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ADOPTIO: Adoption. - The act of a person adopting another as his son, was performed among the Romans, either in presence of the Praetor, or before an assembly of the people, in the times of the Republic; and under the Emperors by their sovereign authority. - An adopted Roman (says Eckel, v., p.59), was so completely translated into the gens, or race, of the party adopting him, that tha name of his own family was put aside, and he received all the names of his parents by adoption - which names, however, were lenghtened into the letters ANVS. - Thus, AEmilius Paullus, being adopted by Publius Cornelius Scipio, was called P. Cornelius Scipio AEmilianus. - C. Octavius, afterwards Augustus, adopted by the Dictator Caesar, became C. Julius Caesar Octavianus. - So, on coins, we see A. LICINVS NERVA LILIanus. - This custom, nevertheless, was frequently departed from. For example, M. Junius Brutus, (he who killed Caesar) after his adoption by Q. Servilius Coepio, was called Q. Coepio Brutus, the surname being still retained, for the sake of his own family; whereas he ought to have been called Q. Servilius Coepio Junianus. Thus again Scipio, who took part agains Julius Caesar in Africa, adopted by Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius, is termed on coins Q. Metellus Pius Scipio, not Cornelianus. Nor does it appear, that the adopted Romans were very particular in using the names to which they succeeded. M Junius Brutus, notwithstanding his adoption, is called on several of the coins, only BRVTVS IMP. - And P. Clodius, adopted by Fonteius, continued to the end of his life, to be called P. Clodius. Also, by virtue of adoption, the surname was lenghtened, as in the instance of Marcellus of Cornelia family, afterwards called Marcellinus.

ADOPTIO. - Two figures, in the toga, joining hands: round the type PARTHIC DIVI TRAIAN AVG P M TR P COS P P - This coin of Hadrianin gold and silver, commemorates the adoption of Hadrian by Trajan. The former scattered abroad many monumental evidences of that fact, as there had been much doubt on the subjet: for, says Spartian, "there are not wantingthose who assert that, after the death of Trajan, Hadrian was, through the intrigues of Plotina, taken into adoption." For this reason, adds Vaillant (Impp. Rom., ii. p136), who concurs in the sentiment of this quotation, was Hadrian so diligent, at first, in assuming the cognomina of his father by adoption.