Sword of the Gladiatrix
Page 25
sestertius (singular) sestertii (plural)—large brass coin worth four asses and the standard unit of account (for most of the first century AD an ordinary legionary earned 900 sestertii a year)
sica—curved sword used by gladiators fighting as Thracians
Silures—a powerful and warlike tribe or tribal confederation of ancient Britain, occupying what is now south east Wales; they fiercely resisted Roman conquest and waged effective guerilla warfare against Roman forces until about AD 78
sistrum (singular) sistra (plural)—a musical instrument of the percussion family; it has a handle and a U-shaped metal frame, made of brass or bronze with small rings or loops of thin metal on movable crossbars that produce a sound from a soft clank to a loud jangling; from the Greek “that which is being shaken”
stans missus—a draw in a gladiator game
stoa—an open covered walkway supported by columns, lining the side of a building, or surrounding the marketplace, open to the public; merchants and artists could sell their goods, and religious gatherings took place.
stola—long, pleated dress, worn over a tunic, generally sleeveless, fastened by clasps at the shoulder called fibulae, usually made of fabrics like linen or wool, worn as a symbol representing a Roman woman’s marital status
strigil—curved brass instrument used to scrape oil off skin
subligaculum—Roman undergarment/loincloth wrapped around the lower body; worn by both men and women; part of the dress of gladiators, athletes, and stage actors
summa rudis—referee for gladiator games; a man armed with a stout wooden rod to call fouls, breaks, and beat any reluctant fighter
Taharqa—a pharaoh of the Ancient Egyptian 25th dynasty and king of Kush from 690 BC to 664 BC; buried at modern-day Nuri in Sudan; in a pyramid tomb measuring over 50 meters high
tali—“knucklebones” popular Roman gambling game using four rectangular shaped dice (originally made of sheep or goat knucklebones, later were made from metals, wood, terracotta, precious gems, etc. but the original shape of the knucklebones was preserved); the four sides of the dice were marked with symbols or numbers (1, 3, 4, 6); the Venus throw where each die showed a different value was the best outcome
Taranis—Celtic god of thunder worshipped essentially in Gaul, Gallaecia, Britain and Ireland to whom human sacrificial offerings were made; associated with the wheel
Thracian—gladiator fighting style using a curved Thracian sword (sica), small round or square-shaped shield, full shin greaves, articulated arm guard, and crested broad-rimmed helmet with face grill; frequently paired with myrmillo
tirones—new recruits in gladiator schools and the Roman army
tribade—lesbian
Trinovantes—Celtic tribe inhabiting the north side of the Thames estuary in current Essex and Suffolk, and included lands now located in Greater London; fought in Boudica’s rebellion
velarium—canvas awning deployed over the seats of the amphitheater to provide shade and to create a ventilation updraft to encourage circulation and a cool breeze
venatore (singular) venatorii (plural)—animal hunter in gladiatorial games
Verulamium—a Roman settlement located in the southwest of the modern city of St Albans in Hertfordshire; destroyed in Boudica’s rebellion
Thank you for reading!
Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoyed Sword of the Gladiatrix. This was a tough book for me. All my other novels are based on historical characters and events. “Writing into the dark” is scary, but I eventually found my voice by using historical events as plot drivers: Boudica’s revolt, the Roman expedition to Kush, the Pompeii earthquake. This was also the first time I tackled fictional characters as protagonists and I fell in love with them. Afra came to me almost fully formed, but Cinnia went through several iterations (and name changes!)
It’s taken me over ten years to get Sword of the Gladiatrix in print and pixels, so I would love to hear from you about your reactions to the story and characters. You can write me at faith@faithljustice.com—I always answer my email. Or visit me on the web at faithljustice.com and leave a comment on my blog. Tell me what you liked, what you loved, even what you hated. I have tons of additional material at my website about female gladiators, plus information about my latest books. Although my daughter had to drag me into the social media scene, you can also find me on Twitter (@faithljustice) and Facebook.
Finally, I need to ask a favor. If you’re so inclined, I’d love a review of Sword. Reviews can be tough to come by these days, and having them (or not) can make or break a book. Loved it, hated it—please share your opinion with others at your favorite book review sharing site: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, Library Thing, etc. No need for a literary review—just a couple of sentences on what you liked or didn’t like and why.
Thank you so much for reading Sword of the Gladiatrix and for spending time with me.
In gratitude,
Faith L. Justice
Brooklyn, NY
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
FAITH L. JUSTICE is a science geek and history junkie, which is reflected in her writing. Her short stories and poems have appeared in such publications as The Copperfield Review, Beyond Science Fiction and Fantasy, and the Circles in the Hair anthology. Her historical novel Selene of Alexandria was a finalist in the 2011 Global eBook Awards. Faith has published in venues such as Salon.com, Writer’s Digest, The Writer, and Bygone Days. She’s an Associate Editor for Space & Time Magazine, a frequent contributor to Strange Horizons, and co-founded a writer’s workshop more years ago than she cares to admit. Contact Faith online to read her essays and interviews, get a sneak preview of her historical novels, ask a question or leave a comment:
Website/Blog
LinkedIn
Twitter: @faithljustice
Facebook
Other Books by Faith L. Justice:
LINKS TO TWILIGHT EMPRESS: A NOVEL OF IMPERIAL ROME
Links to: Selene of Alexandria
Short Story Collections:
Links to all three collections.
Non-fiction:
Links to Hypatia: Her Life and Times
Children’s Books:
Links to: Tokoyo, the Samurai’s Daughter
Discover these and other books by Faith L. Justice.
Available in print and ebooks in all the usual places.
Select titles available as audio books.