Question about a Roman name

[D B Campbell]

The ancients were, of course, aware of the ethnic parallel. The writer of the Historia Augusta Vita Getae (Life of Antoninus Geta, 6.6) plays on Geticus Maximus, quasi Gothicus ("... that is to say, Gothicus"). Also Vita Caracallae (Life of Caracalla, 10.6): Gothi Getae dicerentur ("the Goths are called Getae").

Yes, thats what i said, i believe that because of Caracalla interference, the name Getae from Roman writings from his time on was changed in Got/Goths.

Sorry, I meant the parallel between the name of Caracalla's brother and the Dacian Getae. The writer of HA includes the "double entendre" that anyone named Geticus (incidentally, this is not a name that Caracalla took) could be "conqueror of the Getae" or "killer of Geta".

I am still not convinced that this event caused the Getae to be re-named as Gothi. (I am not even sure that they are the same ethnic people, but I bow to your local knowledge, Razvan.)