He looked around at them. Mordecai and Gaius still had their heads bowed. But Flavia, Nubia and Lupus were watching him with shining eyes, and this gave him strength.
‘Her death is a tragedy,’ continued Jonathan, ‘but also a triumph. A triumph of faith and love. For she made the ultimate sacrifice. She gave her life so that her babies would live. And just as the nine months they spent in her womb were their preparation for this life, so the fifteen years Miriam spent on earth were her preparation for the next. She has run her race and soon she will claim her reward.’
Jonathan looked around at the mourners. ‘Some of you do not believe in our God,’ he said, ‘or in our faith, or in the resurrection of the dead. But many of you admire the great Roman philosopher Seneca. Perhaps his words will comfort you. He said, Only after our death do we know if we’ve had a good life.’
Jonathan paused, then took a deep breath. ‘Miriam’s life was not just a good life,’ he said, and although tears were now running down his cheeks, he smiled, ‘it was the best life.’
The Slave-Girl
from Jerusalem
Acrocorinth (uh-krok-oh-rinth)
dramatic mountain which rises above Corinth; it was the site of a sanctuary and the notorious temple of Aphrodite, with its beautiful priestesses
aedile (eye-deel)
in Ostia two aediles were chosen each year to oversee upkeep of public buildings like temples and markets; they also supervised weights and measures
amphitheatre (am-fee-theatre)
oval-shaped stadium for watching gladiator shows, beast fights and the execution of criminals
amphora (am-for-uh)
large clay storage jar for holding wine, oil or grain
atrium (eh-tree-um)
the reception room in larger Roman homes, often with skylight and pool
Augustus (awe-guss-tuss)
Julius Caesar’s adopted nephew and first emperor of Rome, died in AD 14
basilica (ba-sill-ik-uh)
large public building in the forum of most Roman towns, it served as a court of law and meeting place for businessmen; you can still see remains of Ostia’s basilica
Brundisium (brun-dee-zee-um)
(modern Brindisi) a port on the heel of Italy
capsa (kap-sa)
cylindrical leather case, usually for holding scrolls or medical implements
captator (kap-tat-or)
word coined by the poet Horace to mean a legacy-hunter; literally means a fisher or hunter
carruca (ka-roo-kuh)
four-wheeled travelling carriage, usually mule-drawn and often covered
Cassandra (kass-and-rah)
mythological princess and prophetess of Troy; she was cursed by Apollo so that she could always forsee the future, but nobody would ever believe her
Castor (kas-tor)
one of the famous twins of Greek mythology (Pollux being the other)
Ceres (seer-eez)
goddess of agriculture and especially grain, Ostia’s lifeblood
Cicero (sis-sir-row)
famous Roman orator and politician who lived in the time of Julius Caesar, about a century before this story takes place
Circus Flaminius (sir-kuss fluh-min-ee-uss)
racecourse and marketplace opposite the Tiber Island in Rome
Circus Maximus (sir-kuss maxim-uss)
famous racecourse for chariots, located in Rome, between the Palatine and Aventine Hills not far from the Tiber
clepsydra (klep-see-dra)
ancient water clock for timing speakers; also a unit of time (about twenty minutes)
codicil (kode-iss-il)
written addition – usually to a will – making a modification or change
Corinth (kor-inth)
one of the most important cities in the Roman province of Achaea (Southern Greece), notorious for its lax morals and beautiful priestesses of Aphrodite
decurion (day-kyoor-ee-on)
Ostia’s city council was composed of 100 men called decurions; they had to be freeborn, rich and over twenty-five years of age
defendant (dee-fen-dant)
person accused in a court of law, opposite of plaintiff
Demosthenes (d’-moss-thin-eez)
Greek orator who lived about 400 years before this story takes place, he was Cicero’s great idol and inspiration
Dives (dee-vaze)
a cognomen (surname) which means ‘rich’ or ‘wealthy’
domina (dom-in-ah)
Latin word meaning ‘mistress’; a polite form of address for a woman
Domitian (duh-mish-un)
son of Vespasian and younger brother to the Emperor Titus
duovir (doo-oh-veer)
one of the two most important magistrates in Ostia, he served for a year and could preside as the chairman at trials
ecce! (ek-kay)
Latin word meaning ‘behold!’ or ‘look!’
