Greek and Roman Antiquities

• Cabeiria the mysteries of the Pelasgic (Hdt. 2.51) Cabeiri, were celebrated in the islands stretchi
• Caccabus less correctly CACABUS, a cooking-pot. The statement of Varro, L. L. 5.127, vas ubi coqueb
• Caduceus was the staff or mace carried by Greek heralds and ambassadors in time of war. [PRAECO] (P
• Cadurcum a kind of linen, which took its name from the tribe which produced it, the Cadurci, who in
• Cadus a large vessel usually of earthenware; indeed the Ionians used the word to denote any eart
• Caelatura . The words τορευτικὴ and caelatura, derived respectively from τορεὺς and caelum (lit. gra
• Caementum rubble, or small undressed stones, used together with mortar to form the caementiciae stru
• Caesar a title of the Roman emperors, was originally a family name of the Julia gens; it was assu
• Caestus the thongs or bands of leather which were tied round the hands of boxers, in order to rend
• Calamistrum a curling-iron, so called from its resemblance to a reed. Its use among the Greeks may be
• Calamus a reed. Under this head it seems desirable to group an account of the most important objec
• Calathus dim. calathiscus (καλαθίσκος). Calathus is a Greek word, though used by the Latin writers.
• Calator originally a slave employed as a caller or crier (Plaut. Merc. 5.2, 11; Pseud. 4.2, 52; Bu
• Calautica a female head-dress, described by Nonius, p. 537, as tegmen muliebre, quod capiti innectit
• Calcar a spur, an implement to which we find no reference in the Homeric writings, in which ridin
• Calceus a boot, shoe, or other covering for the feet. 1. Greek. The Greeks generally wore some sor
• Calculator signifies a keeper of accounts in general, but was also used in the signification of a tea
• Calda or CALIDA, sc. aqua, the warm drink of the Greeks and Romans, occurs as early as Plato (Re
• Caldarium 1. The hot or thermal chamber of Roman baths (Vitr. 5.10; Sen. Ep. 86; Cels. 1.4; BALNEAE)
• Calendarium or rather KALENDARIUM, is the account-book in which creditors entered the names of their d
• Caliendrum a tall female head-dress, but whether a wig of false hair or an arrangement of draperies i
• Caliga a strong and heavy shoe, or rather sandal, worn by the Roman soldiers. Although the use of
• Calix κύλιξ). Though not found in Homer or Hesiod, this was the most common kind of drinking cup
• Calix a tube, regulating the supply of water, attached to the extremity of each pipe, where it e
• Callis defined by Isidor. Orig. 15.16, 20, as iter pecudum inter montes angustum et tritum, a cal
• Callisteia contests for beauty, festivals celebrated in different parts of Greece. (Schol. ad Il. 9.1
• Calo a slave of the lower kind, usually but not always (cf. Hor. Sat. 1.2, 44, i.. 6, 103; Up.
• Calpis a water-urn, a pitcher or ewer. It is another name for the hydria (ὑδρία), and Aristophane
• Calumnia signifies generally the taking of legal proceedings, criminal or civil, against another pe
• Camara or CAMERA, properly signifies any arched or vaulted covering, and anything with such a cov
• Camilli CAMILLAE, boys and girls employed in the sacrifices of the Flamen Dialis, the Flaminica Di
• Camisia whence French chemise, a linen shirt worn next to the skin, is first mentioned in the four
• Campagus a kind of boot worn by the Roman emperors and military officers under the later empire. (T
• Campestre was a kind of girdle or apron, which the Roman youths wore around their loins, when they e
• Campidoctores officers who taught soldiers their drill and exercises (Veget. 1.13, 2.23, 3.6, 8, 26: Lam
• Canabus was a wooden stock or framework used by potters and sculptors round which the clay was lai
• Canaliculus a small channel or canal (Vitr. 10.14; Col. 8.15, 6), is also used in the following specia
• Canalis a channel or canal, is used, like its English derivatives, to signify a watercourse, wheth
• Canathron was a Laconian car made of wood, with an arched plaited covering,-- πλέγματα ἔχουσα, as He
• Cancelli a screen or lattice of open work, placed before a window, a doorway, the tribunal of a jud
• Candela a candle, made either of wax (cerea) or tallow (sebacea), was used universally by the Roma
• Candelabrum was originally a candlestick, but was afterwards used to support lamps (whence also called
• Candys a gown worn by the Medes and Persians over their trowsers and other garments (Xen. Cyr. 1.
