Brides of Rome

by Debra May Macleod

  Caecilia Scantia Vestal priestess

  Caesarion Son of Cleopatra and Julius Caesar

  Caeso Guard of the Vestal Pomponia

  Calidus Wealthy landowner who conspired against Licinia

  Calpurnia Wife of Julius Caesar

  Cassia The name of a deceased Vestal priestess; also the name of a Vestal serving in Tivoli

  Cassius Senator and assassin of Julius Caesar

  Charmion Adviser to and slave of Cleopatra

  Cicero Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman orator and statesman

  Claudia Drusilla Sister of Livia Drusilla

  Cleopatra VII Philopator Queen of Egypt

  Cleopatra Selene Daughter of Cleopatra and Antony

  Cossinia Vestal priestess serving in Tivoli

  Despina Chief slave in the house of Octavian and Livia

  Diodorus Greek friend of Livia’s first husband, Tiberius

  Drusus Younger son of Livia Drusilla with her first husband Tiberius

  Fabiana Vestalis Maxima, or high priestess of the Vestal order

  Flamma Famed gladiator

  Flavia Vestal priestess

  Gallus Gratius Januarius Chariot racer

  Gnaeus Carbo Roman general whose legions were defeated by the Cimbri and who conspired against Licinia

  Iras Adviser to and slave of Cleopatra

  Julia Caesaris filia Daughter of Octavian

  Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar, Roman general and dictator

  Laenas Centurion in Carbo’s legions

  Lepidus Pontifex Maximus, or chief priest of Rome

  Licinia Vestal priestess

  Livia Drusilla Roman noblewoman

  Lucretia Manlia Vestal priestess

  Maecenas Gaius Maecenas, close political adviser to Octavian

  Marc Antony Roman general, second to Julius Caesar

  Marcellus Octavian’s nephew; Octavia’s son from her first marriage

  Marius Friend of Quintus in Alexandria

  Medousa Greek slave of the Vestal Pomponia

  Nona Fonteia Vestal priestess

  Octavian Great-nephew and adoptive son of Julius Caesar, becomes Rome’s first emperor

  Octavia Sister of Octavian

  Perseus Fabiana’s dog (named after the hero who slew Medusa)

  Pomponia Occia Vestal priestess

  Publius Guard of the Vestal Pomponia

  Quintina Vedia Elder daughter of Quintus and Valeria

  Quintus Vedius Tacitus Priest of Mars, former soldier under Julius Caesar

  Rufus Marcus Sergius Rufus, a soldier accused of being with Licinia; also the name of his son

  Sabina Novice Vestal

  Scribonia Roman noblewoman, mother of Julia

  Sextus Pompey Son of Pompey the Great

  Septimus Young priest of Mars in Tivoli

  Tacita Vedia Younger daughter of Quintus and Valeria

  Taurus Senator and wealthy patron of the amphitheater

  Tiberius Claudius Nero First husband of Livia Drusilla; also the name of their son

  Tuccia Vestal priestess

  Tullia Vestal priestess

  Valeria Wife of Quintus Vedius Tacitus

  Roman Gods, Goddesses &

  Mythical Figures

  Aeneas A Trojan hero who fled the burning city and became the ancestor of Rome’s founder, Romulus

  Apollo The god of the sun and the arts

  Athena The Greek goddess of wisdom; the Greek equivalent of Minerva

  Atlas Titan who held the heavens on his shoulders

  Bacchus The god of wine

  Basilisk A snakelike monster

  Cerberus The three-headed hound of Hades that guards the entrance to the underworld

  Ceres The goddess of grain

  Charon The ferryman of Hades; carries souls across the River Styx

  Charybdis A sea monster in Homer’s Odyssey; counterpart of Scylla

  Clementia The goddess of clemency and leniency

  Clytemnestra The sister of Helen of Troy

  Concordia The goddess of harmony and agreement

  Cyclops A one-eyed monster from Homer’s Odyssey

  Diana The goddess of the hunt

  Dis Pater A god of the underworld

  Discordia The goddess of discord

  Edesia The goddess of feasts

  Europa A woman who fell in love with Zeus, who came to her in the form of a bull

  Fates Three goddesses who determine human destiny

  Fortuna The goddess of fortune and luck

  Gorgons Three sisters with snakes for hair; their gaze turned all who met it into stone