Eleazar (el-az-ar)
one of the most famous leaders of the Jewish revolt against Rome, he died at Masada in AD 73
Ennius (en-nee-uss)
author of tragedies, satires and the famous epic Annales, he lived about 300 years before this story
Esquiline (ess-kwil-line)
one of the seven hills of Rome, east of the Forum Romanum
euge! (oh-gay)
Latin exclamation meaning ‘hurray!’
exordium (ex-or-dee-um)
introduction or beginning, especially of a speech
Faunalia (fawn-al-ya)
ancient Roman festival of Faunus or Pan; held in the country rather than the city
Felix (fee-licks)
Pollius Felix was a rich patron and poet who lived near Surrentum
Flavia (flay-vee-a)
a name, meaning ‘fair-haired’; Flavius is the masculine form of this name
formula (for-myoo-la)
an official statement setting out the legal issues of a case; it gave the judge authority to declare the defendant guilty or not guilty
forum (for-um)
ancient marketplace and civic centre in Roman towns
garum (gar-um)
pungent sauce made of fermented fish entrails, not unlike modern Worcestershire sauce; it was extremely popular among Romans
genius (jeen-yuss)
Latin for guardian spirit, usually of the home but also of a person
gladiator (glad-ee-ate-or)
man trained to fight other men in the arena, sometimes to the death
gladius (glad-ee-uss)
short stabbing sword used by Roman soldiers and some gladiators
Great Revolt (also known as Jewish Revolt against Rome)
began in AD 66 and ended with the destruction of
Masada in AD 73
Halicarnassus (hal-ee-car-nass-uss)
(modern Bodrum) ancient city in the region of Caria in the Roman province of Asia, it was the site of the famous Mausoleum
haruspex (ha-roo-specks)
priest who tells the future by examining entrails of sacrificed animals
Hercules (her-kyoo-leez)
very popular Roman demi-god, the equivalent of Greek Herakles
Herod (hair-od)
Herod the Great (c.74 BC–c. AD 3) fortified Masada and built a palace there; he was the Herod who killed the babies of Bethlehem in Matthew’s gospel
honestiores (on-ess-tee-or-rays)
Roman term for the nobler class of people
humiliores (hyoo-mill-ee-or-rays)
the lower classes and those who indulge in shameful occupations like acting
Isola Sacra (eye-sol-uh sack-ra)
a burial ground in Ostia, north of the Tiber river
Janus (jan-uss)
Roman god of doorways and beginnings
Jerusalem (j’-roo-sah-lem)
capital of the Roman province of Judaea, it was destroyed in AD 70
Jewish Revolt (also known as Great Revolt against Rome)
began in AD 66 a
nd ended with the destruction of
Masada in AD 73
Josephus (jo-see-fuss)
Jewish commander who surrendered to Vespasian, became Titus’s freedman and wrote The Jewish War, an account of the Jewish revolt in seven volumes
Judaea (joo-dee-uh)
ancient province of the Roman Empire; part of modern Israel
Juno (joo-no)
queen of the Roman gods and wife of the god Jupiter
Jupiter (joo-pit-er)
king of the Roman gods, husband of Juno and brother of Pluto and Neptune
jurist
in Roman times ‘lawyers’ (orators who pleaded a case) and ‘judges’ (the magistrates who handed down judgement) were ordinary citizens and not experts on the law; when they needed help they went to men who specialised in legal advice: the jurists
kohl (coal)
dark powder used to darken eyelids or outline eyes
lararium (lar-ar-ee-um)
household shrine, often a chest with a miniature temple on top or a niche in the wall
Laurentum (lore-ent-um)
village on the coast of Italy a few miles south of Ostia and site of a villa belonging to Pliny the Younger
lex (lecks)
Latin for ‘law’, it refers especially to the written law and statutes of Rome
Marcus Antonius (mar-kuss an-tone-ee-uss)
soldier and statesman who lived during the time of Julius Caesar, a century before this story takes place; he was an enemy of Cicero and had him killed
