Section IV Posthumus, &c.
Posthumus is generally explained as meaning a posthumous son, from post (after) and humus (ground); born after his father was underground; but there is reason to think that it is, in fact, Postumus, a superlative adjective, formed from post, and merely signifying latest; so that it originally belonged to the son of old age, the last born of the family. It became a frequent prænomen by imitation, and in several Roman families was taken as a cognomen.
The pseudo Valerius Maximus derives Titus from the Sabine Titurius; others make it come from the Greek τίω (to honour), others from tutus (safe), the participle of tueor (to defend). It was one of the most common prænomina from the earliest times, and belonged to both father and son of the two emperors connected with the fall of Jerusalem. Both were Titus Flavius Sabinus Vespasianus, but the elder is known to us by his cognomen, the younger by his prænomen. Titus should have been a more usual Christian name in honour of the first Bishop of Crete, but it has hardly survived, except in an occasional Italian Tito; and here Dr. Titus Oates gave it an unenviable celebrity. Tita is also sometimes used in Italy. The historian, Titus Livius, has been famous enough to have his name much maltreated, we calling him Livy, the French Tite Live.