Latin definitions Flashcards
Aedile
a Roman magistrate whose duties included maintaining the city of Rome and arrangement of public festivals and games
ager publicus
public land in Italy which had been confiscated from a conquering enemy
Ager Romanus
land comprising the Roman state
agnomen
an additional surname added to the praenomen, nomen, and cognomen to indicate a great victory, an adoption or special attribute
amici
friends
amicitia
friendship
aquila
an eagle- generally referring to the standard carried by a Roman legion onto battle, which featured and eagle
auctoritas
great authority, influence and prestige
auspicium
the right of taking auspices
censi
assessments made according to property for division of people into military classes
century
a division of the Roman army lead by a centurion
cliens
a client or dependent- a free man who entrusted himself to another and received protection in return
cognomen
the family name
collegia
official title for the four great priestly colleges (guilds)
comitia
assembly of the Roman people summoned in groups by the magistrate
comitia centuriata
assembly of the Roman people sitting and voting in their military centuries
comitia curiata
assembly of the Roman people sitting and voting in their parishes
comitia tributa
assembly of the Roman people sitting and voting in their tribes
concilium
general name for any assembly or gathering
concilium plebis
assembly of plebs only
concordia ordinum
harmony of the orders
consulars
those who had held the consulship
cursus honorum
the ladder of office that an aspiring politician was expected to climb
fasces
a bundle of rods enclosing an axe and carried by lictors- symbol of imperium
imperium
supreme authority, including the right to flog or execute, held by tonsils, praetors and dictators
intercessio
the right of a magistrate to veto a motion carried by another magistrate
iugera
a measure of land
lex
laws
lictor
ow of the attendants of magistrates with imperium
maids imperium
imperium greater than all others
magister equitum
master of the horse- assistant to the dictator
muli Mariani
Marius’ mules- soldiers from the time of Marius’ military reforms who carried all their needs
municipia
communities that had received partial Roman citizenship
nomen
clan name
novus homo
a new man- the first in a family to reach the consulship
optimates
‘best men’- a term coming into use after the time of the Gracchi and referring to the majority of the members of the senatorial oligarchy, who wished to maintain the status quo whereby the body controlled the Roman state
optimo iure
full Roman citizenship, with private and public rights
pater patriae
father of the country
patria potestas
paternal authority
plebs
the common people, lower class
pomerium
sacred boundary around Rome which no Roman in arms was permitted to cross except for the purpose of a triumph
pontifex maximus
chief priest
populares
a minority in the senate who sought to gain the support of the people’s assembly on their desire for reform of self-advancement
praenomen
personal name
praetor
a Roman magistrate whose chief duties were judicial
publicani
tax collectors
quaestor
a Roman magistrate whose duties were chiefly financial
senatus consulta
decrees of the state- advice of the senate to the magistrates
senatus consultum ultimum
an emergency decree of the senate, usually interpreted as authorising the consul to use every means to save the state
silvae callesque
a type of forestry commission
tribuni plebis
tribunes of the plebs
