Significance of Avatar/ Profile Name

[GhostOfClayton]

Lots of you have Profile names that remain an enigma to me. I'd love you to explain them. Even if the meaning of the name is apparent (like a historical character), there's probably an interesting reason why you chose that particular character. And also, just becasue that character is well known to you, doesn't mean I (or others on UNRV) know anything about them.

 

Please enlighten us all. We'd love to know.

 

I will start the ball rolling.

 

Some of you may know that my area of expertise (I love pretending) is Hadrian's Wall, and a few years ago I discovered Augustus Ceasar's "Hadrian's Wall" website, and its forum. I wanted to ask a question, so I registered, calling myself 'Centurion'. Now all I needed was an avatar.

 

One of the little lectures I give my clients on the Hadrian's Wall tour is all about a 19th Century antiquarian by the name of John Clayton, who is responsible for much of the preservation of Hadrian's Wall. My avatar is from a painting of a Centurion supervising construction work on Hadrian's Wall and (nice touch this) the artist has painted the centurion with John Clayton's face. I chose this avatar as the first image of a Centurion that came to mind.

 

A short while later, I joined UNRV and, to my peevement, found that 'Centurion' was already taken. I already had the avatar with John Clayton's face. Hence, Ghost of Clayton.

 

QED.

 

Your turn.

Edited November 8, 2010 by GhostOfClayton

[Medusa]

I use my profile name "Medusa" in many (Roman) fora because it is my arena name. I chose this name because names from Greek mythology were common as arena names of gladiators and Medusa of course is more catchy than Penthesilea or something else. I didn't want to take one of the two names attested of gladiatrices Amazon or Achillia though Amazon is my avatar.

[Ursus]

I believe there are 3 or 4 threads on this from the past 6 years or so, but since I am too lazy to dig them up:

 

Last name Baer. From the original B

Edited November 8, 2010 by Ursus

[Klingan]

One of the little lectures I give my clients on the Hadrian's Wall tour is all about a 19th Century antiquarian by the name of John Clayton, who is responsible for much of the preservation of Hadrian's Wall. My avatar is from a painting of a Centurion supervising construction work on Hadrian's Wall and (nice touch this) the artist has painted the centurion with John Clayton's face. I chose this avatar as the first image of a Centurion that came to mind.

 

Is that the painting where a Roman (Barbarian? I can't remember) woman is dressed like a Victorian aristocrat?

 

Anyway, my user name derives, just as Ursus, from my last name - it's simply a short version of Klingborg (Klingan also just so happen to mean the blade in Swedish).

[Crispina]

My name is Christine, so the first name that came to mind to use was "Crispina". Afterward I learned Crispina was the name of the first wife of Commodus!

[Trajan]

I picked Trajan because he is the emperor I find most interesting due to his being multi-faceted. He was a great soldier and general, as well as social and economical reform.

[GhostOfClayton]

I believe there are 3 or 4 threads on this from the past 6 years or so,

 

For completenesses sake, here's a link to the main one.

[Aurelia]

I thought using my real name, Patricia, would be too clich

[GhostOfClayton]

I thought using my real name, Patricia, would be too clich

[DecimusCaesar]

Couldn't think of a name to use so I just chose 'Decimus'. If I remember correctly the name was already taken, so I tried to think of a surname. Being unimaginative I just went with the most famous and obvious cognomen 'Caesar'. Thinking back I wish I had taken the time to think up a more imaginative name.

[guy]

No one has asked...but my avatar is Antonius Musa, Augustus' personal physician.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonius_Musa

 

I was wondering the significance of other members' avatar.

 

 

guy also known as gaius

Edited November 25, 2010 by guy

[Crispina]

No one has asked...but my avatar is Antonius Musa, Augustus' personal physician.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonius_Musa

 

I was wondering the significance of other members' avatar.

 

 

guy also known as gaius

 

Hey, Dr. Musa was a hottie!

[Yehudah]

Aragorn, from the Lord of the Rings. One of my favorite fictional characters.

[Ursus]

Nephele found me a pic of a Roman mosaic, which I shortened to avatar length.

 

I think it's connection to my username is obvious.

[Melvadius]

Two separate threads on this topic have now been merged here.

 

BTW I suspect that I have told some of this before on the welcome thread as my forum name comes from my period in a Roman Re-enactment society. My "avatar" image actually comes from a mosaic I photographed in Tunisia another version of which is on my Leptiminus gallery.