• Canephorus is a basket-bearer. The κάνειον or κανοῦν, derived from κάννα, a reed (Ebeling, Horn. Lex.
• Canon derived probably from κάννα, a reed, meant a straight rod; hence the following special app
• Cantabrum a standard used in the time of the Roman empire, of which the form is unknown, and carried
• Cantharus is the name of a kind of boat--of what shape we do not know (Aristoph. Peace 143, and ap.
• Canticum The grammarian Diomedes (p. 491, Keil) says: Latinae comoediae duobus tantum membris const
• Capis an earthen vessel used in sacrifices. Other forms are capedo (Cic. Parad. 1.2, 11), capedu
• Capisterium an instrument employed for cleansing the ears of corn after they had been threshed out and
• Capistrum is derived from capic, and means a halter for animals, just like our own in shape, made ap
• Capita aut navia aut navia head or tail, the name of a game at pitch and toss, derived from the fact that t
• Capital a kerchief of woollen (Varr. L. L. 5.130) or linen cloth (P. Diac. p. 57 M.), worn round t
• Capitium a portion of a woman's dress, said by Varro to be so called because it covers (capit) the
• Capsa or SCRINIUM, the box for holding books and papers among the Romans (Cic. Div. in Caecil. 1
• Capsarii the name of three different classes of slaves:--1. Of those who took care of the clothes o
• Capulus . 1. The hilt of a sword, which was frequently much ornamented. (Verg. A. 2.553; Ov. Met.
• Caput comes to signify: (1) A single person or thing as distinct from an aggregate…
• Caput extorum extorum The Roman soothsayers (haruspices) pretended to a knowledge of coming events from
• Carabus a coracle or boat made of wicker-work and covered with raw hides. The word is late, not…
• Caracalla was an outer garment used in Gaul, and not unlike the Roman lacerna. [LACERNA] It was firs
• Carbasus cotton, from Sansk. karpâsa, was an Eastern product, originally called ἔρια ἀπὸ ξύλου (cf.
• Carbatina probably in strictness means made of dried skin, connected with κάρφω; but is generally ap
• Carcer a prison. 1. Greek. Imprisonment was seldom used among the Greeks as a legal punishment fo
• Carchesium according to Callixenus (in Ath. 474f), was a kind of cup, rather long (ἐπίμηκες), narrowe
• Cardo a hinge. The older and simpler form of hinge was a pivot working in a socket; of this kind
• Caristia or CHARISTIA a Roman domestic feast, celebrated on viii. Kal. Mart. (Feb. 22). Following t
• Carmentalia an old Roman festival celebrated in honour of the nymphs called Carmenta or Carmentis, for
• Carnarium 1. A larder (Plaut. Curc. 2.3, 45; Plin. Nat. 19.57); used also for sheltering plants in t
• Carneia a great national festival, celebrated by the Spartans in honour of Apollo Carneios, which,
• Carnifex the public executioner at Rome, who put slaves and foreigners to death (Plaut. Bacch. 4.4,
• Carpentum was a two-wheeled carriage with an arched covering [CAMARA]. The use of it is mentioned in
• Carpou dike dike (καρποῦ δίκη), a civil action under the jurisdiction of the thesmothetae, might be in
• Carrago a kind of fortification, consisting of a great number of waggons placed round an army. It
• Carruca a carriage used in imperial times, and first mentioned by Pliny (H.N. 33.140). Like the re
• Cartibulum a particular kind of table described by Varro (L. L. 5.125) as frequently seen in the atri
• Caryatides is the name commonly given to female figures used in place of columns as the supports of a
• Castra I. hi Greek. The naval camp of the Greeks in Homer, lying between Rhoeteum and Sigeum, was
• Castrenses a name applied under the early empire to the ministri of the emperor, whose residence was
• Catalogus the catalogue of those persons in Athens who were liable to regular military service. At A
• Catalyseos tou demou graphe tou demou graphe (καταλύσεως τοῦ δήμου γραφή was an action brought against those persons w
• Cataphracti a kind of mail-clad cavalry found principally among the Eastern nations (Just. 41.2; Lampr
• Catapirates a sounding lead. It consisted of a small piece of unwrought lead fastened to twisted cord.
• Cataracta . 1. A portcullis, so called because it fell with great force and a loud noise. This contr
• Cateia a missile used in war by the Germans, Gauls, and some of the Italian nations, ascribed als
• Catena dim, CATELLA (ἅλυσις dim. ἁλύσιον, ἁλυσίδιον), a chain. The true chain in which the metal
• Cathedra a seat; French, chaire, chaise; Eng. chair: but the term was more particularly applied to
• Catinus or CATINUM, dim. CATILLUS or CATILLUM, a dish or platter on which viands were served up. O
• Caupo The nature of the business of a caupo is explained by Gaius (Dig. 4, 9, 5): Caupo... merce
• Caupona signified: 1. An inn, where travellers obtained food and lodging; in which sense it answer
• Causia a broad-brimmed felt hat, which was part of the national costume of the Macedonians and ne
• Cautio has a variety of meanings, corresponding in the main with those of the verb from which it
• Cavere in legal language means (1) to take precautions on behalf of any one (Dig. 22, 3, 9). (2)
• Ceadas or CAEADAS(Καιάδας) was a deep cavern or chasm, like the Barathron at Athens, into which t
• Celeres according to Livy (1.15, 8), a body-guard of 300 chosen by Romulus to attend him in peace
• Cella 1. In its primary sense, cella means a store-room (Ubi quid conditum esse volebant, a cela
• Celox derived from κέλλω, cello, to urge on, means a swift boat. The Greek word also means a rac
• Cena less correctly COENA (δεῖπνον), the principal meal of the Greeks and Romans, corresponding
• Cenotaphium a cenotaph, i. e. an empty or honorary tomb. It was erected sometimes as a memorial of a p
• Censor the name of two magistrates of high rank in the Roman republic. Their office was called Ce
• Census 1. Greek. The Greek term for a man's property as ascertained by the census, as well as for
• Centesima namely pars, or the hundredth part, also called vectigal rerum venalium, or centesima reru
• Cento dim. CENTUNCULUS, patchwork, a covering or garment consisting of several pieces of cloth s
• Centumviri The history of the court of the Centumviri is obscure. It formed one of the two permanent
• Cepotaphium a tomb in a garden, of which Virgil's tomb on the hill of Posilipo is a well-known example
• Cera wax. For its employment by the athletae, see CEROMA; in painting, see PICTURA; as a writin
• Cercurus a light, swift-sailing vessel, used both in war and in commerce, is first mentioned in the
• Cerdo a name applied to slaves or lower class of workmen (Juv. 4.153, 8.182; Pers. 4.51), someti
• Cerialia CERIALES LUDI (the spelling Cereales is incorrect: Mommsen, Staatsr. 2.451, note 2), festi
• Ceroma a wax composition, with different references:-- 1. A plaster, with wax as the principal in
• Certi INCERTI ACTIO are names used to denote two varieties of Roman actions, viz. those in which
• Cervesia CERISIA, CEREVISIA (ζῦθος), ale or beer, a beverage scarcely ever drunk by the ancient Gre
• Cervi so called from their resemblance to the horns of a stag (Varr. L. L. 5.117), were branches
• Cervical properly denotes a pillow or cushion to support the head or shoulder, on a bed or dining c
• Cesticillus a porter's knot, pad for carrying burdens, is known to us only through the gloss in Festus
• Cestus . In Horn. Il. 14.214, an adj., applied to the girdle (ἱμάς) of Aphrodite, on which were e
• Cetra or CAETRA (καιτρέα, καίτρα), a target, i. e. a small round shield, made from an animal's h
• Chalcidicum is defined by Festus as a sort of building (genus aedificii, P. Diac. p. 52 M.), so called
• Chalcioicia an annual festival, with sacrifices, celebrated at Sparta, in honour of Athena, surnamed Χ
• Chalcus . We have spoken, under AES of the use of bronze or copper for money, which began in most
• Chalkeia a very ancient festival celebrated at Athens, which was originally of an agrarian characte
• Charila one of the three festivals celebrated at Delphi every ninth year, as a thanksgiving for ha
• Cheironomia . The movement of the hands was an important part of Greek and Roman dancing [SALTATIO], a
• Cheirotonia . In the Athenian assemblies two modes of voting were practised, the one by ballot [PSEPHU
• Chele derived from χα-, to gape (Vaniĉek, 237). Thus it is used for cracks in the feet (Poll. 4.
• Chelidonia a custom observed in the island of Rhodes, in the month of Boëdromion, the time when the s
• Cheme derived from χα-, to gape; hence it means a yawn (Hesych.); also the cockle, from its gapi
• Chernibon or CHEIRONIPTRON χερνιβεῖον [in Hom. Il. 24.304 it is χέρνιβον] or χειρόνιπτρον), a basin
• Chiramaxium any wheeled carriage drawn by the hand. Its use may have varied between a perambulator for
• Chirographum the Latin equivalent of the Greek word χειρόγραφον, means, in its original and widest sens
• Chirurgia surgery. The practice of surgery was at first considered by the ancients to be merely a pa
• Chitonia a festival celebrated in the Attic village of Chitone in honour of Artemis, surnamed Chito
• Chlamys a short mantle. This term, being Greek, denoted an article of the AMICTUS or outer raiment
• Chloeia or CHLOIA (χλόεια or χλοιά), a festival celebrated at Athens in honour of Demeter Chloë, o
• Choenix . The Schol. on Ar. Plut. 276, where χοῖνιξ means some kind of shackle or stocks for putti
• Choregus . Greek The choregia (χορηγία) was one of the ordinary services (ἐγκύκλιοι λειτουργίαι) at
• Chorobates an instrument for determining the slope of an aqueduct and the levels of the country throu
• Chorus 1. Greek. The word χορὸς in Greek signifies both a place for dancing (Hom. Od. 8.260; cf.
• Chous a Greek liquid measure containing 12 κοτύλαι or 5.76 English pints. It was equal to the Ro
• Chreous DIKÉ (χρέους δίκη), a simple action for debt, belongs to the class of cases arising upon a
• Chronologia is the science by which time is measured according to the courses of the stars, and more e
• Chryselephantina sc. agalmata. This term, though resting on no better authority than that of the Scholiast
• Chrysendeta were metal dishes (lances) used by the Romans for serving up food at table. Martial mentio
• Chthonia a festival celebrated at Hermione in honour of Demeter, surnamed Chthonia (Eur. Her. 608).
• Chytra a pot, generally of earthenware, for cooking. The chytra was an indispensable utensil, eve
• Ciborium properly is the shell of the Egyptian bean plant (colocasia), the bean itself being called
• Cilicium a hair-cloth. The material of which the Greeks and Romans almost universally made this kin
• Cilliba . 1. In Greece, a trestle or stand for anything, especially for a shield (Aristoph. Ach. 1
• Cingulum . Passing over the cestus [CESTUS] and strophium or fascia pectoralis, also called ἀναδεσμ
• Cippus 1. Originally the trunk of a tree with its branches lopped off, left standing in the groun
• Circinus a compass. The compass used by statuaries, architects, masons, and carpenters, is often re
• Circus a building used by the Romans for chariot races and other amusements, the general form of
• Cisium a gig, i. e. a light open carriage with two wheels, adapted to carry two persons rapidly f
• Cissybium was a large wooden rustic cup with one handle (Philemon and Neoptolemus ap. Ath. 476f, 477
• Cista CISTELLA (κίστη, κιστίς) was probably at first a wicker basket used for holding fruits and
• Cistophorus was a term applied to certain silver coins issued in Western Asia Minor, in consequence of
• Civitas citizenship. 1. Greek. In the third book of the Politics, Aristotle commences his inquiry
• Clabularis or CLAVULARIS. The cursus clabularis in the Theodosian Code (6.29.2.4, and 5.1; and 8.5.23
• Clava a club. The shape of the club is seen in works of art relating to Hercules, who is usually
• Clavis a key. In Homer the κλεὶς is not a key in the modern meaning of the word, but rather a hoo
• Clavus a nail. In Homer ἧλος is not a nail to fix or fasten, but a stud or projecting head used a
• Clavus latus latus, CLAVUS ANGUSTUS. It was a common usage with many nations of antiquity to adorn a ga
• Cleteres or CLETORES (κλητῆρες or κλήτορες), summoners. The Athenian summoners were not official pe
• Cliens contains the same linguistic element as cluere (κλύειν), to hear or obey: cf. the affinity
• Clima literally a slope or inclination, was used in the mathematical geography of the Greeks wit
• Clipeus also CLIPEUM (ἀσπίς, σάκος), the large shield used by the Greeks and the Romans, which was
• Clitellae a pair of panniers, and therefore only used in the plural number. (Hor. Sat. 1.5, 47; Plau
• Cloaca a drain. The removal of the sewage of cities by an extensive system of drains is as old as
• Coa vestis vestis also COA (n. pl.), the Coan cloth or garments, mentioned by various authors, but mo
