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Nepos, Cornelius

(Encyclopedia)Nepos, Cornelius nēˈpŏs [key], c.100 b.c.–c.25 b.c., Roman historian. He was an intimate friend of Pomponius Atticus, Cicero, and Catullus. His only extant work is a collection of biographies, mo...

Catiline

(Encyclopedia)Catiline (Lucius Sergius Catilina) kătˈĭlīn [key], c.108 b.c.–62 b.c., Roman politician and conspirator. At first a conservative and a partisan of Sulla, he was praetor in 68 b.c. and governor o...

Verres, Caius

(Encyclopedia)Verres, Caius kāˈəs vĕrˈēz [key], c.120 b.c.–43 b.c., Roman administrator. He held various posts before serving as governor of Sicily (73–71 b.c.). His corruption and extortion were notable ...

Caesar

(Encyclopedia)Caesar sēˈzər [key], ancient Roman patrician family of the Julian gens. There are separate articles on its two most distinguished members, Julius Caesar and Augustus. Another distinguished member o...

Piso

(Encyclopedia)Piso pīˈsō [key], distinguished family of the ancient Roman gens Calpurnia. One of the best-known members was Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus, d. after 43 b.c., father-in-law of Julius Caesar. As...

Roscius, Quintus

(Encyclopedia)Roscius, Quintus kwĭnˈtəs rŏshˈəs [key], c.126 b.c.–62 b.c., Roman actor. Born a slave at Solonium, he became the greatest comic actor of his time. From the dictator Sulla, Roscius received th...

Balbus

(Encyclopedia)Balbus (Lucius Cornelius Balbus) bălˈbəs [key], fl. 1st cent. b.c., Roman statesman, b. Gades (now Cádiz, Spain). He won notice for brilliant service against Sertorius, and Pompey brought him to R...

Fulvia

(Encyclopedia)Fulvia fŭlˈvēə [key], d. 40 b.c. Roman matron. She was wife, in turn, of Publius Clodius, Quintus Scribonius Curio, and (44 b.c.) Marc Antony, to whom she remained completely loyal. She had been a...

Tusculum

(Encyclopedia)Tusculum tŭsˈkyo͝oləm [key], city of ancient Latium. The ruins of this city are near modern Frascati, 15 mi (24 km) SE of Rome, Italy. According to legend, Tusculum was founded by Telegonus, son o...

John of Speyer

(Encyclopedia)John of Speyer spīˈər [key], d. 1470, first printer in Venice, b. Bavaria. He designed and patented the first type purely roman in character. It appears in Cicero's Epistulae ad familiares and Plin...