Gesoriacum

Latin

Etymology

The Morini tribe held this coastal settlement in early Roman times. This Gaulish or Belgic tribe was identified as being the Gessoriaco Morinorum gentis by the Venerable Bede. The name of the settlement was changed from Gesoriacum [spear-fort place?] to Bononia possibly in honour of Bornonia, a Celtic divinity, at some stage between the sack of Gesoriacum and the year 310 AD.

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ɡe.soˈri.a.kum/, [ɡɛs̠ɔˈriäkʊ̃ˑ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /d͡ʒe.soˈri.a.kum/, [d͡ʒes̬oˈriːäkum]

Proper noun

Gesoriacum n sg (genitive Gesoriacī); second declension

1. an ancient town on the northwestern coast of Gallia, now Boulogne-sur-Mer

Declension

Second-declension noun (neuter), with locative, singular only.

Case	Singular
Nominative	Gesoriacum
Genitive	Gesoriacī
Dative	Gesoriacō
Accusative	Gesoriacum
Ablative	Gesoriacō
Vocative	Gesoriacum
Locative	Gesoriacī

References

• “Gesoriacum”, in William Smith, editor (1854, 1857), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, volume 1 & 2, London: Walton and Maberly
• Gesoriacum in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.