Greek and Roman Antiquities

• Abaculus diminutive of ABACUS denoted a tile of marble, glass, or any other substance used for maki
• Abacus a word probably of Eastern origin, which has been explained from two different Semitic roo
• Abigei ABIGEATORES or ABACTORES, terms used to signify the class of thieves who commit the crime
• Abolla a thick, double cloak, which, according to Servius (ad Verg. A. 5.421), resembled the chla
• Abortio ABORTUS, immature birth, miscarriage. If we may judge from poets and satirists, it was not
• Abrasax ABRAXAS, gems. This subject belongs exclusively to Christian antiquities. See Dict. of Chr
• Abrogatio magistratus magistratus The deposition of a magistrate from his office by any legal process was, stric
• Absis or APSIS (the former more correct in Latin) (ἁψίς), in its literal meaning from ἅπτω, is a
• Acaena is a very ancient, Greek word, for it is said to have been derived from the Thessalians or
• Acapna sc. ligna (ξύλα ἄκαπνα), firewood specially prepared in order to burn without smoke. Owing
• Acatus dim. ACATIUM (ἄκατος, ἀκάτιον). 1. A kind of boat or small vessel [NAVIS]. 2. In the riggi
• Accensi properly supernumeraries, from accenseo (the other derivations given by Varro, Ling. Lat.
• Acceptilatio is a formal mode of extinguishing a verbal obligation. The debtor says to the creditor, Qu
• Accessio addition, is not strictly a technical word, but is used frequently in certain connexions i
• Acclamatio was the public expression of approbation or disapprobation, pleasure or displeasure, &c. b
• Accubitum a couch used for reclining upon at meals, which in the imperial period took the place of t
• Acerra the incense box used in sacrifices. (Hor. Carm. 3.8.2; Verg. A. 5.745) The incense was tak
• Acetabulum Greek (ὀξίς, ὀξύβαφον, ὀξυβάφιον, ἐμβάφιον). A small shallow vessel, used originally, as t
• Acetabulum a Roman measure of capacity, fluid, and dry, equivalent to the Greek ὀξύβαφον. It was one-
• Achaean League, Achaicum Foedus League, Achaicum Foedus. ACHAICUM FOEDUS (τὸ Ἀχαϊκόν), the league or confederation of a nu
• Achane a Persian and Boeotian measure, equivalent to 45 Attic medimni. (Aristot. ap. Schol. ad Ar
• Acharistias dike dike (ἀχαριοστίας δίκη), mentioned among private actions by Pollux, 8.31; but according to
• Acinaces a Persian sword, whence Horace (Hor. Carm. 1.27.5) speaks of the Medus acinaces. It was a
• Acna or ACNUA (also spelt agna and agnua) was, according to Varro, the Italian name, but, accor
• Acratisma the early breakfast (μρωϊνὸν ἄριστον), which the Greeks took immediately after rising, cor
• Acratophorum a vessel for containing pure and unmixed wine (ἄκρατος), thus distinct from the crater, in
• Acroama anything heard, and especially anything heard with pleasure, signified properly a musical
• Acrolithi statues of which the extremities (face, feet, and hands, or toes and fingers only) were of
• Acropodium . The only passage of an ancient author where the word occurs is in Hyg. Fab. 88, where a
• Acropolis . In almost all Greek cities, which were usually built upon a hill, rock, or some natural
• Acroterium ἀκρωτήριον) signifies an extremity of anything. It is generally used in the plural. 1. In
• Acta 1. Signified the public acts and orders of a Roman magistrate possessing the jus agendi cu
• Actia a festival of Apollo Actius, celebrated at Nicopolis in Epirus, with wrestling, musical co
• Actio An action or proceeding in the technical sense is the lawfully recognised mode of enforcin
• Actor generally means a plaintiff in a civil action, but is sometimes used for a prosecutor in a
• Actuarii or ACTARII 1. Clerks who compiled the Acta Publica. [ACTA] The name is also sometimes give
• Actus a Roman measure of land, which formed the basis of the whole system of land measurement. T
• Acus Greek (βελόνη, βελονίς, ῥαφίς, ἀκέστρα), a pin or needle, made sometimes of metal, sometim
• Addix a Greek measure of capacity, equal to four χοίνικες. (Aristoph. Fr. 573 Dind., 689 Meineke
• Adeia freedom from fear, or security, in any public action. When any one in Athens, who had not
• Adlecti or ALLECTI 1. Those who were chosen to fill up a vacancy in any office or collegium, and e
• Adlector a collector of taxes in the provinces in the time of the Roman emperors. (Cod. Theod. xii.