• Coactor This name was applied to collectors of various sorts, e. g. to the servants of the publica
• Cochlis is an adjective used with columna by P. Victor (Reg. Urb. Rom. viii. and ix.) to denote su
• Coclea or COCHLEA (κοχλίας), which properly means a snail, was also used to signify other things
• Coclear was a kind of spoon, the bowl of which was usually round, while the handle was…
• Codex dim. CODICILLUS (the older form was caudex: Cato, ap. Front. Epist. ad M. Anton. 1.2). The
• Codex accepti et expensi accepti et expensi Each Roman citizen kept at least two account books: (1) The Adversaria,
• Codex gregorianus gregorianus a collection of imperial Roman constitutions or enactments made by one Gregori
• Codex hermogenianus hermogenianus (sometimes, though without good reason, regarded as one collection with the
• Codex Justinianeus Justinianeus The motives by which the Emperor Justinian was induced to codify the enactmen
• Codex theodosianus theodosianus In A.D. 429, Theodosius II., Emperor of the Eastern Empire, whose capital was
• Cognati Cognationis substantia bifariam apud Romanos intelligitur. Nam quaedam cognationes jure ci
• Colacretae the name of very ancient magistrates at…
• Collare a band or chain attached to the neck (collum), a collar. Dogs with collars are frequently
• Collegium A collegium is an association of at least three persons (Dig. 50, 16, 85) for some permane
• Colliciae or COLLQUIAE 1. Gutters made with concave tiles (tegulae colliciares) for carrying away wa
• Collybus the smallest copper coin at Athens, the fourth of the Chalcus. (Aristoph. Peace 1200; Eupo
• Collyrium : 1. In medical language, a tent, pessary or suppositary, made of medicinal substances and
• Colonatus COLONI. Colonus originally denoted the free lessee of land under a contract of locatio con
• Colonia 1. Greek. The Greek colonies, according to Wachsmuth (Hell. Alterth. 1.99, 100), may be di
• Colores The Greeks and Romans had a very extensive acquaintance with colours as pigments. Book vii
• Colossus . For the origin of this word, cf. Curtius, Greek Etym. 1.176. It rarely occurs in the Att
• Colum a strainer or colander, was used for straining wine, milk, olive-oil, drugs, perfumes, and
• Columbar a kind of pillory, in which the head passed through a hole, like the holes in a pigeon-hou
• Columbarium a dove-cote, or pigeon-house. An account of pigeons with their columbaria is given under A
• Columen is used in architecture, either generally for the roof of a building, or particularly for
• Columna a pillar or column. Under the term column is comprised a number of forms, bearing indeed a
• Columnarium a tax imposed in the time of Julius Caesar upon the pillars that supported a house. (Cic.
• Coma . 1. Greek. The word κομᾶν in Greek signifies to wear long hair, and the constant epithet
• Comes denotes originally a fellow-traveller: hence it is applied to the members of the retinue o
• Comissatio the name of a drinking entertainment, which took place…
• Comitia assemblies of the people at Rome, for the purpose of transacting business. They were thus
• Commentarius COMMENTARII (ὑπομνήματα), properly notes or note-books. Hence the word acquires a variety
• Commissoria lex lex is a term met with in the law of pledge and in the law of sale. In the former it meant
• Commissum One sense of this word is that of forfeited, which is derived from the sense of the verb c
• Commodatum is one of the Roman obligations contracted re, by delivery. It is the gratuitous loan of a
• Communi dividundo actio dividundo actio is one of the so-called judicia divisoria, or partition actions (the other
• Comoedia . 1. Greek. The early stages of the history of comedy are involved in great indistinctness
• Compensatio is defined by Modestinus (Dig. 16, 2, 1) as debiti et crediti inter se contributio: it cor
• Compes a fetter or shackle for the ankles. These were sometimes so constructed as to deprive the
• Compitalia also called LUDI COMPITALICII, a festival celebrated once a year in honour of the two Lare
• Concha a mussel-or cockle-shell, was the name of a vessel made in the form of such a shell. These
• Concilium an assembly in general, sometimes used in a loose way to designate the comitia of the cent
• Conclave a separate room in a house, or a series of rooms, which might be locked with the same key
• Concubina . Greek The παλλακή occupied at Athens a kind of middle rank between the wife (cf. Lys. 1.