Marsyas (mar-see-ass)
mythological satyr who challenged the god Apollo to a musical contest; when Marsyas lost, his punishment was to be flayed (skinned) alive
Masada (m’-sah-duh)
famous Jewish stronghold in the Judean desert near the Dead Sea
Mazal tov (mah-zel tav)
Hebrew for ‘congratulations’; literally ‘good luck’
Medusa (m’-dyoo-suh)
mythical female monster with a face so ugly she turned people to stone
Minerva (min-erv-uh)
Roman equivalent of Athena, goddess of wisdom, war and weaving
modus operandi (mo-duss-op-er-an-dee)
Latin for ‘way of operating’ or ‘method of doing something’
mulsum (mull-sum)
wine mixed with honey; spices like pepper and saffron were sometimes added
munus (myoon-uss)
the Latin word for ‘duty’ or ‘responsibility’
nefas (neff-ass)
prohibited, unholy, profane; a dies nefas was a day on which no legal business could be transacted
Neptune (nep-tyoon)
god of the sea and also of horses; his Greek equivalent is Poseidon
Nero (near-oh)
Emperor who ruled Rome from AD 54-68
Nones (nonz)
7th day of March, May, July, October; 5th day of the others, including December (when this story is set)
Ostia (oss-tee-uh)
port about 16 miles southwest of Rome; Ostia is Flavia’s home town
Paestum (pie-stum)
Greek colony south of the Bay of Naples, site of a Greek temple
palaestra (puh-lice-tra)
exercise area of public baths, usually a sandy courtyard open to the sky
palla (pal-uh)
woman’s cloak, could also be wrapped round the waist or pulled over the head
paterfamilias (pa-tare-fa-mill-ee-as)
father or head of the household, with absolute control over his children
patina (pa-teen-uh)
Latin for ‘dish’ or ‘pan’: a kind of flan with eggs, either savoury or sweet
peculium (p’-kyool-ee-um)
gifts or allowance given to a slave by his master or to a child-in-power by the paterfamilias; technically, these gifts and/or money still belonged to the owner or father
peristyle (perry-style)
a columned walkway around an inner garden or courtyard
peroration (purr-or-ray-shun)
the summing up or conclusion, usually of a speech
persimmon (purr-sim-on)
a soft orange fruit; according to the historian Josephus, the Jews burned the persimmon groves around Jerusalem to stop the Romans enjoying the fruit
plaintiff (plane-tif)
person who brings suit into a court of law, opposite of defendant
plebeian (pleb-ee-un)
from Latin ‘plebs’; one of the common people or ‘lower classes’, as opposed to those of the equestrian and patrician class
Pliny (plin-ee)
now known as Pliny the Younger, Gaius Plinius Secundus was the nephew of Pliny the Elder, who died in the eruption of Vesuvius
Pollux (pol-luks)
one of the famous twins of Greek mythology (Castor being the other)
Pontus (pon-tuss)
kingdom near the Black Sea, by Flavia’s time it was part of the province of Cappodocia
portico (por-tik-oh)
roof supported by columns, often attached as a porch or walkway
posca (poss-kuh)
well-watered vinegar; a non-alcoholic drink favoured by soldiers on duty
praeco (pry-ko)
herald, town crier or auctioneer
praenomen (pry-no-men)
the first name of a male Roman citizen, there were only about twenty to choose from
praetor (pry-tore)
imperial administrator who often acted as chairman in the law-courts
quadrans (kwad-ranz)
small bronze coin worth one sixteenth of a sestertius
Quintilian (kwin-til-yun)
Marcus Fabius Quintilianus, c. AD 35-100; great orator who wrote a treatise on rhetoric called Institutio Oratoria (The Education of an Orator)
rhetor (ray-tore)
orator or public speaker, or a teacher of rhetoric
rhetoric (ret-or-ik)
the art of persuasive speaking or writing
scroll (skrole)
papyrus or parchment ‘book’, unrolled from side to side as it was read
sedan chair
mode of conveyance carried by strong men or slaves, like a litter, but the passenger sits instead of reclining
