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Milo, Roman partisan leader

(Encyclopedia)Milo (Titus Annius Papianus Milo), 95 b.c.–47 b.c., Roman partisan leader. As tribune of the people (57 b.c.) he obtained the recall from exile of Cicero. At the insistence of Pompey, Milo hired a g...

Mercury, in Roman religion

(Encyclopedia)Mercury, in Roman religion, god of commerce and messenger of the gods; identified with the Greek Hermes. He was honored at the Mercuralia, a festival held in May and attended primarily by traders and ...

Narcissus, in Roman history

(Encyclopedia)Narcissus, d. a.d. 54, secretary of the Roman Emperor Claudius I. A freedman with great influence, he revealed to Claudius the intrigue of Messalina and expedited her death (a.d. 48). The woman that N...

Licinius, Roman plebian gens

(Encyclopedia)Licinius līsĭnˈēəs [key], Roman plebeian gens, of which several men were noteworthy. Caius Licinius Calvus Stolo, fl. 375 b.c., was tribune of the people with Lucius Sextius. Roman historians att...

Larvae, in Roman religion

(Encyclopedia)Larvae: see lemures.

Virginia, in Roman legend

(Encyclopedia)Virginia, in Roman legend, daughter of the centurion Virginius. Her father stabbed her to save her from the lust of Appius Claudius Crassus, decemvir. This precipitated the fall of the decemvirs. The ...

Sol, in Roman religion

(Encyclopedia)Sol sŏl [key], in Roman religion, sun god. An ancient god of Mesopotamian origin, he was introduced (c.220) into Roman religion as Sol Invictus by emperor Heliogabalus. His worship remained an import...

Regulus, in Roman history

(Encyclopedia)Regulus (Marcus Atilius Regulus) rĕgˈyo͝oləs [key], d. c.250 b.c., Roman general in the First Punic War. While consul (267 b.c.) he conquered the Sallentini and captured Brundisium (now Brindisi)....

Frederick William, elector of Brandenburg

(Encyclopedia)Frederick William, known as the Great Elector, 1620–88, elector of Brandenburg (1640–88), son and successor of George William. At his accession the scattered lands of the Hohenzollern were devasta...

Rupert, Prince

(Encyclopedia)Rupert, Prince, 1619–82, count palatine of the Rhine. Born in Prague, he was the son of Frederick the Winter King, elector palatine and king of Bohemia, and Elizabeth, daughter of James I of England...