Cognomen

A cognomen is like a special nickname that people in ancient Rome used to have. It was like a second name that helped to identify them and their family. It could be based off something they did, like if they were a good speaker or if they won a battle. Or it could be based off a physical feature, like if they were very tall or short. It was like a fun way to give someone a special name that would tell people more about them. So if someone was named Marcus Tullius Cicero, his cognomen might be "the orator" because he was really good at giving speeches.