxiliary infantry units were also termed cohorts (500 or 1000 men. |
| comes Aug | comes Augusti | "companion of the emperor"; senior member of the emperor's staff on campaign |
| cor mur | corona muralis | mural crown, an award given to the man who first scaled the enemies' walls |
| cor val | corona vallari | rampart crown, award give for valour at the enemies rampart |
| cos | consul | supreme annual dual magistrate, held earliest when aged 42 (Republic) or aged 33 (Empire). See "ord" and "suff" below |
| curat aqua | curator aquarum | magistrate to oversee Rome's water supply, office established 11BC for ex-consuls. |
| curat aed | curator aedium sacrarum | magistrate of temples at Rome, post held by ex-consul during empire |
| curat oper public | curator operum publicorum | magistrate of public works at Rome |
| curat "city" | curator rei publica "city" | Imperial temporary magistrate assigned to a Roman city with for example fiscal problems; office held by a senator, often an ex-praetor |
| curat Tib | curator alvei Tiberis et riparum et cloacarum urbis | magistrate to oversee the bed and banks of the Tiber river and the sewers of the city, post held by an ex-consul. |
| curat viae | curator viae | magistrate in charge of road maintenance in Italy, mostly held by a senator. |
| Dacia Apul | Dacia Apulensis | Roman province in Dacia (modern Rumania) |
| Dacia Malv | Dacia Maelvensis | Roman province in Dacia (modern Rumania) |
| Dacia Porol | Dacia Porolissensis | Roman province in Dacia (modern Rumania) |
| Dem | Demougin | ID reference number in "Prosopographie des chevaliers Romains Julio-Claudiens". |
| desig | designatus | designated for office next year, i.e. cos desig |
| dict | dictator | supreme magistrate, in early republic held for 6 months either to deal with an emergency, to hold elections or perform a certain religious ceremony. |
| dt | daughter | |
| ducenarius | ducenarius | "200.000 sestertii man"; salary-grade of procurators |
| dux | dux | general in late empire; comnmander of frontier troops |
| eng | engaged | engaged to be married |
| epistrat | epistrategos | viceroy of part of Egypt, e.g. of Thebais (Upper Egypt). Office held by an equestrian. |
| eques | knight | member of the Roman Ordo Equestor, also called vir egregius during the Empire |
| exc. | executed | |
| f. | filii | son of, used in filiation |
| fem clar | femina clarissima | lady of senatorial family |
| flam | flamen | priest, the most important in Rome being the flamen Dialis, Martialis and Quirinalis; a female priest would be a flaminica. |
| FOS | femmes de l'ordre sénatorial | ID reference number referring to Raepsaet-Charlier's "Prosopographie des femmes de l'ordre sénatorial" |
| frat Arv.. | frater Arvalis | priest, a member of the Arval Brethren, a minor college of 12, but very important during the Empire, when normally occupied by ex-consuls. Membership was for life, but they elected from among themselves a magister and a promagister for 1 year. |
| Germ Inf or Sup | Germania Inferior or Superior | Roman provinces of Lower or Upper Germany |
| hasta pura | spear without iron | award to soldiers for bravery |
| Hisp | Hispania | Spain; Roman province |
| ideol Aegyp | ideologus in Egypt | judge in Egypt, an equestrian office |
| Illyr | Illyricum | Roman province in the Balkans |
| Imp | imperator | emperor |
| inf | inferior | lower, eg. province of Pannonia Inf(erior) |
| iuridicus | iuridicus | legatus iuridicus, a legate (a senator, often an ex-praetor) serving in an imperial province responsible for legal issues, e.g. implementing Roman law. |
| k. | killed in battle | |
| leg. | legatus | legate = general. A legatus could also serve as an ambassador or governor . |
| leg Aug | legatus Augusti pro praetore | provincial governor of an imperial province |
| leg leg | legatus legionis | commander of a legion, normally of praetorian rank, normally served 3 years |
| logistes | logistes | official inspecting finances of cities in the Greek-speaking part of the empire |
| ludi saec | ludi saeculares | secular games celebrated roughly every 100/110 years, eg. 17BC, 88AD, 204AD |
| Lugd | Gallia Lugdunensis | Roman province in France |
| Lusit | Hispania Lusitania | Roman province in the Iberian peninsula, ca. equal to modern Portugal. |
| m eq | magister equitum | master of the horse, 2nd in command of a dictator |
| Maced | Macedonia | Roman province |
| Maur | Mauretania | Roman province; either Maur Ting(itana) or Maur Caes(ariensis), if alone then covers both Mauretanias) |
| Max | Maximus | greatest |
| ment | mentioned | e.g. mentioned at meeting or on dated inscription |
| monet | IIIvir monetalis | mintmaster; IIIvir responsible for coinage. The offical term was "tresviri aere argento auro flando feriundo" (abbreviated III VIR AAAFF), literally "three men for striking (and) casting bronze, silver (and) gold (coins)" |
| murd. | murdered | |
| n. | nepos | grandson of; used in filiation |
| Narbon | Gallia Narbonensis | Roman senatorial province in Gaul (= modern Provence in France) |
| Nic | Nicolet | ID reference number to "L'Ordre Équestre a l'époque republicaine (312-43 av. J.-C." |
