Τέρτυλλος
Tértyllos
G5061 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A Roman personal name, Tertullus. In the context of the New Testament, refers specifically to an individual acting as a legal advocate or orator. The term itself denotes the proper name of a person rather than having autonomous semantic content beyond its onomastic function. May refer to a person of Latin cultural background operating within the administrative systems of the eastern Roman provinces.
Semantic Range
personal name of a Roman advocate, refers exclusively to the individual named Tertullus; no independent lexical meaning beyond onomastic designation
Root / Etymology
Latin origin, likely from the root 'Tertullus', which is a diminutive or affectionate form of 'Tertius' (meaning 'third'). Adopted into Greek script for use in Hellenistic and Roman contexts. Etymology uncertain beyond Latin usage.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Τέρτυλλος appears in Acts 24:1 as the professional advocate (often called an orator or rhetor) representing the interests of the Judean leadership before the Roman governor Felix in Caesarea. The name is of Latin, not Greek, origin, and reflects the close interaction between Roman legal/political administration and the populations of provincial Judea. While the English Bibles use the proper name 'Tertullus', awareness that the individual was likely a Romanized legal professional is important. No evidence suggests that the name carried any religious or ethnic connotation; it indicates status and professional role in a legal context. The use of Latin names in the New Testament reflects broader practices of adopting Roman nomenclature within the eastern Mediterranean elite.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of uncertain derivation; Tertullus, a Roman:--Tertullus.
Root Family
Τέρτυλλος (Tertullos) — personal name, proper noun
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5061-01 |
Τέρτυλλος | tertullos | N NOM M SG |
Tertullus | Tertullus | 1 |
G5061-02 |
Τερτύλλου | tertullou | N GEN M SG |
Tertullus | of Tertullus | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences