Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Levites

(Encyclopedia)Levites lēˈvīts [key], a religious caste among the ancient Hebrews, descended from Jacob's son Levi and figuring prominently in the Bible. There were three divisions of Levites—Kohathites, Merari...

Erechtheum

(Encyclopedia)Erechtheum ĭrĕkˈthēəm [key] [for Erechtheus], Gr. Erechtheion, temple in Pentelic marble, on the Acropolis at Athens. One of the masterpieces of Greek architecture, it was constructed between c.4...

Póros

(Encyclopedia)Póros pôˈrôs [key], anc. Greek Calauria, island (1991 pop. 3,570), c.8 sq mi (20 sq km), SE Greece, in the Aegean Sea near the Argolis peninsula of the Peloponnesus. It is famous for its fine marb...

genius

(Encyclopedia)genius, in Roman religion, guardian spirit of a man, a family, or a state. In some instances, a place, a city, or an institution had its genius. As the guardian spirit of an individual, the genius (co...

Bubastis

(Encyclopedia)Bubastis byo͞obăsˈtĭs [key], ancient city, NE Egypt, in the Nile delta, near the modern Zagazig. Capital of Egypt in the XXII and XXIII dynasties, it began to decline after the second Persian conq...

Paestum

(Encyclopedia)Paestum pĕstˈəm [key], ancient city of Lucania, S Italy. It was a colony of the Greek city of Sybaris (c.600 b.c.) and was first named Posidonia. It flourished with the rest of Magna Graecia throug...

Chiba

(Encyclopedia)Chiba chēˈbä [key], city, capital of Chiba prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on Tokyo Bay...

Hestia

(Encyclopedia)Hestia hĕsˈtēə [key], in Greek religion and mythology, goddess of the hearth; daughter of Kronos and Rhea. Both public and private worship of Hestia were widespread; she represented personal and c...

Pax

(Encyclopedia)Pax păks [key], in Roman religion, goddess of peace. Vespasian erected a temple to her at Rome. Her attributes were similar to those of the Greek Irene, the olive branch and the horn of plenty. ...

Timotheus , Greek sculptor

(Encyclopedia)Timotheus, fl. 4th cent. b.c., Greek sculptor of Athens, recorded as one of the sculptors who worked with Scopas on the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. About 375 b.c., according to an inscription, he furn...

Browse by Subject