• Adlocutio This was the Roman technical term for a speech or address made by an Imperator to his troo
• Admissio reception or audience at court. At first all visitors were admitted without distinction to
• Adonia a festival celebrated in honour of Adonis, the beloved of Aphrodite. It had been introduce
• Adoptio adoption. The idea of the conservation of families lay at the root of Greek and Roman, as
• Adoratio was paid to the gods in the following manner: The person prostrated himself (pronus, Juv.
• Adulterium adultery. Greek Among the Athenians, if a man caught another in the act of criminal interc
• Adventus The arrival of an emperor in one of the provinces is an event frequently commemorated in b
• Adversaria note-book, memorandum-book, posting-book, in which the Romans entered memoranda of any imp
• Advocatus seems originally to have signified any person who supported another in a cause or other bu
• Adynati persons supported by the Athenian state, who, on account of infirmity or bodily defects, w
• Aeaceia a festival of the Aeginetans in honour of Aeacus, the details of which are not known. The
• Aedicula signifies in the singular a room (Plaut. Epid. 402), but in the plural a small house (Ter.
• Aediles I. AEDILES PLEBIS. In the year B.C. 494, after the secession of the plebs to the Mons Sace
• Aeditui more anciently called AEDITUMI or AEDITIMI (Varr. R. R. 1.2.1; L. L. 7.12, 8.61; Gel. 12.1
• Aeginetarum feriae feriae (Αἰγινητῶν ἑορτή), a festival in honour of Poseidon, which lasted sixteen days, dur
• Aegis the shield of Zeus. The origin of the word appears to have been confused by the ancients t
• Aeinautae magistrates at Miletus, consisting of the chief men in the state, who obtained the supreme
• Aeneatores were those who blew upon wind instruments in the Roman army, namely, the bucinatores, corn
• Aenigma a riddle. It appears to have been a very ancient custom among the Greeks, especially at th
• Aenum or AHENUM (sc. vas), a brazen vessel, used for boiling, is defined by Paullus to be a vess
• Aeora or EORA (αἰώρα, ἐώρα). 1. A festival at Athens, accompanied with sacrifices and banquets,
• Aerarii a class of Roman citizens, excluded from the tribes, and liable to pay a poll-tax, at the
• Aerarium the public treasury at Rome. After the banishment of the kings the temple of Saturn and Op
• Aero a basket made of osiers, rushes, or sedge (Donat. ad Ter. Phorm. 1.2, 72; Vitr. 5.12), and
• Aes . Much confusion arises from the fact that both Greeks and Romans use only one term for co
• Aes circumforaneum circumforaneum money borrowed from the Roman bankers (argentarii), who had shops in portic
• Aes equestre equestre, AES HORDEARIUM, and AES MILITARE, were the ancient terms for the pay of the Roma
• Aes grave grave This term was applied to the early Italian copper or bronze coins, as being heavy mo
• Aes manuarium manuarium was the money won in playing with dice, manibus collectum. Manus was the throw i
• Aes rude rude The blocks of copper of rude square or oblong form, and roughly stamped with a type w
• Aes uxorium uxorium a tax paid by men who reached old age without having married. It was first imposed
• Aesymnetes originally signified merely a judge in the heroic games, but afterwards indicated an indiv
• Aetnaea a festival celebrated in honour of Zeus Aetnaeus, so called from Mount Aetna, where a stat
• Aetolicum foedus foedus (τὸ κοινὸν τῶν Αἰτωλῶν), a confederation of the Aetolian towns and tribes, which wa
• Affines AFFINITAS, or ADFINES, ADFINITAS. Affinitas is the term used in Roman law to express the r
• Agamiou GRAPHE (ἀγαμίου γραφή). At Sparta, proceedings might be taken against those who married to
• Agaso a groom, a slave whose business it was to take care of the horses. (Plaut. Mere. 5.2, 11;
• Agathoergi . In time of war the kings of Sparta had a body-guard of 300 knights (ἱππεῖς), of whom the
• Agela an assembly of young men in Crete, who lived together from their seven-teenth year till th
• Agema the name of a chosen body of troops in the Macedonian army, forming the royal guard, consi
• Ageorgiou dike dike (ἀγεωργίου δίκη) is nowhere mentioned in the classical writers, but is thus explained
• Ager sanctus sanctus (τέμενος). For an account of the lands in Greece devoted to the service of religio
• Agger from ad and gero, was used in general for a heap or mound of any kind which might be made
• Agolum a shepherd's staff (pastorale baculum quo pecudes aguntur, Festus, s. v.), identified by R
• Agonalia AGONIA or AGONALES DIES. a name given to four festivals in the Roman calendar. Many differ
• Agones the general term among the Greeks for the contests at their great national games. [OLYMPIA
• Agonothetae were persons, in the Grecian games, who decided disputes and adjudged the prizes to the vi
• Agora . 1. Agora means an assembly of any nature, and is usually employed by Homer for the gener
• Agoranomi were public functionaries in most of the Grecian states, whose duties corresponded in many
• Agraphiou graphe graphe (ἀγραφίου γραφή). The names of all persons at Athens who owed any sum of money to t
• Agraphou metallou graphe metallou graphe (ἀγράφου μετάλλου γραφή) was an action brought before the thesmothetae at
• Agrariae leges leges The laws so called were laws dealing with the distribution of Roman public land (age
• Agraulia was a festival celebrated by the Athenians in honour of Agraulos, the daughter of Cecrops.
• Agricultura agriculture. Authorities. --When we remember that agriculture, in the most extended accept
• Agrimensores The business or profession of a land-surveyor appears not to have had any special organiza
• Agrimetatio In the origin of a community land has been acquired either by occupying what is vacant, or
• Agrionia a festival which was celebrated chiefly at Orchomenus, in Boeotia, in honour of Dionysus,
• Agronomi magistrates (ἄρχοντες), described by Aristotle in two passages of the Politics (6.8, 6; 7.
• Agroteras thysia thysia (ἀγροτέρας θυσία), a festival celebrated at Athens in honour of Artemis, surnamed A
• Agyrtae wandering beggars or collectors of alms (from ἀγείρειν), mostly but not always claiming a
• Aianteia a festival celebrated in honour of Ajax at Salamis, where he was worshipped as the tutelar
• Aikias dike dike (αἰκίας δίκη), a private action for assault, thus distinguished from the more serious
• Aithousa the open portico, or verandah, of the Homeric house, so called ἀπὸ τοῦ ἡλίψ αἴθεσθαι, the
• Akoèn martyrein MARTYREIN (ἀκοὴν μαρτυρεῖν). The general rule of Athenian, as of English jurisprudence, wa
• Ala ALARES, ALARII. These military terms had different meanings at different periods. 1. In th
• Alabarches a Roman official stationed at Alexandria under the Empire. Josephus applies the title (Ant
• Alabastrotheca according to some a casket for unguent-bottles [ALABASTRUM], according to others a holder
• Alabastrum and ALABASTER (ἀλάβαστρον, or rather ἀλάβαστος, as it is written in classical Greek: in pl
• Alauda a Gaulish word, the prototype of the modern French Alouette, denoting a small crested bird
• Album 1. a notice board or tablet on which the annual edict of the praetor was inscribed. It con
• Alcathoea games celebrated at Megara, in commemoration of the Eleian hero Alcathoos, son of Pelops,
• Alea gaming, or playing at a game of chance of any kind. [TALI, TESSERAE, PAR IMPAR.] Gaming wa
• Aleaea or ALAEA (Ἀλέαια), a festival celebrated to the honour of Athena Alea, near Tegea, with ga
• Alicula a short cloak coming down to the elbows, mentioned by Ulpian (Dig. 34, 2, 23) as proper to
• Alimentarii pueri et puellae pueri et puellae In the Roman republic the poorer citizens were assisted by public distrib
• Alipilus a slave who attended on bathers, to remove the superfluous hair from their bodies (Sen. Ep
• Aliptae among the Greeks, were persons who anointed the bodies of the athletae before and after th
• Allex or ALLIX (ἄλλιξ, ἄλληξ), a Thessalian name for a garment corresponding apparently to the G
• Alluvio is thus defined by Gaius (Inst. 2.701): Alluvium is an addition of soil to land by a river
• Aloa or HALOA (Ἀλῶα, Ἁλῶα), an Attic harvest festival, but celebrated principally at Eleusis an
• Alogiou dike dike (ἀλογίου δίκη), an action which might be brought before the logistae (λογισταὶ) at At
• Amanuensis or A MANU SERVUS, a slave, or freedman, whose office it was to write letters and other thi
• Amarynthia or AMARYSIA (Ἀμαρύνθια or Ἀμαρύσια), a festival of Artemis Amarynthia or Amarysia, celebra
• Ambacti according to Festus, s.v. the name for slaves in the Gallic language. Caesar (Caes. Gal. 6
• Ambarvalia a rural festival among the Romans for the purification (lustratio) of the country, and for
• Ambitus which literally signifies a going about, cannot be more nearly expressed than by our word
• Ambrosia festivals observed in Greece, in honour of Dionysus, which seem to have derived their name
• Ambubaiae female musicians from Syria, who gained their living by performing in public, at Rome, esp
• Amburbium or AMBURBIALE, a sacrifice which was performed at Rome for the purification of the city, i
• Amictorium a linen covering for the breasts of women, probably the same as the strophium. [STROPHIUM]
• Amictus AMICULUM. The Greek words corresponding to amicire and amictus are ἐπιβάλλεσθαι and ἐπίβλη
• Amma a measure of length, equal to forty πήχεις (cubits) or sixty πόδες (feet). It was used in
• Amnestia is a word used by the later Greek writers, and from them borrowed by the Romans, to descri
• Amorgina fine muslin-like textures made of ἀμοργίς, a peculiar flax named from the island of Amorgo
• Ampechone a shawl or scarf, worn by women over the χιτὼν or inner garment. [See TUNICA and PALLIUM]
• Amphiaraia games celebrated in honour of the ancient hero Amphiaraus, in the neighbourhood of Oropus,
• Amphictyones members of an Amphictyonia (Ἀμφικτυονία or Ἀμφικτιονία). Institutions called Amphictyonic
• Amphidromia a family festival of the Athenians at which the newly born child was introduced into the f
• Amphiorkia or AMPHOMOSIA (ἀμφιορκία or ἀμφωμοδία), the oath which was taken, both by the plaintiff an
• Amphisbetesis the act of claiming an inheritance (L. & S.) or, more properly, of disputing the title of
• Amphithalamus a room in the gynaeconitis, or women's quarters, in a Greek house, opposite the θάλαμος, f
• Amphitheatrum (ἀμφιθέατρον a description of building arranged for the exhibition of combats of gladiator
• Amphora . 1. A large vessel, which derived its name from its being made with a…
• Ampulla a tall, slender, narrow-necked vessel, furnished with a handle. The narrow neck is describ
• Ampyx a frontlet, or band, worn by Greek ladies to confine the hair, passing round the front of
• Amuletum a charm attached to the body of a human being or animal to avert calamities or secure good
• Amussis a level used by masons to test the evenness of a surface (Varr. ap. Non. 1.28 Festus, s. v
• Amystis from ἀ and μύω, a draught taken without drawing breath (Ath. 11.25, 783d). It was a favour
• Anadesme part of the headdress usually worn by Greek women (Il. 22.469; Eur. Med. 978). It seems to
• Anaglypha or ANAGLYPTA (ἀνάγλυφα, ἀνάγλυπτα), chased or embossed vessels made of bronze or of the pr
• Anagnostae also called Lectores, were slaves, who were employed by the educated Romans in reading to
• Anagoges dike dike (ἀναγωγῆς δίκη). If an individual sold a slave who had some secret disease--such, for
• Anagogia a festival celebrated at Eryx, in Sicily, in honour of Aphrodite. The inhabitants of the p
• Anakeia or ANAKEION (ἀνάκειον), a festival of the Dioscuri, or Ἄνακτες, as they were called, at At
• Anakleteria the name of a solemnity at which the minority of a young prince was declared at an end, an
• Anakrisis the preliminary investigation of a case by an archon or other magistrate before it was bro
• Analemma in its original meaning, is any thing raised or supported; it is applied in the plural to
• Anancaeum a large drinking vessel (Plaut. Rud. 2.3. 33), mentioned by Varro in a corrupt passage ap.
• Anatokismos compound interest, and the correlative εὐθυτοκία, simple interest, do not occur in the cla
• Anaumachiou graphe graphe (ἀναυμαχίου γραφή) was an impeachment of the trierarch who had kept aloof from acti
• Anaxagoreia a day of recreation for the youths at Lampsacus, which took place once every year, in comp
• Andrapodismou graphe graphe (ἀνδραποδισμοῦ γραφή), a public prosecution against two distinct offences. 1. Kidna
• Androgeonia a festival with games, held every year in the Kerameicos at Athens, in honour of the hero
• Androlepsia a process of Greek international law which rested upon the ancient religious ideas of the
• Andron a word which may be applied to any room in the ἀνδρωνῖτις, or men's quarters, in the Greek
• Angaria (ἀγγαρεία, ηδτ. ἀγγαρήϊον is a word borrowed from the Persians, signifying a system of pos
• Angiportus or ANGIPORTUM, a narrow lane between two rows of houses, sometimes ending in a cul de sac
• Annona is used to signify, 1, the produce of the year in corn, fruit,,wine, &c.: hence, 2, provis
• Antae were originally posts or pillars flanking a doorway. (Festus, s. v. Antes.) They were of a
• Anteambulones were slaves who were accustomed to go before their masters, in order to make way for them
• Antecessores called also ANTECURSORES. 1. Horse-soldiers, who were accustomed to precede an army on the
• Antefixa terra-cottas, which exhibited various ornamental designs, and were used in architecture to
• Antepagmenta the jambs of a door-case, often made with an ornamental moulding which projected before th
• Anthesphoria a flower or spring festival, principally celebrated in Sicily in honour of Demeter and Per
• Anthracion a small portable stove or brazier, filled with hot coals, and carried from room to room as
• Antidosis in its literal and general meaning, an exchange, was, in the language of the Attic courts,
• Antigoneia sacrifices instituted by Aratus and celebrated at Sicyon with paeans, processions, and con
• Antigraphe originally signified the writing put in by the defendant in all causes, whether public or
• Antigrapheis checking-clerks, contrarotulatores, contrôleurs. Efficient checks on the handling of publi
• Antinoeia annual festivals and quinquennial games, which the Roman emperor Hadrian instituted in hon
• Antlia any machine for raising water. [COCHLEA; GIRGILLUS; ROTA AQUARIA; SIPHO; TOLLENO; TYMPANUM
• Antyx the edge or border of any circular object. 1. The rim of the round shield (Il. 6.118, 14.4
• Anulus or ANNULUS (δακτύλιος), derived from the same root as ἀμφὶ, meaning something which goes r
• Apagoge was the act of arresting a person and carrying him off to prison. It was usually carried o
• Apateseos tou demou tou demou GRAPHÉ (ἀπατήσεως τοῦ δήμου γραφή), a public prosecution at Athens against any o
• Apaturia was a political festival, which the Athenians had in common with all the Greeks of the Ion
• Apene a carriage with four wheels (τετράκυκλος ἀπήνη, Hom. Il. 24.324), generally drawn by mules
• Apex 1. A cap worn by the flamines and salii at Rome. The essential part of the apex, to which
• Aphanes ousia ousia (ἀφανὴς οὺσὶα) and the correlative term φανερὰ οὐσία have been variously explained.