• Condy an Asiatic drinking vessel, sometimes used by the Greeks, made of silver or gold. Accordin
• Confessio The ordinary course of a civil action was summarily interrupted if the defendant, while th
• Confessoria actio actio is the remedy of a person who has a right of SERVITUS (e. g. a right of way or a usu
• Confusio Under this head it will be convenient to group a number of the naturales rerum singularum
• Congiarium a vessel containing that liquid measure (Paulus, in Dig. 33, 8, 13). In the early times of
• Congius a Roman liquid measure containing six sextarii (Carm. de Pond. 72), or the eighth part of
• Conopeum a gnat or mosquito-curtain, i. e. a covering made to be expanded over beds and couches to
• Conquisitores persons employed to go about the country and impress soldiers when there was a difficulty
• Consilium a select assembly of official persons who sat together (root sed); thus distinguished from
• Consistorium Augustus and his successors, following an ancient practice of Roman magistrates, consulted
• Constitutiones are the enactments of the Roman emperors, in the exercise of their legislative authority,
• Consualia a festival celebrated at Rome in honour of the god Consus, the protector of horses, identi
• Consul the highest republican magistrate at Rome. The derivation of the name is still quite uncer
• Consularis throughout the time of the Roman republic, signifies a person who has been invested with t
• Contio often erroneously spelt CONCIO is a contraction for conventio; that is, a meeting, or a co
• Contorniati This Italian word (French and English contorniates) has been usually employed by numismati
• Contubernales . This word, in its original meaning, signified men who served in the same army and lived
• Contus was, as Nonius (p. 555 m., 18.24) expresses it, hasta longior et robusta, with a pointed i
• Conventus is properly a name which may be given to any assembly of men who meet for a certain purpos
• Cophinus a large kind of wicker basket, made of osier branches. (Moer. Att. and Hesych. sub voce Ἄρ
• Copis a curved sword, like a falx, and therefore a kind of scimitar (Xen. Eq. 12.1. 1: copidas v
• Corbis dim. CORBULA, CORBICULA, a basket of very peculiar form and common use among the Romans, b
• Corbitae merchantmen of the larger class, so called because they hung out a corbis at the mast-head
• Coriarius a tanner. Most of the names for hides or skins in Greek-- δορά, δέρμα, διφθέρα, βύρσα, σκῦ
• Cornicularius the wearer of a CORNICULUM; hence in Roman armies an adjutant or aide-de-camp attached to
• Corniculum a little horn, was a Roman military decoration attached to the helmet. There seems no reas
• Cornu denotes various objects made of horn, especially a wind instrument, anciently made of horn
• Cornu copiae copiae or as one word, CORNUCOPIAE, later CORNUCOPIA (Amm. Marc. 22.9.1; 25.2.3), the horn
• Corona a crown; that is, a circular ornament of metal, leaves, or flowers, worn by the ancients r
• Coronis the cornice of an entablature, is properly a Greek word signifying anything curved (Schol.
• Corpus juris civilis juris civilis is the term which, since the end of the 16th century, has been used to denot
• Corrigia 1. A shoe-string or boot-lace (Cic. de Div. 2.4. 0; Varr. ap. Non. p. 448, 26), which was
• Cortina 1. In its primary sense, a large circular vessel for containing liquids, and used in cooki
• Corvus a sort of crane, used by C. Duilius. against the Carthaginian fleet in the battle fought o
• Corybantes . The history and explanation of the deities bearing this name, in the early mythology of
• Corycus a large leathern sack, filled with flour, fig-grains, or sand, hung up in the gymnasium, f
• Cosmetae a class of slaves among the Romans, whose duty it was to dress and adorn ladies (Juv. Sat.
• Cosmi the chief magistrates of Crete. It is proposed under this head to give a brief account of
• Cothurnus . The word cothurnus is chiefly associated with tragedy, and among the Romans was the name
• Cottabos a game much in use at Athenian symposia, especially in the fifth and fourth centuries B.C.
