5 Patronymics

Let us now look at the use of the genitive case on some ostraka. The ostrakon bearing the name of Cimon, reads:

Maximise

Figure 2 An ostrakon

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An image of a piece of broken terracotta pottery against a pale background. The front surface of the pottery has a black glaze. Two ancient Greek words, forming a name, have been incised into the glaze. These read: ΚΙΜΟΝ ΜΙΛΤΙΑΔΟ.

Figure 2 An ostrakon

The name of Cimon’s father is Μιλτιάδης, written here as Μιλτιάδο, with the final omicron (ο) representing a sound which later writers would spell as -οu (Μιλτιάδοu). Once again, a small change of spelling carries a significant implication. Greeks would understand this to mean ‘Cimon, [son] of Miltiades’. In this context, the word ‘son’ is not necessary and would have been understood.

The use of the father’s name to refer to Greek males, distinguishing them from others with the same name, was common in public settings. The additional name was known as a ‘patronymic’ (from πατήρ, father and ὄνομα, name). Very occasionally, the mother’s name was used to form a ‘metronymic’ (from μήτηρ, mother).

Patronymics exist in many languages. English examples include: Johnson, Richardson and Robertson. Mc and Mac have a similar force in Scots, as does O’ in Irish.