Seneca (sen-eh-kuh)
Stoic philosopher who wrote about life and especially about death, he lived from c. BC 4-AD 65
sesterces (sess-tur-seez)
more than one sestertius, a brass coin; about a day’s wage for a labourer
sicarius (sik-kar-ee-uss)
type of Jewish assassin who used a curved dagger (sica)
soter (so-tare)
Greek word meaning ‘saviour’; also used in Latin
stola (stole-uh)
a long tunic worn by Roman matrons and respectable women
stylus (stile-us)
metal, wood or ivory tool for writing on wax tablets
sub modo (sub mo-do)
Latin legal term meaning ‘for a special purpose’
Surrentum (sir-wren-tum)
modern Sorrento, a harbour town on the Bay of Naples south of Vesuvius
tablinum (tab-leen-um)
room in wealthier Roman houses used as the master’s study or office, often looking out onto the atrium or inner garden, or both
Tenth Legion
The Legio X Fretensis besieged Jerusalem and Masada during the Jewish Wars of the late first century AD
Tiber (tie-bur)
the river that flows through Rome and enters the sea at Ostia
Tiberinus (tie-bur-ee-nuss)
deity of the River Tiber; his festival celebrated on 8 December
tiro (teer-oh)
novice or beginner
Titus (tie-tuss)
Titus Flavius Vespasianus has been Emperor of Rome for a year and a half when this story takes place
triclinium (trik-lin-ee-um)
ancient Roman dining room, usually with three couches to recline on
tunic (tew-nic)
&nbs
p; piece of clothing like a big T-shirt; children often wore a long-sleeved one
usufruct (yoo-zoo-frookt)
literally ‘using the fruit’; the right to use or sell the fruits of a property without harming or wasting the property itself, eg. eating or selling the harvested grapes without destroying the vines.
vadimonium (va-dim-oh-nee-um)
document stating a person’s promise to appear at court, often naming an amount payable if they fail to appear; like modern bail
Venus (vee-nuss)
Roman goddess of love, Aphrodite is her Greek equivalent
Vespasian (vess-pay-zhun)
also known as Titus Flavius Vespasianus, Roman Emperor who reigned between AD 69–AD 79; he was the father of Titus and Domitian
Vesta (vest-uh)
goddess of the hearth; remains of her temple in Rome can still be seen today
Vesuvius (vuh-soov-yuss)
famous volcano near Naples, which erupted on 24 August AD 79
Via Ostiensis (vee-uh-os-tee-en-suss)
the road from Rome to Ostia
vigiles (vig-ill-aze)
Roman policemen/firemen; the word literally means ‘watchmen’
wax tablet
wax-coated rectangular piece of wood used for making notes
Zealot (zel-ut)
Greek translation of a Hebrew word meaning ‘jealous’; in first century Rome, Zealots were the most militant of the four main Jewish sects, believing they should oppose Rome the oppressor by any means, including violence
Our legal system and many of our laws originate in ancient Rome. However, ancient Roman law courts were different from today’s in many respects. Today, if someone commits a crime, the police arrest him and the state pays a lawyer to prosecute him. In Roman times there was no state prosecutor. A criminal would only be tried if a private individual summoned him to court. People who were not Roman citizens could not file suit; they had to find a patron to do this on their behalf.
Today, lawyers are usually very well paid. In Roman times, lawyers did not receive payment. They were upper-class men who studied rhetoric and then argued cases in order to gain a reputation and advance themselves politically.
Today, witnesses must take an oath, swearing to tell the truth. In Roman times such oaths were optional. Witnesses were often bribed or threatened in order to make them lie. The lawyer himself sometimes insulted and slandered his opponent.
The Roman Mysteries Complete Collection Page 199