GLI ὀνόματα DI STRABONE E L’ONOMASTICA DI NEAPOLIS

Abstract

Strabo highlights the significance of Neapolis’ proper names as a reflection both of the city’s Hellenic character, preserved into the Roman period, and of the impact of Campanian immigrants on its pre-Roman history. Literary and epigraphic evidence attest to the coexistence of Oscan and Greek personal names in both private and public contexts, even under Roman rule. This onomastic interplay reveals political conflict, integration, and the social advancement of immigrants, particularly visible in the composite names of public magistrates. The earliest influx of Campanians can be traced to the mid-fifth century BCE, with their full socio-political integration achieved about a century later. Although the Oscan language was no longer spoken by Campanian settlers in Neapolis,Oscan personal names persisted long after Romanization, unlike in other regions of Southern Italy. This conservative feature of Neapolitan onomastics parallels the survival of Greek civic institutions under Roman rule, underscoring the city’s distinctive dual identity.

Key-words : Strabo, Neapolis, personal names, Oscan and Greek, dual identity, socio-political conflicts.