Six for Gold
Page 25
Eminent Roman lyric poet, satirist, and literary critic.
HORMISDAS PALACE
Residence of JUSTINIAN I and THEODORA before JUSTINIAN I became emperor.
IMPLUVIUM
See ATRIUM.
JUSTINIAN I (483–565, r 527–565)
His ambition was to restore the Roman Empire to its former glory, and he succeeded in regaining North Africa, Italy, and southeastern Spain. His accomplishments included codifying Roman law and an extensive building program in Constantinople. He was married to THEODORA.
KALAMOS
Reed pen.
LAKE MAREOTIS
Body of water south of Alexandria. During Roman times the lake was larger than it is today, stretching for nearly 60 miles. It was connected by canals to both Alexandria and the Nile.
LIBERTY CAP
Distinctive conical cap of soft material, worn by manumitted slaves with its peak pulled forward. Representations of Liberty often wear this type of cap.
LORD CHAMBERLAIN
Typically a EUNUCH, the Lord (or Grand) Chamberlain was the chief attendant to the emperor and supervised most of those serving at the GREAT PALACE. He also took a leading role in court ceremonial, but his real power arose from his close working relationship with the emperor, which allowed him to wield great influence.
MEHEN
Egyptian snake god who protected the sun god Ra by coiling around the solar barque in which Ra voyaged through the underworld each night.
MESE
Main thoroughfare of Constantinople. Enriched with columns, arches, statuary (depicting secular, military, imperial, and religious subjects), fountains, religious establishments, workshops, monuments, emporiums, public baths, and private dwellings, it was a perfect mirror of the heavily populated and densely built city it traversed. The Mese passed through several fora, including FORUM BOVIS and FORUM CONSTANTINE.
MIN
Egyptian fertility god.
MITHRA
Sun god who slew the GREAT BULL, from whom all animal and vegetable life sprang. Mithra is usually depicted wearing a tunic and Phrygian cap, his cloak flying out behind him, and in the act of slaying the GREAT BULL. Mithra was also known as Mithras.
MITHRAEUM
Underground place of worship dedicated to MITHRA. These places have been found on sites as far apart as northern England and what is now the Holy Land.
MITHRAISM
Of Persian origin, Mithraism spread throughout the Roman empire via its followers in various branches of the military. It became one of the most popular religions before being superseded by Christianity. Mithrans were required to practice chastity, obedience, and loyalty. Women were excluded from Mithraism. Parallels have been drawn between this religion and Christianity because of shared practices such as baptism and a belief in resurrection as well as the fact that Mithra, in common with many sun gods, was said to have been born on December 25th. Mithrans advanced within their religion through seven degrees. In ascending order, these were Corax (Raven), Nymphus (Male Bride), Miles (Soldier), Leo (Lion), Peres (Persian), Heliodromus (Runner of the Sun), and Pater (Father).
MITHRA’S TORCH BEARERS
Representations of MITHRA often show him accompanied by the twin torch bearers Cautes and Cautopates, statues of whom were also part of the sacred furnishings of a MITHRAEUM. Cautes always held his torch upright, while Cautopates pointed his downward. The pair are said to represent the rising and setting of the sun. Another interpretation is that they symbolize the twin emotions of despair and hope.
MONOKYTHRON
Similar to a stew or casserole, it was made from cheese, fish, and vegetables. More elaborate versions of monokythron (Greek, one-dish or one-pot, from the method of cooking) called for the addition of garlic, wine, olive oil, and more than one variety of fish to the basic ingredients.
MONOPHYSITES
Adherents to a doctrine holding that Christ had only one nature, and that it was divine. Despite condemnation by the church the belief remained particularly strong in Syria and Egypt.
NATURAL HISTORY
Encylopaedic work written by PLINY THE ELDER. It numbered over thirty volumes and its topics included botany, anthropology, minerals and gems, geography, medicinal plants, zoology, and the arts.
NOMISMATA (singular NOMISMA)
Gold coin in circulation at the time of JUSTINIAN I.
NUMMUS (plural NUMMI)
Smallest copper coin during the early Byzantine period.
PAION’S FLOWERS
See FLOWERS OF PAION.
PATRIARCH
Head of a diocese or patriarchate. The ancient patriarchates were Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem.
PHAROS
Lighthouse at Alexandria. Regarded by the ancients as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, it was completed c 280 BC and destroyed by an earthquake towards the end of the 14th century.
PILGRIM FLASKS
Small clay bottles, brought back from pilgrimage sites as souvenirs. They contained holy water or oil from lamps at a saint’s tomb, and were thought to have miraculous powers. The flasks typically were flat with a short neck and two handles.
PILLARS OF HERCULES
Strait of Gibraltar.
PLAGUE
Writings by Procopius (known 6th century) and John of Ephesus (c 505–585) provide vivid eyewitness accounts of the Justinianic plague. It appears to have broken out in Egypt or central Africa and, spreading along trade routes, arrived in Constantinople in the spring of 542. Sufferers generally died within three days of the onset of symptoms, which included hallucinations, fever, anxiety, chills, and swellings in the armpits, groin, or beside the ears. Some patients lived only a few hours after infection. In many cases, victims’ bodies became covered with black blisters. In Constantinople up to 10,000 people died each day, so that by the time the plague departed the population of the city had been reduced by 40 percent.
PLATO’S ACADEMY
Founded in 387 BC and situated on the northwestern side of Athens, its curriculum included natural science, mathematics, philosophy, and training for public service.
PLINY THE ELDER (Caius Plinius Secundus) (c 23–79)
Roman naturalist and author of the encyclopaedic work NATURAL HISTORY. He died during the eruption of Vesuvius, having traveled to the area to observe the event.
PUBLILIUS SYRUS (fl 1st century BC)
Syrian-born former slave who became a successful writer of, and actor in, theatrical presentations. He was also the author of a large number of maxims and pithy sayings. Several hundred have survived and many have entered common speech.
QUAESTOR
Public official who administered financial and legal matters.
ROMANOS MELODOS (known 6th century)
Hymn-writer and saint, Romanos Melodos (The Melodist) composed over a thousand works, of which about 60 have survived. His subjects included sacred festivals and saints’ lives.
SAINT MENAS (d c 295)
Egyptian soldier in the Roman army who was martyred for refusing to renounce his Christian faith. His cult was centered at a healing spring at present-day Abu Mena, near Alexandria. According to legend, the site for his tomb was indicated when the pair of camels bringing him back for burial refused to go any further. PILGRIM FLASKS from his shrine were popular souvenirs, and the saint was depicted on them dressed in a tunic and cloak and standing between two camels.
SAMSUN’S HOSPICE
Founded by Saint Samsun (d 530), a physician and priest. Also known as Sampson or Samson the Hospitable, he is referred to as the Father of the Poor because of his work among the destitute. His hospice was near the GREAT CHURCH.
SPINA
Low platform separating the two arms of the U-shaped race track in the HIPPODROME.
STYLITES
Holy men who often spent years living on platforms atop columns. They took their name from stylos (Greek, column or pillar) and were also known as
pillar saints. Constantinople boasted a number of stylites.
THEODORA (c 497–548)
Influential and powerful wife of JUSTINIAN I. It has been alleged she had formerly been an actress and prostitute. When the Nika riots broke out in Constantinople in 532, she is said to have urged her husband to remain in the city, thus saving his throne.
TOOTH POWDER
Manufactured from such ingredients as shells or animal hoofs and horns, which were burnt and then ground into powder. Astringent substances were sometimes added to these mixtures.
TRIMALCHIO’S FEAST
Vulgar and extravagant banquet described at length in The Satyricon, written by Roman satirist Gaius Petronius (d c 66). Courses included pastry eggs containing small cooked birds, a hare fitted with wings to represent Pegasus, saffron-filled cakes, honeyed dormice sprinkled with poppy seeds, and bread served from a silver oven.
ZEUXIPPOS
Thracian deity whose name combined Zeus and Hippos (horse).
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