| novus homo | novus homo | "new man"; who was first in his family to reach senatorial rank |
| ob. | obiit | deceased |
| ord | ordenarius | The two consuls entering office on January 1st and giving name to the year were called consules ordenarii. |
| ornam cos | ornamenta consularia | promoted to consul without holding the office |
| ornam triumph | ornamenta triumphalia | "honorary triumph", highest decoration conferred on senatorial army commander after successful campaign; not conferred after Hadrian's time |
| Pann | Pannonia | Roman province, Pannonia Inferior or Pannonia Superior, roughly in present Hungary |
| Pamph | Pamphylia | Roman province in Asia Minor; often part of combined province of Lycia et Pamphylia. |
| patron | patronus | "patron" of a province or town, high ranking person expected to support the interests of his clients |
| Pf | Pflaum | ID reference number to Pflaum's "Les carrieres procuratoriennes equestres sous le haut-empire Romain". |
| PIR.t | Prosopographica Imperii Romani | see Bibliography |
| pont | pontifex | priest, member of the college of pontifices. At first 5 members, 300BC increased to 9 and from c.81BC increased to 15 members incl. the Pontifex Maximus. |
| pont max | pontifex maximus | head of the college of pontifices; the emperor always held this priesthood |
| post or p. | after | |
| pr | praetor | magistrate, ranks below consul, held when aged 39 (Republic) or aged 30 (Empire) years of age; e.g. praetor urb(anus), praetor pereg(rinus) |
| pr pereg | praetor peregrinus | president of the court at Rome dealing with disputes between citizens and foreigners (peregrini) |
| pr urb | praetor urbanus | praetor dealing with disputes between Roman citizens |
| praef | praefectus | officer (e.g. praef coh - commander of a cohort) or magistrate (e.g. praef annonae) or a governor of a small province (e.g. Judaea) |
| praef alimen or | praefectus alimentorum | senator supervising the alimenta (child support scheme, founded by Trajan) in Italy |
| praef ann or | praefectus annonae | official supervising the food-supply for Rome, post held by a very senior eques |
| praef cast or | praefectus castrorum | camp-prefect; former centurion, 3rd in command of a legion |
| praef equit or | praefectus equitum | prefect of cavalry |
| praef feria Latin or | praefectus feriarum Latinarum | young man of senatorial rank who deputized for the consuls at Rome while they performed the annual Latin Festival at Alba |
| praef frum dandi or | praefectus frumenti dandi | 4 ex-praetors responsible for the distribution of food. |
| praef Minic or | praefectus Miniciae | from the Severan period onwards, senator of praetorian rank, with offices in the Minician Portico, who supervised the food- and water-supply at Rome. |
| praef pr or PP or | praefectus praetorio | commander of the praetorian guard (of which there were normally 2), by 300 AD a purely administrative office. Post was considered the most senior for an eques (from Claudius onwards). |
| praef urb or PUR | praefectus urbi | "mayor" of the city of Rome, post held by a senior ex-consul. |
| praef vig or | praefectus vigilum | commander of the 7 cohorts of Vigiles in Rome, post held by a senior eques. |
| praeses | praeses | governor, term used from 2nd century onwards. |
| praet | praetorian | e.g. used with cohort = III Praetorian Cohort. |
| primipilaris | primipilaris | former chief centurion of a legion |
| primus pilus | primus pilus | "first spear"; chief centurion of a legion |
| proc | procurator | governor of small province (e.g. Corscia), or head of a ministry (e.g. procurator a rationibus (finance), a libellis (petitions), ab epistulis Latinis/Graecis (correspondance)) or a financial official serving in a province or part of a province or with a specfic task (eg. proc. XX hereditarium (tax on inheritances). These offices were held by an equestrian. |
| procos | proconsul | promagistrate, a consul who's magistracy is extended in time; governor of a province, who could be an ex-praetor. Under the empire governor of a senatorial province, e.g. Africa and Asia. |
| propr | propraetor or pro praetore | magistrate, a praetor who's magistracy is extended in time (Republic) or an imperial governor who acts pro praetore under the emperor's imperium (e.g. legatus Augusti pro praetore) |
| PS | Princeps Senatus | senior consular of the senate during the Republic chosen by the censors |
| puella | puella = girl | eg. puella clar = a girl of senatorial family |
| puer | puer = boy | eg. puer clar = a boy of senatorial family |
| q | quaestor | financial magistrate, the quaestorship provided membership to the senate, held earliest when 25 (Empire) or 30 (Republic) years of age |
| q Aug | quaestor Augusti | quaestor attached to the emperor, specially estimed office |
| q propr | quaestor pro praetore | quaestor in one of the proconsular provinces |
| quinq | quinquennalis | "fifth-year" official in a town, whose duties were modelled on those of the censor at Rome elected every 5th year. |
| rationalis | rationalis | financial official |
| RE | Realencyclopaedia | refers to entry in the RE |
