Roman Terms Flashcards
Roman words/phrases to know
Imperator
Commander of the army, title Augustus took as leader
Numen/numina
Spirits that lived in locations in the natural world. Numen may also refer to the supernatural power that spirits possessed.
Religio
Linking or binding, root of word ‘religion’
Deus/dea
God/Goddess
Lar familiaris
The family lar or spirit
Genius
Guardian spirit of a man, giving power to procreate
Luno
The spirit of womanhood, giving the power to bear children
Paterfamilias
Male head of the household
Genius domus
Guardian spirit of the home
Lararium
A household shrine for the Lares
Sacer facere
To make sacred, root of ‘sacrifice’
Macte
Expression ‘may you be replenished’
Mola salsa
Mix of coarse flour and salt given in offerings
Suovetaurilia
Sacrifice of a pig, sheep and ox
Cella
Main room of a temple that housed the cult statue
Victima/hostia
Sacrificial victim
Haruspex
Priest specialising in haruspicy,
examining entrails for signs
Augury
Divination of reading signs of birds
Augur
Priest who carried out augury