patricius

Patricius is a Latin term meaning "patrician," originally used to designate a member of the patrician class in ancient Rome. In historical and literary contexts, the word has also been used as a surname or epithet for scholars and writers who Latinized their names, a practice common among Renaissance humanists.

A notable bearer of the Latinized name is Francesco Patrizi da Cherso (1529–1597), traditionally rendered in Latin as Franciscus Patricius. He was an Italian philosopher and humanist from Cres (Cherso) in Istria. Patrizi advocated a program of universal philosophy, published as Nova de universis philosophia in 1591, which argued for reform of natural philosophy away from Aristotelian authority and toward Platonic and Neoplatonic influences. He emphasized mathematical order in nature, the primacy of intuitive knowledge, and a critique of scholastic method. While his ideas sparked debate, they did not achieve broad immediate influence but contributed to ongoing discussions in early modern philosophy and science.

Today, Patricius as a surname is uncommon but may still be found in some Romance-language and South Slavic cultural contexts. The term also survives as a historical or literary designation reflecting its Latin roots, distinct from the everyday use of patrician to describe social status.