  Hades The underworld; also the Greek name for Pluto

  Harpy A terrifying mythical creature that is half bird and half woman

  Helen of Troy A beautiful woman whose supposed abduction by the prince of Troy angered her husband, a Greek king, and started the Trojan War; credited with being “the face that launched a thousand ships”

  Hera The Greek equivalent of Juno

  Hercules A legendary hero famous for his strength

  Isis An Egyptian goddess

  Janus The two-faced god of beginnings and endings

  Juno The wife of Jupiter; goddess of marriage

  Jupiter The king of the gods; god of thunder and the sky

  Laocoön A Trojan priest who tried in vain to warn his people about the dangers of the Trojan horse

  Luna The goddess of the moon

  Lupa The she-wolf that nursed Romulus and his brother Remus

  Mars The god of war

  Medea The enchantress who helped Jason and the Argonauts find the Golden Fleece

  Medusa A snake-haired Gorgon; looking at her face turned people to stone

  Mercury The messenger god

  Midas A legendary king with the power to turn whatever he touched to gold

  Minerva The goddess of wisdom

  Minotaur A monster with the head of a bull and body of a man

  Nemean lion A giant lion with an impenetrable hide; killed by Hercules as one of his twelve labors

  Neptune The god of the sea

  Pegasus A white, winged horse belonging to Zeus

  Perseus The legendary hero who slew the Gorgon Medusa

  Pluto The god of Hades, the underworld

  Proserpina The queen of the underworld

  Remus One of the sons of Rhea Silvia; brother of Romulus

  Rhea Silvia A Vestal Virgin; mother, by Mars, of the twins Romulus and Remus

  Romulus The legendary founder of Rome

  Scylla A sea monster in Homer’s Odyssey; counterpart of Charybdis

  Spes The goddess of hope

  Tiberinus The god of the Tiber River, often called Father Tiber

  Trojan horse A massive wooden horse presented as a gift to the besieged city of Troy by the attacking Greeks; hiding inside the horse, however, were Greek soldiers who, once the gift had passed through the gates, exited and destroyed the city

  Venus The goddess of love

  Veritas The goddess of truth

  Vesta The goddess of the hearth and home

  Vulcan The god of fire; blacksmith of the gods

  Zeus The Greek equivalent of Jupiter

  Glossary of Latin

  and Important Terms and Places

  Aedes Vestae The sacred building that housed the sacred flame; that is, the Temple of Vesta

  aeterna flamma The “eternal flame” of Vesta

  Aquila The Eagle of Rome

  atrium The central open hall or court of a Roman home, around which were arranged on all sides the house’s various rooms

  Attat! Latin expression of surprise, fear, etc.

  augur Priest who i
nterprets the will of the gods via the flight of birds

  ave A word of greeting or farewell. When addressing more than one person the form avete was used.

  Black Stone The Black Stone, or Lapis Niger in Latin, was a mysterious and revered stone block in the Roman Forum, a monument thought to date back to the earliest period of Roman history.

  Bona Dea The “Good Goddess,” whose rites were overseen by the Vestal Virgins

  Campus Martius The Field of Mars

  Campus Sceleratus The “Evil Field,” where Vestals were buried alive

  Capillata tree An ancient tree so-named because Vestals would hang their cut hair from it—capillata means “hairy, or having long hair” in Latin

  captio The “seizure” ceremony, where a girl is taken as a Vestal

  Caput Mundi “Capital of the world,” meaning Rome

  Carcer The notorious structure where prisoners were incarcerated

  catamite A pubescent or adolescent boy kept by a man for sexual purposes

  causarius A soldier discharged after being wounded in battle

  chaste tree A small tree native to the Mediterranean that was considered sacred to the virginal goddess Vesta. Its fruit has long been believed to quell sexual desire.

  Circus Maximus A large stadium in Rome that was used for chariot races, public games, mock battles, and gladiatorial combat

  Curia The Senate house of Rome, located in the Roman Forum

  divi filius Son of the Divine Julius Caesar (i.e. Octavian)

  Divus Julius The Divine Julius Caesar

  Domina The deferential name a slave would use with his or her female owner

  Domine The deferential name a slave would use with his or her male owner

  domus A Roman home

  dormouse A special type of mouse eaten as a delicacy

  Elysian Fields The afterlife: a beautiful space, for the good

  Equus October The “October Horse” was an annual sacrifice to Mars on the ides of October

  fatale monstrum A “deadly monster”

  favissa Underground temple depositories where sacred items no longer in use were placed. The favissa of the Temple of Vesta was where ashes from the sacred fire were stored.

  fibula A brooch or pin used to fasten clothing or a cloak: on Vestals, it secured the suffibulum

  Flamen Dialis The high priest of Jupiter

  Flamen Martialis The high priest of Mars

  Fordicidia An annual fertility festival held in mid-April

  forum a public square or commercial marketplace that often included important judicial, political, historical and/or religious structures

  Forum Boarium Rome’s cattle and animal forum near the Tiber River

  Forum of Julius Caesar A forum built by Julius Caesar near the Forum Romanum; also known as Caesar’s Forum

  Forum Romanum The Roman Forum was a rectangular forum in the heart of Rome which contained many official and religious buildings, as well as monuments

  Futuo! Literally, “I fuck”; used here as a vulgar expression

  gladius A type of short sword; the primary sword of Roman foot soldiers

  Gratias vobis ago, divine Jane, divina Vesta. A thank-you to the gods Janus and Vesta, this phrase was used at the end of a ritual or ceremony

  haruspex [ pl. haruspices] A person who reads the entrails of sacrificed animals

  ides The middle of the month, which was considered to be the fifteenth day for “full” months and the thirteenth day for the shorter, or “hollow,” ones

  ignis inexstinctus The “inextinguishable fire” of Vesta

  imperator The title given to a citizen, such as a magistrate or general, who held imperium (great governmental or military authority); later, this term became nearly synonymous with emperor

  impluvium A shallow sunken pool in the atrium of a Roman house, where rainwater collected

  incestum The legal charge against a Vestal who was suspected of having broken her vow of chastity

  infula The ceremonial woolen headband worn by Vestals

  Insanos deos! “Insane gods!”—an exclamation of dismay, disbelief, or bewilderment

  insula [ pl. insulae] A Roman apartment block

  Ista quidem vis est! “Why, this is violence!”—the phrase Julius Caesar is said to have cried out when he was attacked and assassinated.

  Iuppiter Jupiter, Father Jove, or Sky Father

  jure divino An expression meaning “by divine law”

  kalends The first day of the month

  Lacus Curtius A deep and mysterious pit, chasm, or pool in the Roman Forum

  lanista The manager, trainer, or owner of a gladiator or gladiatorial school

  lararium A household shrine to the gods and ancestors

  lectica A covered or enclosed couch-like mode of transport used by the upper classes and carried on the shoulders of slaves

  lecticarius [ pl. lecticarii] A man, typically a slave, who helped carry a lectica; a litter-bearer

  Liberalia The annual celebration of Liber, god of wine, fertility, and freedom

  lictor An officer who accompanied magistrates or important officials

  litter A lectica; also used for a horse-drawn carriage that transported important people

  Lupercalia An annual fertility festival honoring Lupa, the she-wolf that suckled Romulus and Remus

  lustratio [ pl. lustrationes] A ceremonial purification

  lyre A stringed musical instrument not unlike a harp

  Mala Fortuna! An exclamation meaning “Evil Fortuna!” or “Bad luck!”

  manumission Release from slavery; the termination of a slave’s servitude, at which point a slave becomes a freedman or freedwoman

  Mare Nostrum The Roman name for the Mediterranean Sea

  Mea dea! An exclamation meaning “My goddess!”

