Greek and Roman Antiquities

• Saccus besides being the general word in Latin (as in all other Indo-European languages) for a ba
• Sacellum a diminutive of sacer, signifies a small place consecrated to a deity with an altar in it
• Sacerdos SACERDOTIUM. A priest among the Greeks and Romans was a person whose duty was to perform o
• Sacra is the general Roman term for worship, including the ritual observed in it, the utensils u
• Sacrarium was, according to the definition of Ulpian (Dig. 1, 8, 9.1; cf. Serv. ad Aen. 12.199), a p
• Sacrificium ==that largest part of ancient worship which usually consists in presenting to a deity som
• Sacrilegium the robbery of sacred things (Sen. de Ben. 7, 7; Isid. Orig. 5.26), is that form of pecula
• Sagitta an arrow. The account of the arrows of Hercules (Hesiod, Scut. 130-134) enumerates and des
• Sagmina were the same as verbenae, sacred herbs, especially those which were torn up by their root
• Sagum a thick woollen cloak or plaid fastened round the neck with a brooch, was the distinctive
• Salarium allowance of salt for soldiers and officers; then allowance for salt; and so (though not e
• Salii These were an ancient guild of priests, traditionally first instituted by Numa for the ser
• Salinae sc. fodinae (ἁλαί, ἁλοπήγιον), a salt-work. The ancients had many ways of procuring salt,
• Salinum dim. SALILLUM, a salt-cellar. Among the poor a shell served for a salt-cellar (Hor. Sat. 1
• Saltatio dancing. The dancing of the Greeks as well as of the Romans had very little in common with
• Salutatio the name given to one of the forms of attention (officia) expected from clients by their p
• Sambuca 1. (σαμβύκη, or σαβύκη, Arcadius, de Accent. p. 107), a harp. The preceding Latin and Gree
• Sapo Pliny (Plin. Nat. 18.191) mentions this as a Gallic invention; it was not, however, our so
• Sarcophagus properly an epithet of lapis, a flesh-eating stone from Assos in the Troad, in which Pliny
• Sarculum a hoe. (Hor. Od. 1.1, 11; Ovid, Ov. Met. 11.36, Fast. 1.699, 4.927; Plaut. Truc. 2.2, 21;
• Saronia a festival celebrated every year at Troezen in honour of Artemis; no particulars are known
• Sarracum a kind of common cart or waggon, which was used by the country people of Italy for conveyi
• Sartago a frying-pan (Juv. 10.63), a strepitu soni vocata quando in ea ardet oleum (Isid. 20.8); t
• Satira or SATURA. The word, it would appear, originally meant a mixture or medley. Varro, quoted
• Saturnalia the festival of Saturnus, to whom the inhabitants of Latium attributed the introduction of
• Scalae . 1. A ladder. These, whether scaling-ladders or ladders for other purposes, had nothing i
• Scalprum was the name which might no doubt be applied to any instrument which could be said scalper
• Scalptura the art of engraving gems or hard stones (for the uses of the words γλύφειν, χαράσσειν, κο
• Scaphium a shallow vessel without a handle, so called because it was shaped something like a boat (
• Sceptrum In Homer the king carries a sceptre as a badge of his power (cf. Il. 2.86, σκηπτοῦχοι βασι
• Scirophoria a festival celebrated at Athens on the 12th of Skirophorion, at which the priestess of Ath
• Scobis sawdust, was sprinkled over the floor, especially in dining-rooms, so that the dust and an
• Scopae a broom (scopae virgeae, Cato, Cat. Agr. 156: cf. Hor. Sat. 2.4, 81). These brooms were ma
• Scriba a title given to the clerks, or rather secretaries, who formed the highest class of the of
• Scriptura the oldest form of revenue from ager publicus (according to Pliny, Plin. Nat. 18.11), was
• Scrupulum or more properly SCRIPULUM or SCRIPLUM (γράμμα), the smallest denomination of weight among
• Sculponeae were wooden shoes, made, as the name implies, each in one piece and hollowed out. They wer
• Scutella is rightly explained by Rich as a small tray or salver on which cups could be placed, and
• Scutum the Roman shield worn by the heavy-armed infantry after 340 B.C., instead of being round l
• Scyphus a drinking cup with two straight handles on the rim, much deeper than the κύλιξ or calix a
• Scyria dike dike (Σκυρία δίκη) is thus explained by Pollux (8.81): Σκυρίαν δίκην ὀνομάζουσιν οἱ κωμῳδο
• Scytale is the name applied to a secret mode of writing by which the Spartan ephors communicated w
• Secespita an instrument used by the Roman priests in killing the victims at sacrifices (Suet. Tib. 2
• Sectio Those are called Sectores who buy property publice (Gaius, 4.146; Gellius, 3.154; Festus,
• Securis an axe. Under this head are included (1) the workman's axe, (2) the battle-axe, (3) sacrif
• Seisachtheia a disburdening ordinance, was the first and preliminary step in the legislation of Solon (
• Sella The customs and associations which the Greeks and Romans connected with the attitude of si
