Thumelicus

As the only known bearer of this name was the only child of two Germanic parents (Cheruscan chieftain Arminius and his wife Thusnelda), this name is probably a latinized form of an obscure Germanic name. It is tempting to say that this name is a latinized form of Greek thymelikos, which is in turn derived from thymele, this was in Greek theatre the altar of Dionysos in the centre of an orchestra circle. But if this were truly so, then the Greek historian Strabo - when writing about Thumelicus - would have given his name as Thymelikos in his works, since he would have written a proper Greek name in its authentic Greek form. He did not so, however, instead writing the name as Thoumelikos, thus indicating that the name does not have authentic Greek origins. Plus, there is also the fact that if Thumelicus was indeed the latinized form of Greek Thymelikos, it would have been spelled as Thymelicus, not Thumelicus. As such, given the ethnicity of the original bearer and his parents, it probably makes the most sense to take this name for a latinized but obscure Germanic name.