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Latin Abbreviations [A to C]

Abbreviations. Words were commonly abbreviated by using the initial letter or letters of words, and most inscriptions have at least one abbreviation. Numerous abbreviations were used and some could have more than one meaning, depending on their context. (For example, A can be an abbreviation for many words such as ager, amicus, annus, Aurelius, and avus.) Some words have more than one form of abbreviation, and there are also recurring formulas, such as HDSP. When a word was abbreviated, plurals could be expressed by doubling, trebling, or quadrupling the last letter, such as AVGG (meaning two Augusti). Some abbreviations, such as for personal names, were commonly used in literature, while most were used only in inscriptions. The use of abbreviations in inscriptions seems to have been a fashionable trend as well as an attempt to save space.

Examples of Abbreviations
A amicus (friend), annus (year), aurum (gold)

ADL, ADLEC, ADLECT adlectus (Selected, chosen)

AED aedes (building, usually a temple), aedilis (aedile)

AET aeturnus (eternal), aeternitas (eternity)

AN annus (year)

ANN annus (year), annona (corn supply)

AQ aqua (water), aquilifer (eagle-bearer)

AS, ASO a solo (from the ground)

A SOL REST a solo restituit (he restored from ground level)

ASC ascia (axe, trowel)

AVG Augustus (Augustus, i.e. Emperor Septimius Severus), augustalis (Priest of Augustus), augur (augur)

AVGG Augusti (two Augusti, i.e. Emperors Septimius Severus and Caracalla in joint rule)

AVGGG Augusti (three Augusti, i.e. Emperors Septimius Severus, Caracalla, and Geta in joint rule)

AUG N Augustus noster (Our emperor)

B bene (well), beneficiarius (Beneficiarius), bonus (good)

BF beneficiarius (beneficiarius), bona fortuna (good fortune)

B M bene merenti (well deserving)

BR Britannia (Britain), Britannicus (British)

>) Centurio (centurion), centuria (century) (> and ) are old Etruscan signs for K)

C Caesar (Caesar, Emperor), civis (citizen), cohors (cohort), colonia (colony), coniunx (wife, husband), consul (consul), curia (senate house), custos (guardian), centuria (Century), centurio (centurion)

C A curam agens (taking care, seeing to), custos armorum (keeper of arms)

CAES Caesar (Caesar, Emperor)

CC Caesares (two Caesars)

CC VV clarissimi viri (distinguished gentlemen- a courtesy title for senators)

C E coniunx eius (his wife, her husband), Curam egit (he tookcare, saw to)

C F Gai filius (son of Gaius), clarissima femina (distinguished woman), coniunx fecit (his wife/ her husband did this)

C F C coniunx facindum curavit (his wife/ her husband took care to set this up)

CH, CHO, CHOR cohors (cohort)

CL collegium (college), colonia (colony)

COH cohors (cohort)

COL collegium (college), colonia (colony)

CON coniunx (wife, husband)

CON KAR coniunx karissimus (her most dear husband)

CONS consul (consul)

COS consul (consul), consules (consuls), consularis (consular)

COSS consules (consuls)

CR civis Romanus (Roman citizen)

CV clarissimus vir (distinguished gentleman- a term for senaturs), cura (care)

CVR curavit (took care of)

CVR AG curam agens (taking care, undertook)

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Latin Abbreviations [A to C]

Herodian Book VI [Alexander Severus] 6.7 to 6.9
Scriptores Historiae Augustae (SHA)
Herodian Book VII [Maximinus the Thrax] 7.1
Making a Roman Name at AncientWorlds
Index of Roman Articles