• Senatus The senate or council of elders (seniores: comp. the Greek γερουσία) ranked with the kings
• Senatusconsultum The powers of the senate have been described in the preceding article (pp. 631-635), and i
• Sepulcrum 1. Greek. Sepulchral chambers cut in the rock are found at all periods and in all parts of
• Sericum . Silk appears pears in Roman literature under three different names- vestes Coae, bombyci
• Serra dim. SERBULA (πρίων), a saw. It is not improbable, as Virgil says (Georg. 1.144, a line re
• Servitutes Where one person has a right over property of another, which he can assert by legal remedy
• Servus 1. Greek. The Greek δοῦλος, like the Latin servus, corresponds to the usual meaning of our
• Sestertius This term is a contraction for semis tertius, which is the Latin way of expressing 2 1/2 I
• Sextarius a Roman dry and liquid measure, which may be considered one of the principal measures in t
• Sextula the sixth part of the uncia, was the smallest denomination of money in use among the Roman
• Sibyllini libri libri The books known by this name at Rome down to the destruction of the temple of Jupite
• Sica a short curved sword, a weapon of the Thracians (sica Θρακικὸν ξίφος ἐπικαμπές, Gloss. Lab
• Siclus is a transliteration of the word shekel used by Semitic nations of West Asia. The shekel w
• Sidareus . Julius Pollux (9.78) quotes from Strattis a mention of sidarei as small iron coins curre
• Signa militaria militaria We shall say a few words first on the troops to which the separate standards bel
• Siliqua was the smallest Roman weight, being the sixth part of a scruple, scripulum, or 1/144 of a
• Simpulum or SIMPUVIUM, a ladleshaped earthenware vessel, like a cyathus, but of ruder form. Varro (
• Sistrum a mystical instrument of music, used by the ancient Egyptians in their ceremonies, and esp
• Sitophylaces a board of officers, chosen by lot, at Athens. Their business was partly to watch the arri
• Sitos corn. The soil of Attica, though favourable to the production of figs, olives, and grapes,
• Sitou dike dike (σίτου δίκη). The marriage portion (προὶξ) being intended as a provision for the wife
• Situla dim. SITELLA (ὑδρία), a bucket for drawing water from a draw-well (Dig. 18, 1, 40.6) or fo
• Sminthia a festival celebrated at Rhodes (and perhaps elsewhere) in honour of Apollo Smintheus (Ath
• Soccus dim. SOCCULUS, denoted a slipper or low shoe, which did not fit closely, and was not faste
• Societas partnership, is the name of a contract which arises when two or more persons agree togethe
• Socii The term socii is the most general of the many terms used to denote a class of states whic
• Solea 1. The most primitive form of footgear is the sandal. It consists simply of a sole of matt
• Solidus . The aurei or gold coins issued by the Roman emperors underwent from the time of Nero onw
• Sortes lots. Among the modes of divination practised by the Italian nations, the drawing of lots
• Speculum a mirror. The mirrors of the Greeks, Romans, and Etruscans consisted almost invariably of
• Sphyrelatus beaten out with the hammer, a simple method of working metal, which was used before the in
• Spira dim. SPIRULA (Servius in Verg. A. 2.217), the base of a column. The word σπεῖρα is used in
• Spithame a span, a Greek measure equal to 3-4ths of the foot. There was no proper Roman measure cor
• Spolia Four words are commonly employed to denote booty taken in war,-- praeda, manubiae, exuviae
• Spongia a sponge. The use of sponges has come down from very early times, for the cleansing both o
• Sportula the diminutive from sporta = σπυρίς, a wicker basket. In the days of Roman freedom clients
• Stadium . 1. The foot-race course at Olympia and the other places in Greece where games were celeb
• Stamnus an earthenware jar, often with red figures, used to hold wine or oil (Aristoph. Lys. 196,
• Stater of money, corresponding to the Oriental word shekel. As the coins which were the standard
• Statera a steelyard. This seems to have been an invention of Italy: according to Isidore (Orig. 16
• Stationes fisci fisci The Fiscus (q. v.) was divided into various departments, called stationes, according
• Statuaria ars ars This title will be used in the present article in its widest interpretation, including
• Stele is the name given to any block (usually of stone or marble) set up for a monumental purpos
• Sterratus Tacitus says of the Germans (Germania, 5), pecuniam probant veterm et diu notam, serratos
• Sthenia a festival with contests celebrated by the Argives in honour of Zeus surnamed Sthenius, wh
• Stilus . There can be no doubt that whatever the origin of the word the correct spelling is stilu
• Stipendiarii Persons who received a fixed pay or salary, as stipendiariae cohortes (Hirtius, Bell. Afr.
