Nomenclator – slave who recalled names

In ancient Rome, there was a special type of slave called a nomenclator whose job was to remind the Roman patrician of the names of everyone he met.

In a society where connections and social networks were crucial to political career and prestige, the ability to remember names was valuable. A nomenclator would accompany his master on the streets and whisper the names of passersby so he could greet them politely—building his reputation as a man “close to the people.”

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Lucius Licinius Lucullus Battle of Ilipa Wars of second triumvirate Agrippina the Younger Great Roman civil war