Marcus Valerius Martialis, known in English as Martial (March, between 38 and 41 AD – between 102 and 104 AD) was a Roman poet from Hispania (modern Spain) best known for his twelve books of Epigrams, published in Rome between AD 86 and 103, during the reigns of the emperors Domitian, Nerva and Trajan.
This is a great name for characters, although I wouldn't stick it on my son. I once had a character name Valerius - but it didn't work for him. About a year after writing the story, I changed his name slightly to Varius. He is currently called Tristan, and that will not stay long. Difficult character to name! But even still, after all this time, "Val" is what I think when I read about him. He will always be Valerius in the end.