• Stipendium is derived from stips and pendo, from the fact of original payments for service having bee
• Stola The stola was a garment peculiar to the Roman matron, and was worn as a badge of lawful ma
• Strategus was the title applied to the chief military commanders in inmost of the constitutional gov
• Strenae were presents given on the 1st of January, as Festus says, ominis boni causa (cf. Plaut. S
• Strophium Greek women wore in place of a corset a large variety of bands and straps, which were boun
• Subligaculum A piece of cloth tied or wrapped round the waist and worn as an apron or loin-cloth is one
• Successio is a term employed by the Roman jurists when speaking of the modes in which legal rights a
• Sudarium a linen handkerchief, carried in the hand or in the sinus, answering to our pocket-handker
• Sufflamen a drag to check the wheels of carriages or waggons (Juv. 8.148, 16.50). It is defined by t
• Suggestus SUGGESTUM mean in general any elevated place made of materials heaped up (sub and gero), a
• Sumptuariae leges leges Sumptuary laws are those by which a state attempts to restrict the expenditure of it
• Suovetaurilia the triple sacrifice of bull, sheep, and pig, in the old Italian ritual of lustration [see
• Superficies SUPERFICIARIUS, The doctrine of the civil as of our own law, in respect of things attached
• Superstitio In a certain sense, all Greek and Roman religion may be reckoned as superstition: for none
• Supparus The supparus, which by writers of the Silver age was also called supparum (cf. Studniczka,
• Supplicatio A religious rite, or series of rites, decreed with two different objects: viz., 1, as a so
• Sycophantes . Plutarch (Plut. Sol. 24) explains συκοφαντεῖν as the informing against a man for exporti
• Sylae . When a Greek state declared war against another (Xen. Hell. 5.1, 1 and Schol.; Dem. c. M
• Syllogeis collectors, the name of two distinct offices at Athens. 1. The συλλογεῖς τοῦ δήμου, or Col
• Symbolaeon SYNALLAGMA, SYNTHECE (αυμβόλαιον, συνάλλαγμα, συνθήκη) are all words used to signify a con
• Symbolon DIKAI APO (δίκαι ἀπὸ συμβόλων) The ancient Greek states had no welldefined international l
• Symmoria . The symmories at Athens were, in the fourth century B.C., groupings of citizens for two
• Symphonia is mentioned by Cic. Ver. 3.44, 105; Hor. A. P. 574; Liv. 39.10; Plb. 26.10, 5, 31.4, 8 (D
• Symposium a drinking-party. Greek The συμπόσιον, or the πότος, must be distinguished from the δεῖπνο
• Syndicus an advocate, is frequently used as synonymous with the word συνήγορος, to denote any one w
• Synegorus may be translated an advocate or counsel, though such translation will convey to the Engli
• Syngraphe signifies a written contract (γραμματεῖον); whereas συμβόλαιον does not necessarily import
• Synoikia differs from οἰκία in this: that the latter is a dwelling-house for a single family; the f
• Synoikia a festival celebrated every year at Athens on the 16th of Hecatombaeon in honour of Athena
• Syntaxis a contribution, assessment. Under the revived Athenian empire in the 4th century B.C. the
• Synthesis The synthesis was a costume specially made for wearing at dinner, and was also known as ve
• Syrinx any sort of pipe or tube (see Dictionaries), but especially the Pan's Pipe, or Pandean Pip
• Syssitia . The custom of taking the principal meal of the day in public prevailed extensively among