Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Caudine Forks

(Encyclopedia)Caudine Forks kôˈdīn [key], narrow passes in the Southern Apennines, S Italy, on the road from Capua to Benevento. There, in 321 b.c., the Samnites routed a Roman army. ...

Western Empire

(Encyclopedia)Western Empire: see Roman Empire under Rome and see Charlemagne. ...

Lincoln, city and district, England

(Encyclopedia)Lincoln, city and district (1991 pop. 79,980), county seat of Lincolnshire, E England, in the Parts of Kesteven, on the Witham River. Located at the junction of the Roman Fosse Way and Ermine Street, ...

Leo III, Saint, pope

(Encyclopedia)Leo III, Saint, pope (795–816), a Roman; successor of Adrian I. He was attacked about the face and eyes by members of Adrian's family, who hoped to render him unfit for the papacy. Leo recovered and...

Jiménez de Cisneros, Francisco

(Encyclopedia)Jiménez de Cisneros, Francisco fränthēsˈkō hēmāˈnāth dā thēsnāˈrōs [key], 1436–1517, Spanish prelate and statesman, cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. An austere Franciscan, he was...

Madeleine

(Encyclopedia)Madeleine mădˈəlĭn, Fr. mädlĕnˈ [key] [Fr.,=Magdalen, i.e., Mary Magdalen], large church of Paris, in the Place de la Madeleine. It was originally planned by J. A. Gabriel as a part of his layo...

handkerchief

(Encyclopedia)handkerchief. In classical Greece pieces of fine perfumed cotton, known as mouth or perspiration cloths, were often used by the wealthy. From the 1st cent. b.c., Roman men of rank used an oblong cloth...

Gregoras, Nicephorus

(Encyclopedia)Gregoras, Nicephorus nīsĕfˈərəs grĕgˈərəs [key], c.1295–c.1359, Byzantine historian and theologian, one of the most learned men of his time. Among his scientific and philosophical works is ...

Fritigern

(Encyclopedia)Fritigern frĭtˈĭgûrn [key], d. 380, Visigothic chieftain. An intermittent rival of Athanaric for leadership of the Visigoths, he adopted Arian Christianity (see Arianism) and thus gained the suppo...

Gasparri, Pietro

(Encyclopedia)Gasparri, Pietro pyĕˈtrō gäspärˈrē [key], 1852–1934, Italian churchman, cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He taught canon law at the Catholic Institute in Paris (1879–98) and was apost...

Browse by Subject