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Roman Vocabulary

Here is a list of Roman/Latin vocabulary that I have found very useful in my design purposes for naming places or things.

Aqueduct - A channel built for moving water across long distances. It can also be a bridge that carries such a channel across a valley or river.

Arch - A curved structure built over a doorway or window.

Atrium - A small courtyard completely surrounded by the rooms of a hosue, or a walled courtyard in fron t of a church.

Barbarians - A term used by the ancient Chinese, Greeks, and Romans to describe foreigners and people wh odid not share their customs.

Basilica - A building that contained government offices and law courts.

Centurian - The officer in charge of a unit of foot soldiers in ancient Rome; usually about 100 men (thus, centurian).

Century - A period of time lasting 100 years. It also refers to a unit of the Roman army, first containing 100 men, but later reduced to 80 men.

Citizen - A freeborn Greek or Roman man entitled to take part in the goverment of his city-state.

Fresco - A painting made with watercolors on wet plaster.

Gladiator - A man, or sometimes a woman, trained to fight in the public arenas to provide entertainment. Many were slaves who fought to earn their freedom, or freedmen looking for steady work and fame.

Infantry - A unit of foot soldiers.

Legion - A unit of the Roman army. Its size varied during the history of the Empire.

Byzantine Empire - The Eastern Roman Empire from the time of Constantine I until the fall of Constantinople in 1453.

Magistrate - A Roman official who judged the local criminals and looked after the affairs of a district.

Milestone - A column of stone beside Roman roads that was inscribed with the distances to the nearest towns.

Minister - A high-ranking Roman official who advised the emperor and helped to see that laws were obeyed.

Patricians - Aristocratic, well-born members of Roman society who held important positions in government.

Plebians - Common, low-born members of Roman society. The plebians were the poorest and most numerous class of Roman citizens. Patricians who looked down on plebians used the term "pleb" or "plebs" as a politically correct insult to their inferiors.

Province - Any area outside the city of Rome (later outside Italy) that was controlled by the Romans.

Republic - A form of government in which the people elect representatives.

Roman mile - An ancient Roman unit of length, 1000 paces long (5000 Roman feet), which was equivalent to 1620 yards (1481 meters).

Stucco - A smooth plaster applied to walls, which can be dyed, molded, and polished until it shines.

Villa - A wealthy family's country house (villa rustica), which was often part of a country estate. Villas were also grand houses located near the seaside.