The Gods Roman and Greek Flashcards
Pantheon
A term used to speak of all the gods collectively
Iconography
The symbols attached to a particular character when represented in an image
Anthropomorphism
Giving human form of atributes to something that is otherwise not human
Epithet
An adjectival word or phrase regularly added to a name to denote a personal or physical quality
Chthonic
Relating to the gods that were connected with the earth and the underworld
Cornucopia
A horn shell that contained an endless supply of food and drink
Diadem
A crown often associated with gods or kings
Aegis
The breastplate or shield of Athena that contained an image of a gorgon in the centre
Acropolis
The highest point in a Greek city usually reserved for religious buildings
Caduceus
A traveller’s staff
Thyrsus
A staff associated with the god Dionysus, which was tipped with a pine cone; it could also be interwined with ivy
Maenads
Female followers of Dionysus
Seer
a person who is reputed to be able to see the future
Etruscans
it is believed that they inhabited Italy from at least the ninth/eight century BC.
Well established by Rome’s founding
Hellenes
a collective name for the Greeks
Magna Graecia
‘Great Greece’, the term used to describe the region of southern Italy and Sicily where there were many independent Greek cities
Sarcophagus (pl. Sarcophagi)
a stone coffin, especially one bearing sculpture and inscriptions
Plebeians
the lowest social class of Romans, making up the majority of the Roman populatoin
Cerealia
a major festival in honour of Ceres held in Rome every year between 12th and 19th April
Vulcanalia
A festival held in Rome each year on 23rd August in honour of the god vulcan
Actium
port on the west coast of Greece, it is now called Preveza
Votive
an offering to the gods
Lararium
a small shrine to the household gods (Lares) that was found in Roman homes
Bacchanalia
A Roman festival in honour of Bacchus
Hydra
a many-headed serpent monster
hind
a deer
Pithos (pl. pithoi)
a large clay storage jar
Pisa
a town near Olympia in the Greek Peloponnese
Linchpin (pl. linchpins)
a fastener used to stop a wheel from coming off its axis
Pediment
triangular area at the top of each end of a temple, which could contain a sculpture
metope (pl. metopes)
square decorative spaces that ran around a Doric temple and could contain sculpture
Tiber
the main river running through Rome
Pallas
A Giant who fought against the gods, not to be confused with Evander;s son, also called Pallas, or with Athene when called Pallas Athene
Centaur
a mythical creature with the upper body of a man and the lower body of a horse
pyre
a funderal mound made of wood on which to cremate a body
Semi-engaged column
a supporting column that is embedded in a wall, half protruding from it
Pax deorum
the peace of the gods
Pontifex (pl. pontifices)
a Roman priest in charge of protecting temples, regulating religious law and overseeing the religious calendar