Roman Dusk (48 page)
Authors: Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
Tags: #Fantasy, #Fantasy Fiction, #Fiction, #General, #Historical, #Horror, #Occult & Supernatural, #Historical Fiction, #Vampires, #Rome, #Saint-Germain
Vicus Longus—Roman major street: lit. Long BoulevardVilla Laelius—the Laelius’ Roman home
Villa Ragoczy—three miles northeast of Roma
Villa Solea—Melidulci’s villa near Misenum
Viminalis Hill—northeastern Roman hillVindobona—remote border city in Pannonia Superior; Vienna todayVirgo Aqueduct—major aqueduct on the north side of the city, feeding the Baths of Caracalla and private houses, among other thingsWhite Fountains of Pergamum—actual spa; still thereGLOSSARY
a/ae—a copper coin, very low value—about $.05 in buying power
abolla/ae—calf-length pleated cloak
Apollo—Roman god of music, science, the sun, and masculinity
Astraea—goddess of justice and law
athanor—alchemical oven, shaped like a traditional beehive
atrium/ia—central courtyard in Roman houses
aurea/ei—Roman gold coin
Bacchus—Roman god of wine, indulgence, and madness
ballista/ae—Roman military catapult
Balus—Syrian sun-god
bestiarius/ii (m), bestiaria/ae (f)—animal trainers, usually circus slaves
biga/ae—two-horse chariot
bireme—military ship with two banks of oars
Bona Dea—the Good Goddess, often used as oath or expletive
bracae—long and short britches; riding pants
byrrus—travel-cape
calceus/ea—laced travel-boots
Cama—Roman goddess of the physical body
carpentum/a—large wagon, usually drawn by oxen
centurion—sergeant; in charge of a squad of 100 men, called a century
chandys—knee-length Persian caftan
Cherusci—barbarian eastern Germanic peoples
convivium/a—evening meal, generally with guests
commoda/ae—necessary four percent commission for civil servants and others
Consivius—god of cities and civilization
Copia—goddess of abundance
Curia/ae—Roman Senatorial adjunct; a cross between the Supreme Court and Privy Council
Daci/ii—a native of Dacia
dalmatica/ae—caftan-like Roman daily-wear garment, mostly worn by men
decuria/ae—mid-level civil servants, usually connected to the courts
denarius/ii—silver Roman coin, about $2.00 buying power in 218, reduced to about $.25 in 220 due to debasement of the coins
Diana—Roman goddess of the moon, the hunt, and feminine chastity
Dis—Roman god of death and the underworld, a name rarely spoken for fear of bad luck
Discordia—Roman goddess of enmity and strife
Divus/Diva—honorific for those made gods
Doma—unmarried adult daughter of a householder; Miss
Dominus/Domina—literally, leader of a house (Domus); later lord and lady
ecce—behold
fascae—straps, bandages; also bras
Feast of Balus—the Summer Solstice feast of the Syrian sun-god
mlia/ae—girl, daughter
forum/a—marketplace; city center
Forum Guard—paid semi-private security force for markets
Fortuna—Roman goddess of good fortune
Fraus—Roman goddess of treachery
freedman—any freed slave
freeman—any humiliorus born free
Genius—god of life; the individual spark
gens—extended family
Great Games—entertainments held in the Roman circus
Hercules—demigod hero of great undertakings
holocaust—household furnace—Roman houses had radiant heat
honestiorus/a—upper class person
honoratus/a—honorific for those in the diplomatic or governing services
humiliorus/a—lower class person
illustriatus/a—noble person
insula/ae—apartment house
Janus—Roman god of doorways, beginnings and endings
Jupiter—Roman master-god of thunder, glory, and civic pride
kalasiris—standard Egyptian male dress; one-shouldered kilt-like outfit
lacerna/ae—voluminous sleeved cloak
laena/ae—woollen cloak
lares—household gods and deified ancestors
Lictor—in 220 AD, a provincial regional military official
liquamen-ubiquitous fish sauce, the equivalent of catsup, also called garum
lorica/ae—segmented or large-link chain-mail body armor
mafortium—hood
Magna Mater—Great Mother! Olivia’s favorite oath
mal aria—miasmic fever, malaria, literally, bad air
mani/e—men’s briefs attached to leggings, and women’s bikini-type underpants
Mania—goddess of death and grief
mantele—summer-weight cloak
Mars—Roman god of war
Mercury—Roman god of commerce and communication
Minerva—Roman goddess of wisdom, law, and strategy
Mithras—Middle-Eastern savior-deity
Nemesis—goddess of vengeance
Neptune—Roman god of oceans, horses, and earthquakes
numen/ina—spirits of place or specific designations of place, such as borders, orchards, etc.
paenula/ae—long, hooded cloak
palla/ae—standard female over-garment
pallium/ii—long-sleeved, knee-length tunic; usual daily wear for Roman men
Parcae—the Fates
Patronus/i—patron, an honorific for members of the equestrian and noble classes
Paulist—one of the two most prominent schools of Christianity in Roma, the other being Peterine
pero/i—ankle-boots
Persian—from central Persia (modern Iran)
Phlegethon—one of the five rivers of the Underworld; this one is made of fire
Phobus—Greco/Roman god of fear
pluvial—oiled-wool poncho, worn in the rain
Pomona—goddess of orchards, a numen
porticus—front colonnade on large homes and public buildings
Praetorian Guards—military troops protecting the Emperor and Roma; the SWAT team
prandium/ia—midday meal
Prefecture of Customs—import tax board
Prefect of the Fora—administrator of markets
Prefect of Trade—Roman merchants’ courts away from Roma
Prefect of the Urban Guard—commissioner for the cops and firemen
Prosecutor—official administrator
quadriga/ae—four-horse chariot
retriarius/ii—arena fighter using a trident and net
ricinium/a—hood
sagum—pleated cloak
sale—Gallic hooded cloak
Saturn—Roman god of time and fate, the father and devourer of years
Saturnalia—five unnumbered days at the end of the year; a festival of feasting and excess, since the days, being unnumbered, do not count
Senate—Roman governing aristocratic body
Somnus—Roman god of sleep
stola/ae—standard female inner garment
Swine Fever—cholera
tepidarium/ia—swimming pool
thermopolium/ia—curbside bar and grill
tibia/ie—straight pin, part of jewelry; also a musical instrument like a straight trumpet
toga virilis—formal upper-class Roman male dress; the tuxedo and/or morning coat of the times
trabea/eae—Etruscan-style pleated and sleeved tunic
trattorium/ia—restaurant
trireme—military ship with three banks of oars
tunica/ae—Roman basic dress for males and children; occasionally worn in summer by women
Twins, the—Castor and Pollux, Gemini
Urban Guard—police force between Praetorians and Watchmen, often used in cases of violent crime and crowd control; also served as firemen
venation—a hunt in the arena
Venus—Roman goddess of sensuality and female sexuality
Verplaca—Roman goddess of domestic accord
Vertumnus—god of gardens and transformations, a numen
Vesta—Roman hearth goddess
Vestal Virgins—Roman female supervisors, traditionally six in number; for six centuries having authority equal to the Senate and capable of overruling the Emperor; by 200 AD, their power is diminished
Vulcan—Roman god of the forge, volcanos, and metals
Watchmen—Roman city patrol, the Vigilis
White Disease—leprosy
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