Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

153 results found

Brennus, fl. c.389 b.c., legendary Gallic leader

(Encyclopedia)Brennus, fl. c.389 b.c., legendary Gallic leader. He occupied Rome but failed to take the Capitol from Manlius (Marcus Manlius Capitolinus). According to legend, when the tribute that the Romans had a...

Hammett, Dashiell

(Encyclopedia)Hammett, Dashiell dəshēlˈ [key], 1894–1961, American writer, b. St. Mary's co., Maryland. After a variety of jobs, including several years working as a detective for the Pinkerton agency, beginni...

Flaccus

(Encyclopedia)Flaccus flăˈkəs [key], family of the ancient Roman gens of Fulvius. Marcus Fulvius Flaccus, a Roman consul in 264 b.c., was the founder of the family. His son, Quintus Fulvius Flaccus, was Roman co...

Cato the Younger

(Encyclopedia)Cato the Younger or Cato of Utica, 95 b.c.–46 b.c., Roman statesman, whose full name was Marcus Porcius Cato; great-grandson of Cato the Elder. Reared by his uncle Marcus Livius Drusus, he showed an...

Postumus

(Encyclopedia)Postumus (Marcus Cassianius Latinius Postumus) pŏsˈtyo͞oməs [key], d. 269?, Roman commander. Governor of Gaul under Gallienus, he revolted (257) and established an independent empire there. Althou...

Whitman Mission National Historic Site

(Encyclopedia)Whitman Mission National Historic Site: see National Parks and Monuments (table)national parks and monuments (table); Whitman, Marcus. ...

legion

(Encyclopedia)legion, large unit of the Roman army. It came into prominence c.400 b.c. It originally consisted of 3,000 to 4,000 men drawn into eight ranks: the first six ranks, called hoplites, were heavily armed,...

Antonines

(Encyclopedia)Antonines ănˈtənīnz [key], collective name of certain Roman emperors of the 2d cent., namely Antoninus Pius; his adopted sons, Marcus Aurelius and Verus; and Commodus. ...

Camillus

(Encyclopedia)Camillus (Marcus Furius Camillus) kəmĭlˈəs [key], d. 365? b.c., Roman hero. He was a patrician who, the Roman historians say, was elected dictator five times (396, 390, 386, 368, 367 b.c.) and on ...

Claudius II

(Encyclopedia)Claudius II (Marcus Aurelius Claudius), d. 270, Roman emperor (268–70), called Gothicus. A successful general under Valerian, Claudius put down the revolt in which Gallienus was killed. He succeeded...