• Aphormes dike dike (ἀφορμῆς δίκη was the action brought against a banker or moneylender (τραπεζίτης) to
• Aphrodisia festivals celebrated in honour of Aphrodite, in a great number of towns in Greece, but par
• Apodectae the Receivers, were public officers at Athens, who were introduced by Cleisthenes in the p
• Apodidraskinda the game of hide and seek, played by the children in Greece, exactly as in our days. It is
• Apographe is literally a list, or register; but in the language of the Attic courts, the terms ἀπογρ
• Apokeryxis implies the method by which an Athenian father could dissolve the legal tie between himsel
• Apollonia is the name of a propitiatory festival solemnized at Sicyon, in honour of Apollo and Artem
• Apophasis a declaration, was--(1) The proclamation of the decision which the majority of the judges
• Apophora which properly means produce or profit of any kind, was used at Athens to signify the prof
• Apophoreta 1. (ἀποφόρητα), presents which were given to friends at the end of an entertainment, to ta
• Apophrades hemerai hemerai (ἀποφράδες ἡμέραι), unlucky or unfortunate days (dies nefasti), on which no public
• Aporrheseos dike dike (ἀπορρήσεως δίκη). The term ἀπόρρησις, prohibition, has a technical meaning in Attic
• Aporrheta literally things forbidden, has two peculiar, but widely different, acceptations in the At
• Apostasiou dike dike (ἀποστασίου δίκη) This is the only private suit which came, as far as we know, under
• Apostoleis ten commissioners, chosen out of the body of Athenian citizens without distinction of trib
• Apotheca a storehouse or magazine (Thuc. 6.97; Cic. Phil. 2.27, Vatin. 5; Dig. 33, 7, 12; Vulg. Par
• Apotheosis the enrolment of a man amongst the gods. While among the free Greeks and Romans all the de
• Apotympanismos beating to death with sticks, cudgels, or clubs (τὸ τυμπάνω ἀποκτεῖναι, ὅπερ ἐστὶ ξύλον ὥσ
• Apparitores the general name for the free attendants of the magistrates at Rome, as distinguished from
• Appellatio 1. Greek (ἔφεσις or ἀναδικία). Owing to the constitution of the Athenian tribunals, each o
• Aproskletos dike dike (ἀπρόσκλητος δίκη). If there were insufficient or fraudulent service of the summons (
• Aprostasiou graphe graphe (ἀπροστασίου γραφή), an action falling under the jurisdiction of the polemarch, whi
• Apsychon dike dike (ἀψύχων δίκη), an action against inanimate objects (ἄψυχα) which had caused the death
• Aquae pluviae arcendae actio pluviae arcendae actio An owner who altered the natural course of rain-water, and by so do
• Aquaeductus --literally, a water-conduit--would, of course, properly describe any channel for the pass
• Aquaelicium a sacrifice for rain (Paul. ex Festo, s. v. p. 2): aquilicia Jovi immolatis, nudipedalia d
• Aquaemanalis a jug or ewer (Varro, ap. Non. 547), that from which water flows; cf. lapis manalis, the…
• Aquarii were slaves who carried water for bathing, &c. into the female apartments: they were also
• Ara (βωμός, ἐσχάρα, θυτήριον an altar. Altars were in antiquity so indispensable a part of the
• Arabarches Under the Roman empire Egypt was divided into three governments (ἐπιστρατηγίαι), Upper, Mi
• Arateia two sacrifices offered every year at Sicyon in honour of Aratus, the general of the Achaea
• Aratrum a plough. The antiquity of its use in Greece may be inferred from the fact that its invent
• Arbor infelix infelix As applied to trees, felix and infelix imply fruit-producing or the reverse (Paul.
• Arca a chest or coffer. 1. Greek. In the Homeric poems, and probably far on into historic times
• Arcadicum foedus foedus (κοινὸν, τὸ Ἀρκαδικόν συνέδριον κοινὸν Ἀρκάδων ἁπάντων), the Arcadian League, was e
• Arcera a covered carriage or litter, spread with cloths, which was used in ancient times in Rome,
• Archeion properly means any public place belonging to the magistrates, whether among barbarians (Hd
• Archiater a medical title under the Roman emperors, the exact signification of which has been the su
• Architectura in its widest sense, signifies all that we understand by architecture, and by civil and mi
• Archon was the title of the chief magistrates in many Greek states. The wide diffusion of the nam
• Arcuballista a crossbow, occurs first in Vegetius (de Re Mil. 2.15), but is probably identical with the
• Arculum a kind of porter's knot or pad for carrying burdens, for which the usual Latin word is CES
• Arcuma or ARCIRMA, the latter according to Müller the best-attested reading, a carriole or small
