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Di Inferi
The ''di inferi'' or ''dii inferi'' (Latin, "the gods below") were a shadowy collective of ancient Roman deities associated with death and the underworld. The epithet ''inferi'' is also given to the mysterious Manes, a collective of ancestral spirits. The most likely origin of the word ''Manes'' is from ''manus'' or ''manis'' (more often in Latin as its antonym ''immanis''), meaning "good" or "kindly," which was a euphemistic way to speak of the ''inferi'' so as to avert their potential to harm or cause fear. Sacrifices Varro (1st century BC) distinguishes among the ''di superi'' ("gods above"), whose sites for offerings are called ''altaria''; the ''di terrestres'' ("terrestrial gods"), whose altars are '' arae''; and ''di inferi'', to whom offerings are made by means of ''foci'', "hearths," on the ground or in a pit. In general, animal sacrifice to gods of the upper world usually resulted in communal meals, with the cooked victim apportioned to divine and human recipients. Infer ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Varro
Marcus Terentius Varro (116–27 BCE) was a Roman polymath and a prolific author. He is regarded as ancient Rome's greatest scholar, and was described by Petrarch as "the third great light of Rome" (after Virgil and Cicero). He is sometimes called Varro Reatinus ("Varro of Rieti") to distinguish him from his younger contemporary Varro Atacinus ("Varro of Aude (river), Atax"). Biography Varro was born in or near Reate (now Rieti in Lazio) into a family thought to be of Equites, equestrian rank. He always remained close to his roots in the area, owning a large farm in the Reatine plain (reported as near Lago di Ripasottile,) until his old age. He supported Pompey, reaching the office of praetor, after having served as tribune of the plebs, tribune of the people, ''quaestor'' and ''curule aedile''. It is probable that Varro was discontented with the course on which Pompey entered when the First Triumvirate formed 60 BC, and he may thus have lost his chance of rising to the c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Roman Festival
Festivals in ancient Rome were a very important part of Roman religious life during both the Republican and Imperial eras, and one of the primary features of the Roman calendar. ''Feriae'' ("holidays" in the sense of "holy days"; singular also ''feriae'' or ''dies ferialis'') were either public ''(publicae)'' or private ''( privatae)''. State holidays were celebrated by the Roman people and received public funding. Games ''( ludi)'', such as the Ludi Apollinares, were not technically ''feriae'', but the days on which they were celebrated were '' dies festi'', holidays in the modern sense of days off work. Although ''feriae'' were paid for by the state, ''ludi'' were often funded by wealthy individuals. ''Feriae privatae'' were holidays celebrated in honor of private individuals or by families. This article deals only with public holidays, including rites celebrated by the state priests of Rome at temples, as well as celebrations by neighborhoods, families, and friends held ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Buckthorn
''Rhamnus'' is a genus of about 140 accepted species of shrubs or small trees, commonly known as buckthorns, in the family Rhamnaceae. Its species range from tall (rarely to ) and are native mainly in east Asia and North America, but found throughout the temperate and subtropical Northern Hemisphere, and also more locally in the subtropical Southern Hemisphere in parts of Africa and South America. One species, the common buckthorn (''Rhamnus cathartica''), is able to flourish as an invasive species, invasive plant in parts of Canada and the United States, where it has become naturalisation (biology), naturalized. Both deciduous and evergreen species occur. The leaves are simple, long, and arranged alternately, in opposite pairs, or almost paired (subopposite). One distinctive character of many buckthorns is the way the venation (botany), veination curves upward towards the tip of the leaf. The plant bears fruits which are black or red berry-like drupes. The name is due to the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tutelary Deity
A tutelary (; also tutelar) is a deity or a Nature spirit, spirit who is a guardian, patron, or protector of a particular place, geographic feature, person, lineage, nation, culture, or occupation. The etymology of "tutelary" expresses the concept of safety and thus of guardianship. In Platonic idealism, late Greek and Roman religion, one type of tutelary deity, the ''Genius (mythology), genius'', functions as the personal deity or ''daimon'' of an individual from birth to death. Another form of personal tutelary spirit is the familiar spirit of European folklore. Ancient Greece Socrates spoke of hearing the voice of his personal spirit or ''daimonion'': The Greeks also thought deities guarded specific places: for instance, Athena was the patron goddess of the city of Athens. Ancient Rome Tutelary deities who guard and preserve a place or a person are fundamental to Religion in ancient Rome, ancient Roman religion. The tutelary deity of a man was his Genius (mythology), Geni ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Etruscan Civilization
The Etruscan civilization ( ) was an ancient civilization created by the Etruscans, a people who inhabited Etruria in List of ancient peoples of Italy, ancient Italy, with a common language and culture, and formed a federation of city-states. After adjacent lands had been conquered its territory covered, at its greatest extent, roughly what is now Tuscany, western Umbria and northern Lazio, as well as what are now the Po Valley, Emilia-Romagna, south-eastern Lombardy, southern Veneto and western Campania. A large body of literature has flourished on the origins of the Etruscans, but the consensus among modern scholars is that the Etruscans were an indigenous population. The earliest evidence of a culture that is identifiably Etruscan dates from about 900 BC. This is the period of the Iron Age Villanovan culture, considered to be the earliest phase of Etruscan civilization, which itself developed from the previous late Bronze Age Proto-Villanovan culture in the same region, p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Isidore Of Seville
