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Konstanz

(Encyclopedia)Konstanz kônˈstänts [key], Fr. Constance, city (1994 pop. 75,980), Baden-Württemberg, SW Germany, on the Rhine River at the western end of Lake Constance (Bodensee), and near the Swiss border. Its...

Rudolf II

(Encyclopedia)Rudolf II, 1552–1612, Holy Roman emperor (1576–1612), king of Bohemia (1575–1611) and of Hungary (1572–1608), son and successor of Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II. Acceding to the Hapsburg la...

Bocskay, Stephen

(Encyclopedia)Bocskay, Stephen bôchˈkī [key], 1557–1606, Hungarian noble, voivode [governor] (1604–6) and prince (1605–6) of Transylvania. Seeking to secure the independence of Transylvania, he supported h...

hypnotic drugs

(Encyclopedia)hypnotic drugs, drugs that induce sleep, sometimes called soporifics. In general, hypnotics are central nervous system depressants. Alcohol, laudanum (see opium), bromide salts, and herbs such as vale...

Apollodorus of Damascus

(Encyclopedia)Apollodorus of Damascus, Roman architect and engineer, fl. late 1st to early 2d cent. a.d., b. Syria. Apollodorus was responsible for nearly all buildings designed under the emperor Trajan, for whom h...

Antoninus, Wall of

(Encyclopedia)Antoninus, Wall of, ancient Roman wall extending across N Britain from the Firth of Forth to the Firth of Clyde. It was built by the Roman governor Lollius Urbicus in the reign of Emperor Antoninus Pi...

Constantine, Donation of

(Encyclopedia)Constantine, Donation of, Lat. Constitutum Constantini, forged document, probably drafted in the 8th cent. It purported to be a grant by Roman Emperor Constantine I of great temporal power in Italy an...

Eusebius of Nicomedia

(Encyclopedia)Eusebius of Nicomedia nĭkōmēˈdēə [key], d. 342, Christian churchman and theologian, leader of the heresy of Arianism. He was bishop of Nicomedia (330–39) and patriarch of Constantinople (339�...

Vitellius, Aulus

(Encyclopedia)Vitellius, Aulus ôˈləs vĭtĕlˈēəs [key], a.d. 15–a.d. 69, Roman emperor (a.d. 69). He was made commander of the legions on the lower Rhine by Galba in a.d. 68. On Galba's death he was proclai...

Gerontius

(Encyclopedia)Gerontius jərŏnˈshəs [key], d. 411, Roman general, b. Britain. He at first supported the usurper Constantine (d. 411), and was left in charge of Spain. He set up (409) his own candidate, Maximus, ...