• Arcus the bow used for shooting arrows, is one of the most ancient weapons, but its use in warfa
• Arcus triumphalis triumphalis (a triumphal arch) was a structure peculiar to the Romans, among whom it seems
• Ardanion a vessel full of water, which was placed at the door of a house in which a dead body was l
• Areiopagus The Areiopagus (Ἄρειος πάγος, in native authors and inscriptions always without the articl
• Arena 1. Sand. The composition of Roman mortar and cement is described under STRUCTURA: we here
• Arenarii are mentioned in inscriptions as formed into collegia (Orelli-Henzen, Nos. 2773, 4063). Th
• Aretalogi a class of persons whose conversation formed one of the entertainments of the Roman dinner
• Argei We learn from Livy (1.21) that Numa consecrated places for the celebration of religious se
• Argentarii dealers in money, included money-changers, usurers or money-lenders, and bankers properly
• Argentum The use of silver among the Greeks, although no doubt later introduced than that of gold,
• Argias graphe graphe (ἀργίας γραφή), that is, an action for idleness. Vagrants and idlers were not toler
• Argyraspides a division of the Macedonian army of Alexander the Great, who were so called because they
• Argyriou dike dike (ἀργυρίου δίκη), a civil suit belonging to the jurisdiction of the thesmothetae, to c
• Argyrokopeion the place where money was coined, the mint, at Athens. It appears to have been in or adjoi
• Argyrologoi the money-collecting ships of the Athenians, occur frequently in the Peloponnesian War (Th
• Argyrotamiae magistrates found only in Greek inscriptions of the Roman period. They appear to have been
• Ariadneia festivals solemnised in the island of Naxos in honour of Ariadne, who, according to one tr
• Aries the battering-ram, was used to shake, perforate, and batter down the walls of besieged cit
• Aristocratia a term in common use among Greek writers on politics, though rarely employed by historians
• Arithmetica (ἀριθμητική, sc. τέχνη or ἐπιστήυη, Plat. Gory. 450 D, &c.: in Latin, Vitr. 1.1, Plin. Nat
• Arma ARMATURA (ὅπλα, Hom. ἔντεα, τεύχεα), arms, armour. Homer describes in various passages the
• Armamenta in a general sense, signified any kind of implements or utensils (Plin. Nat. 17.152, 18.11
• Armamentarium a place where armamenta were kept; an armoury or, more frequently, a naval arsenal where t
• Armarium a cupboard, set upright in the wall of a room, for food, clothes, books, money, and househ
• Armilausa a kind of military tunic worn by foot-soldiers, reaching down to the knees; cf. Mauritius,
• Armilla : in Greece…
• Armillum a sort of wine-jug (urceolus, Varro, ap. Non. s. v. p. 547). Festus mentions it as used in
• Armilustrium a Roman festival for the purification of arms. It was celebrated every year on the 14th be
• Arnis a festival held by the Argives during the month of August, at which they used to kill any
• Arotoi hieroi hieroi (ἄροτοι ἱεροί). These were three sacred ploughings in Attica to commemorate the ins
• Arra ARRABO, an earnest. The word arrâbo is Hebrew, and occurs (ἀρραβὼν,, LXX.) in Gen. 38.17-2
• Arrhephoria a festival which, according to the various ways in which it is written (for we find ἐρσηφό
• Artaba a Persian measure of capacity, principally used as a corn-measure, which contained, accord
• Artemsia great festivals celebrated in honour of Artemis in various parts of Greece, in the spring
• Artifices It is proposed in this article to touch on the general condition of the artisans in Greece
• Artynoi or ARTYNAI (ἄρτυνοι or ἀρτῦναι), a sort of council at Argos and Epidaurus inside the gover
• Arura a Greek measure of surface, which would appear, from its name, to have been originally the
• Arvales fratres fratres The Fratres Arvales formed a college or company of priests, twelve in number, and
• Arx (ἄκρα signified a height within the walls of a city, but which was never closed by a wall
• Aryballos a vessel somewhat resembling the λήκυθος and ampulla, and, like them, used for carrying oi
• As We defer to the article PONDERA an account of the Roman libra or pound as a weight, and wi
• Asaminthus a bath-tub, in which the bather sat, while hot water was poured over his head and shoulder
• Ascia a tool employed in somewhat different forms for different purposes. 1. The σκέπαρνον of Ho
• Asclepieia the name of festivals which were probably celebrated in all places where temples of Asklep