Isidore of Seville (; 4 April 636) was a Spania, Hispano-Roman scholar, theologian and Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seville, archbishop of Seville. He is widely regarded, in the words of the 19th-century historian Charles Forbes René de Montalembert, as "the last scholar of the ancient world". At a time of disintegration of classical culture, aristocratic violence, and widespread illiteracy, Isidore was involved in the conversion of the Arianism, Arian Visigothic kings to Chalcedonian Christianity, both assisting his brother Leander of Seville and continuing after Leander's death. He was influential in the inner circle of Sisebut, Visigothic king of Hispania. Like Leander, he played a prominent role in the Councils of Toledo and Seville. His fame after his death was based on his ''Etymologiae'', an etymology, etymological encyclopedia that assembled extracts of many books from classical antiquity that would otherwise have been lost. This work also helped to standardise the use ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Triga (chariot)
The ''trigarium'' was an equestrian training ground in the northwest corner of the Campus Martius ("Field of Mars (god), Mars") in ancient Rome. Its name was taken from the ''triga'', a three-horse chariot. The ''trigarium'' was an open space located south of the bend of the Tiber River, near the present-day Via Giulia. It may be part of a larger field set aside as a public space for horse pasturage and military drill for youths, which was the original purpose of the Campus Martius. The earliest reference to the ''trigarium'' dates to the time of Claudius, and the latest to the second half of the 4th century. To preserve its flexibility of purpose, the ''trigarium'' had no permanent structures; it was used for Chariot racing, chariot training and all forms of equestrian exercise. The Chariot racing#Roman context, faction headquarters of the professional charioteers were established nearby, with the ''trigarium'' just northwest of the stables and clubhouse of the Green and Blue ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lusus Troiae
The ''Lusus Troiae'', also as ''Ludus Troiae'' and ''ludicrum Troiae'' ("Troy Game" or "Game of Troy") was an equestrian event held in ancient Rome. It was among the ''ludi'' ("games"), celebrated at Roman Emperor, imperial Roman funerals and burial, funerals, temple foundings, or in honor of a military victory. The ''lusus'' was occasionally presented at the Saecular Games, but was not attached regularly to a particular Roman festivals, religious festival. Participation was a privilege for boys of the nobility (''nobiles''). It was a display of communal skill, not a contest. Description The fullest description of the exercise is given by Vergil, ''Aeneid'' 5.545–603, as the final event in the games held to commemorate the anniversary of the death of Aeneas's father, Anchises. The drill features three troops ''(turmae)'' — each made up of twelve riders, a leader, and two armor-bearers — who perform intricate drills on horseback: : … The column split apartAs files in the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae
The ''Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae'' (abbreviated ''LIMC'') is a multivolume encyclopedia cataloguing representations of mythology in the plastic arts of classical antiquity. Published serially from 1981 to 2009, it is the most extensive resource of its kind, providing "full and detailed information." Entries are arranged alphabetically, with black-and-white illustrations indexed to their respective entries. There is also an online database pertaining to the ''LIMC'' maintained at weblimc.org, called the Digital LIMC. The ''LIMC'' was prepared by international scholars from nearly 40 countries who contributed in their language of choice, resulting in entries written variously in English, German, French, or Italian. The ''LIMC'' also offers a multilingual online database that is updated independently of the print publication. In 1987, Brunilde Ridgway wrote that though the initial volume was met with "understandable caution", due to the enormity of the task be ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Trigarium
The ''trigarium'' was an equestrian training ground in the northwest corner of the Campus Martius ("Field of Mars") in ancient Rome. Its name was taken from the ''triga'', a three-horse chariot. The ''trigarium'' was an open space located south of the bend of the Tiber River, near the present-day Via Giulia. It may be part of a larger field set aside as a public space for horse pasturage and military drill for youths, which was the original purpose of the Campus Martius. The earliest reference to the ''trigarium'' dates to the time of Claudius, and the latest to the second half of the 4th century. To preserve its flexibility of purpose, the ''trigarium'' had no permanent structures; it was used for chariot training and all forms of equestrian exercise. The faction headquarters of the professional charioteers were established nearby, with the ''trigarium'' just northwest of the stables and clubhouse of the Green and Blue teams. An adjacent area where people played ball and h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tarentum (Campus Martius)
In the topography of ancient Rome, the Tarentum or Terentum was a religious precinct north of the Trigarium, a field for equestrian exercise, in the Campus Martius. The archaeological survey of the site shows that it had no buildings. The Tarentum gave its name to the ''ludi tarentini'' ("Tarentine Games"), the archaic '' ludi'' that became the Secular Games; the name is perhaps less likely to have come from the place Tarentum in Apulia. The location of the Tarentum is indicated primarily by the discovery in 1930 of the inscribed record of the Saecular Games ''(acta)'' held in 17 BC, which traditionally took place there. It was the precinct within which the underground Altar of Dis and Proserpina was located. Myth and the ''ludi'' The Tarentine Games were presented most notably in 249 BC, as a "crisis ritual" during the First Punic War, in accordance with the Sibylline Books. The ''ludi'' took the form of three-night rites and horse races to honor Dis and Proserpina, the d ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Campus Martius
The Campus Martius (Latin for 'Field of Mars'; Italian: ''Campo Marzio'') was a publicly owned area of ancient Rome about in extent. In the Middle Ages, it was the most populous area of Rome. The IV rione of Rome, Campo Marzio, which covers a smaller section of the original area, bears the same name. Antiquity According to Rome's foundation myth, prior to the founding of the city, Rhea Silvia had her twin sons, Romulus and Remus, taken by the King of Alba Longa. The boys were later discarded in the swelling Tiber River, which would later run along the Campus' western boundary. Washing ashore further downriver, the brothers would return decades later to found a new city. Romulus, who became Rome's sole king (after killing his brother Remus), ruled for many years until sometime in the seventh century B.C. As he came to the end of his life, a storm cloud descended upon the center of the open field outside the city's pomerium in order to lift the elderly king to the afterlife.J ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