| rex sacr | rex sacrorum | a priesthood dating back to the kings, during the republic held by a patrician. |
| RPC | Rei Publicae Constituendae | The IIIviri RPC (Octavian, M.Antonius and M.Lepidus) held consular imperium for 5 years in 43BC. |
| sacerdos | sacerdos | priest |
| salius Pal | salius Palatinus | priest, a college of 12 priests dedicated to the god Mars, more important during the Empire, members were Patrician. Appointed when youths/young men, and retired when appointed to a major priesthood |
| salius Col | salius Collinus | priest, a college of 12 priests dedicated to the god Quirinus, more important during the Empire, members were Patrician. Appointed when youths/young men, and retired when appointed to a major priesthood. |
| sen | senator | senator, also called vir clarissimus during the Empire |
| sexagenarius | sexagenarius | "60.000 sestertii man; salary-grade of procurators |
| sodal | sodalis | priest; for example sodalis Augustalis, new senatorial priesthood established after Augustus' death to cunduct worship. Later deified emperors (e.g. Claudius = Claudialis, Vespasian & Titus = Flavialis Titialis , Hadrian = Hadrianalis, Antoninus = Antonianus)also had their own priesthoods. Also Sodales Titii (worship of king Tatius), which existed during the Republic and Empire. |
| s.p. | sine prole | no offspring |
| s.p.m. | sine prole masculinum | no male offspring |
| sub | under | used with the name of an emperor to indicate a date during that period when this emperor ruled |
| suff | suffectus | replacement magistrate when a magistrate died in office; during the Empire the 2 consuls taking office on January 1st (called consul ordenarius)were normally replaced by one or more sets of 2 consules suffecti. |
| sup | superior | upper, eg. province of Pannonia Sup(erior) |
| Tarrac | Hispania Tarraconensis | largest Roman province in Spain |
| trecenarius | trecenarius | "300.000 sestertii man"; salary grade of procurators |
| tr cos | tribuni militum consulari potestate | military tribune with consular power; magistrates between 444-366 BC in stead of consuls |
| tr coh | tribunus cohortis | tribune (commanding officer) of a cohort |
| tr laticlav | tribunus laticlavius | see tribunus militum |
| tr mil | tribunus militum | officer (= ca colonel), six per legion. The second-in-command to the legate was the tribunus laticlavius or 'broad-stripe' tribune, usually a young man of senatorial rank. The other 5 lower rank tribunes were called the tribuni angusticlavii. These were men of equestrian rank, who had military experience. |
| tr pl | tribunus plebis | magistrate (tribune of the people), 10 elected annually taking office on December 10th. Thus a tr pl for 100 BC is here used to mean the magistrate entered office on Dec 10th year 101 BC. Only plebeians could stand and at least during the empire had to have been previously quaestor. |
| trib. | tribus | Roman tribe, see separate section on the 35 Roman tribes and their abbreviations |
| urb | urbi or urbanus | urban; eg. praetor urbanus, praefectus urbi |
| vestal | vestalis virgo | vestal virgin, a female priest. 6 vestals served for 30 years. The longest serving was the Virgo Vestalis Maxima. |
| vex | vexillum | military award for bravery |
| vexil | vexillatio | a detachment, typically a deatchment of one or more cohorts from a legion sent to a province as a temporary reinforcement |
| XX hered | vicesima hereditatium | twentieth of inheritances; i.e. the 5% death-duty |
| vir clar | vir clarissimus | most distinguished man, term used for senatorial status under the Empire, not just for senators, but also for their family |
| vir egreg | vir egregius | outstanding man, term used for men having served in an equestrian office (e.g. procurator) under the empire |
| vir perfect | vir perfectissimus | most perfect man, term used for a senior equestrian official from the 3rd century |
| vig | vigiles | night police / fire brigade (7 cohorts) in Rome led by a praefectus |
| IIvir | duumvir | college of two, eg. IIvir navalis, or IIvir as local magistrate of town |
| IIIvir cap | triumvir capitales | college of three (tresviri) to deal with capital charges. One of the boards of the virgintiviri |
| IIIvir col deduc | triumvir colonia deducandae | college of three senators appointed to establish new colony |
| IIIIvir | quattorvir | 4 member magistracy, eg. IIII iure dicundo, local town magistrates. |
| IIIIvir via cur | quattorvir viarum curandarum | 4 member magistracy for looking after the streets of Rome; one of the boards of the XXviri |
| VIIvir epu. | septemvir Epulones | priest; member of seven (earlier three) member college (founded 196 BC) who supervised sacrificial banquets |
| Xvir stlit iudic | decemvir stlitibus iudicandis | "the ten men who judge lawsuits", annual pre-senatorial minor magistrate |
| XVvir sf | quindecemvir sacris faciundis | priest; member of 15 (before Sulla c.80BC ten members = Xvir) man college |
| XXvir | virgintivir | a college of 20 minor magistrates during the Empire; comprising the Xviri stlit iudic, the 3 monetales, the tresviri capitales, and the quattorviri viarum curandarum. Normally the first civilian office for future senators. |