塔西佗历史中的专有名词解释.doc

Explanation of Ancient Roman Technical Termsby Kenneth Wellesley Term Description AUXILIARIES cavalry regiments and infantry cohorts (battalions), each about 500 or l,000 men strong, raised from non-Roman provincials and commanded by prefects, Roman officers who had served in the legions. These units were more mobile than the legions, to which they gave support on the flanks, front and rear. Their total strength throughout the territory of the empire was some 180,000 men. CAPITOL eitherthe Capitoline Hill, with or without the adjacent Arx (see map) or the principal building on it, the Temple of Jupiter Best and Greatest. CENTURION commander of a legionary half-company (century) of some eighty men. The centuries were paired to form a full company (maniple), one centurion being senior to the other. CLIENT a dependant such as a freedman (or his descendant), who remained after emancipation under a legal and moral obligation to render services to his ex-master (patron) in return for favours and protection. Rulers of small kingdoms on the fringe of the empire, client-kings, stood in a similar relationship to the emperor, and could rely on Roman support so long as they retained the confidence of the suzerain. CONSUL the highest executive official or magistrate of the Roman People, and president of the senate. At any one time, there were two consuls acting as colleagues. Elected by the senate and with the emperors approval for terms of two, four or six months, they were called suffect if entering office after the initial pair of each year, after whom it was named. After election and before the assumption of the consulship, a consul-elect was called designate. A repeated, and particularly a third, tenure was a proof of high status and imperial favour. An ex-consul (consular) was competent to hold the most senior commands abroad. FREEDMAN an ex-slave who had bought or been given his emancipation or manumission; see client. The freedmen of Caesar formed a class of senior civi