Identification in Graeco-Roman Egypt
Identification in Graeco-Roman Egypt

The Modalities of Expressing Filiation

Summary/Abstract: The inclusion of the father’s name in personal identification is common in many western cultures, also in antiquity. Yet subtle differences in its expression existed in Greek, Latin, and Egyptian, and when these onomastic traditions converged in Graeco-Roman Egypt, they interacted in various ways. This article looks at the frequency of the addition of a separate lexeme for ‘son of’ in the Greek papyri of the Roman period (up to the fourth century). We argue that its increased use reflects the Roman period focus on genealogy and pedigree, directly resulting from the compartmentalisation of society.

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