• Ascoliasmus was one of the many kinds of amusement in which the Athenians indulged during the Antheste
• Ascos a leathern bag, chiefly of goat-skin, mostly used for the transport of wine (Hom. Il. 3.24
• Asebeias graphe graphe (ἀσεβείας γραφή) was one of the many forms prescribed by the Attic laws for the imp
• Asiarchae were, in the Roman province of Asia, the chief presidents of the religious rites, whose of
• Asilla a wooden pole, or yoke, held by a man either on his two shoulders, or more commonly on one
• Assarion The Greek word ἀσσάριον is merely a rendering used in Polybius and other writers of the La
• Asser what is joined to the walls, means the beam of a house (Plaut. Aul. 2.6, 8), or, more usua
• Assertor or ADSERTOR is the name given to the party who asserts or vindicates in an action (liberal
• Assessor or ADSESSOR. The consuls, praetors, governors of provinces, and the judices were often imp
• Astragalus literally signifies that particular bone in the ankles of certain quadrupeds which the Gre
• Astrateias graphe graphe (ἀστρατείας γραφή). Under this head we may conveniently group the principal militar
• Astrologia This word is employed by the best Latin writers (e. g. Cic. de Divin. 2.42, 87; de Orat. 1
• Astronomia astronomy. It is not proposed in the present article to give a technical history of the ri
• Astynomi public officers in most of the Greek states, who had to preserve order in the streets, to
• Asylia inviolability. 1. The security of person and property everywhere granted to ambassadors an
• Asylum . Greek In the Greek states the temples, altars, sacred groves, and statues of the gods ge
• Ateleia is generally immunity or exemption from some or all of the duties which a person has to pe
• Athenaeum a school (ludus) founded by the Emperor Hadrian at Rome, for the promotion of literary and
• Athletae . The term is in strictness applied to those who contended for prizes (ἆθλα) in the games
• Atimia . The undiminished possession of the rights of an Athenian citizen was expressed by the wo
• Atlantes and TELAMONES (τελαμῶνες) are terms used in architecture, the former by the Greeks, the la
• Atramentum a term applicable to any black liquid (for instance; that emitted by the cuttle-fish, Cic.
• Atrium is used in a distinctive as well as collective sense, to designate a particular part in th
• Atticurges is an architectural term, which only occurs in Vitruvius (3.5.2; 4.6, § § 1, 6, Schn.: as
• Auceps a bird-catcher, fowler (Ov. A. A. 3.669; Varr. L. L. 8.61, and ap. Non. 1, 97), the occupa
• Auctio signifies generally an increasing, an enhancement, and hence the name is applied to a publ
• Auctor a word which contains the same element as augeo, and signifies generally one who enlarges,
• Auctoritas The technical meanings of this word correlate with those of auctor. The auctoritas senatus
• Auctoritas patrum patrum Few points in the constitution of Rome have been more discussed, and still divide o
• Auditorium as the name implies, is any place for hearing. It was the practice among the Romans for po
• Augur AUGURIUM; AUSPEX, AUSPICIUM. Augur or auspex meant a diviner by birds, but came in course
• Augustales were games celebrated in honour of Augustus…
• Augustales the name of two classes of priests, one at Rome and the other in the municipia, frequently
• Augustus a name bestowed upon Octavianus by the senate and the Roman people, Jan. 16, B.C. 27. This
• Aula an open yard, or court. In the Homeric house the αὐλὴ served the purpose of a farm-yard, a
• Aulaeum usually in the plural AULAEA (ἡ αὐλαία), a curtain, carpet, or hanging, mostly of the heav
• Aureus Of the use of gold for coins among the Greeks, an account is given under PONDERA and AURUM
• Aurum Gold, from its malleability and the circumstance that it is found lying in lumps, was one
• Aurum coronarium coronarium When a general in a Roman province had obtained a victory, it was the custom fo
• Aurum lustrale lustrale was a tax imposed by Constantine, according to Zosimus (2.38), upon all merchants
• Authepsa or self-boiler, was a vessel used for heating water or keeping it hot. As is well known, b
• Automolias graphe graphe (αὐτομολίας γραφή), the accusation of persons charged with having deserted and gone
• Autonomi the name given by the Greeks to those states which were governed by their own laws, and we
• Axones also called κύρβεις, wooden tablets painted white, and made to turn on an upright axis, on