What are Julius Caesar’s three names?

Julius Caesar, an emblematic figure in Roman history, was born in Rome on July 12 or 13, 100 B.C. His full name in Latin is Caius Iulius Caesar. This name is broken down into three parts, in accordance with the tradition of Roman nomenclature:

• First name (Praenomen): Caius (sometimes written Gaius), equivalent to our modern first name;
• Surname (Nomen): Iulius, indicating membership of the gens Julia, a patrician family claiming to be Iulus, son of Aeneas and grandson of the goddess Venus;
• Nickname (Cognomen): Caesar, hereditary nickname within the family. The origin of Caesar is subject to various interpretations, one of which suggests a reference to an ancestor born by Caesarean section, although this etymology is debated.

The structure of the name Caius Iulius Caesar reflects the Roman practice of naming individuals with a praenomen, nomen and cognomen, identifying both the individual and his family line.

After his assassination in 44 BC, Julius Caesar was deified by the Roman Senate and his official name became Divus Iulius (the divine Julius). His adopted heir, Octavian, took the name Caius Iulius Caesar Octavianus in his honor, before becoming the first Roman emperor under the name Augustus.

Julius Caesar’s name, Caius Iulius Caesar, is therefore emblematic of his family heritage and status in Roman society, while also illustrating the naming conventions of the time.

You may also be interested in

• Who is Hannibal and his elephants?
• What was the cause of Cleopatra’s death?
• What’s the difference between the Acropolis and the Agora?