• Cotyla or COTULA (κοτύλη, κότυλος, dim. κοτυλίσκη, κοτυλίσκος, κοτυλίσκιον), a kind of cup, the e
• Cotyttia or COTTYTES (κοτύττια, κόττυτες), a festival which was originally celebrated by the Edonia
• Covinus or COVINNUS (Celtic, kowain), a kind of car, the spokes of which were armed with long sick
• Crater was the large bowl used at feasts for mixing the wine for the whole company. There can be
• Crates a hurdle, used by the ancients in many different ways, especially, as among ourselves, for
• Craticula the diminutive of crates, seems always to mean a gridiron (Mart. 14.221). In Petronius (Sa
• Craticulum andirons or dogs, rests on each side of the fire on which a spit turns. On the derivation,
• Crepida also called crepidula (Plaut. Pers. 4.2, 3), was a kind of shoe of the nature of sandals (
• Crimen is a term which has two ordinary meanings: a punishable offence (e.g. crimen admittere, co
• Critae i. e. judges, a name applied by the Greeks to any person who did not judge of a thing as a
• Crocota dim. CROCOTULA (sc. vestis; κροκωτόν, sc. ἱμάτιον, or κροκωτός, sc. χιτών), a light and sh
• Cronia a festival celebrated at Athens in honour of Cronos, whose worship was said to have been i
• Crotalum a kind of castanet, rattle, or clapper used by dancers, but distinct from the CYMBALUM and
• Crumena a purse. It was a leathern bag. slung round the neck (Plaut. Asin. 3.3, 67; Truc. 3.1, 7);
• Crux an instrument of capital punishment, used at a very early period in the East. The sacred a
• Crypta any long narrow vault, either dark or dimly lighted. It might be on the level of the groun
• Crypteia was a system of secret police adopted by the Spartans in order to maintain their control o
• Ctesibica machina machina a hydraulic engine named after its inventor, Ctesibius of Alexandria, quiet vim sp
• Cubicularii were slaves who had the care of the sleeping and dwelling rooms. Faithful slaves were alwa
• Cubiculum usually means a sleeping and dwelling room in a Roman house [DOMUS], but also applied to t
• Cubitus a measure of length used by the Greeks, Romans, and other nations, was originally the leng
• Cubus a die, cube [TESSERA]. A cubic foot of water was the amphora or quadrantal, the principal
• Cucullus a cowl, was intended to be used in the open air, and to be drawn over the head to protect
• Cudo or CUDON, a helmet of very simple form, fitting close like a skull-cap, made of leather or
• Culleus or CULEUS, a Roman measure, which was used for estimating the produce of vineyards. It was
• Culpa in the most general sense denotes any wrongful act or omission (e. g. Col. 9, 4. 2; Dig. 4
• Culter a knife with only one edge, which formed a straight line. The blade was…
• Cunae CUNABULA (λίκνου, σκάφη), a cradle. It has been thought that cradles were little used by t
• Cuniculus a mine or subterranean passage, was so called from its resemblance to the burrowing of a r
• Cupa a wooden cask, butt or barrel, used like the largest earthen vessel, the dolium, to receiv
• Curator Curators were persons appointed either by law or by the magistrate to look after the prope
• Curatores were public officers of various kinds under the Roman empire, several of whom were first e
• Curia signifies both a division of the Roman people and the place of assembly for such a divisio
• Curia the building in which the highest council of the state held its meetings. Scarcely anythin
• Curio the person who stood at the head of a curia, and had to manage its affairs, especially tho
• Currus a chariot, a car. These terms are especially applied to the two-wheeled cars used in battl
• Cursores 1. Slaves, whose duty it was to run before the carriage of their masters, for the same pur
• Cursus . Foot-racing, being one of the most natural, was also one of the most primitive of athlet
• Cursus publicus publicus Origin of Cursus Publicus. --The Persian empire under Darius, son of Hystaspes, a
• Custodia signifies a watching, guard or care of anything; hence it comes to mean (1) custody, confi
• Cyathus derived like κύλιξ from the root κυ-, which means hollow (Curt. Gr. Et. No. 79), and it is
• Cybaea a merchant-ship or transport, mentioned only in Cicero's Orations against Verres (4.8.17).
• Cyclas a luxurious robe, of a circular form, worn by Roman women, to the bottom of which a border
• Cylindrus . 1. A roller, used in agriculture for levelling and consolidating the ground. (Cat. Agr.
• Cyma in architecture, an ogee, a wave-shaped moulding, consisting of two curves, the one concav
• Cymatium in arch. (1) the volute of an Ionic capital (Vitr. 3.5, 7; 4.1, 7); (2) a moulding, either
• Cymba literally a hollow, was a small boat, probably made originally from the hollow of a tree,
• Cymbalum a musical instrument consisting of two half globes, which were held one in each hand by th
• Cymbium was a kind of small cup, according to Didymus and Nicander (ap. Ath. 481e), not round but