  Mehercule! An exclamation meaning “By Hercules!”

  mola salsa A ritual salted-flour mixture prepared by Vestals

  palla A woman’s shawl that was worn when out of the house and which could be pulled over her head

  patera A shallow bowl that held libations

  patria potestas The legal power that a man held over his household, including his wife and children

  Pax Deorum The peaceful accord between humanity and the gods, which was ensured only by proper religious observance

  penus The hidden innermost chamber in the Temple of Vesta, where sacred objects and important items were kept

  Pontifex Maximus The chief priest of Rome

  quaestio A secular tribunal

  quaestor A public official; a position that could lead to a political career

  Regia The building that served as the office of the Pontifex Maximus and which had been the home of the early kings

  retiarius A type of gladiator that fought with a net and trident

  Rex Sacrorum A high-ranking priest

  Rostra A large, decorated speaker’s platform in the Roman Forum

  rudis A wooden sword given to a gladiator upon manumission

  salve A word of greeting; when addressing more than one person, the form salvete was used.

  scutum A type of Roman shield

  secutor A type of gladiator that carried a shield and a short sword or dagger and was trained to fight a retiarius

  seni crines A braided hairstyle worn by brides and Vestal Virgins

  simpulum A long-handled ladle-like vessel that held libations

  spina A low barrier wall that ran down the center of a circus. The Circus Maximus had a decorated spina with conical posts at each end, around which the horses and chariots turned

  SPQR An initialism of the phrase Senatus Populusque Romanus—“the Senate and People of Rome”

  stola A type of dress worn by married Roman women
and Vestals

  stultus A fool

  suffibulum A short ceremonial veil worn by Vestal Virgins

  tablinum The office of a Roman house, where business might be conducted

  Tabularium A public office building in the Roman Forum

  Tarpeian Rock A tall cliff overlooking the Forum that was used as an execution site: criminals were thrown from it

  Tiberinalia The annual festival honoring Father Tiber, the god of the Tiber River

  toga The traditional garment of adult male Roman citizens. The color of the toga’s stripe or border denoted a man’s status; for example, a reddish-purple stripe was reserved for high-status men, while a toga of solid purple could be worn only by the emperor. A dark-colored toga was worn for funerals and during periods of mourning.

  toga virilis The common white or off-white woolen toga of adult male citizens

  triclinium The dining room of a Roman house, furnished with couches for reclining on while eating and socializing

  tunica A garment worn alone or under a toga or stola

  Veneralia An annual religious festival to celebrate Venus

  Vesta Aeterna “Eternal Vesta”

  Vesta Felix Vesta, who brings good luck or fortune

  Vesta Mater “Mother Vesta”

  Vesta, permitte hanc actionem. An appeal meaning “Vesta, permit this action.”

  Vesta te purificat. “Vesta purifies you.”

  Vestalia An annual religious festival to celebrate Vesta

  Vestalis Maxima The head, or high priestess, of the Vestal order

  Vestam laudo. “I praise Vesta.”

  Virgo Vestalis A Vestal Virgin; one of six temple priestesses tasked with keeping the sacred flame of the goddess Vesta burning

  vittae A type of ribbon or band worn in the hair; on Vestals, loops hung down over the shoulders

  viva flamma The “living flame” of Vesta

  Ancient Roman coin showing Vesta with sacrificial implements at sacred hearth.

  Ancient Roman men’s seal ring, with an image of Vesta (as worn by Quintus).

  The Vestal Tuccia Carrying the Sieve by Hector Leroux.

  Ancient Roman coin showing the Temple of Vesta and a voting urn. The AC stands for absolve / condemn—this depicts a case where a Vestal Virgin was accused of incestum and a vote was taken to determine her innocence or guilt.