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Sogdiana

(Encyclopedia)Sogdiana sŏgdēāˈnə [key], part of the ancient Persian Empire in central Asia between the Oxus (Amu Darya) and Jaxartes (Syr Darya) rivers. Corresponding to the later emirate of Bukhara and region...

Germanic languages

(Encyclopedia)Germanic languages, subfamily of the Indo-European family of languages, spoken by about 470 million people in many parts of the world, but chiefly in Europe and the Western Hemisphere. All the modern ...

Nike

(Encyclopedia)Nike nīˈkē [key], in Greek religion and mythology, goddess of victory, daughter of Pallas and Styx. Often an attendant of Zeus or Athena, she also presided over all contests, athletic as well as mi...

abacus, in architecture

(Encyclopedia)abacus ăbˈəkəs [key], in architecture, flat slab forming the top member of a capital. In classical orders it varies from a square form having unmolded sides in the Greek Doric, to thinner proporti...

Aristoxenus of Tarentum

(Encyclopedia)Aristoxenus of Tarentum ărĭstŏkˈsənəs, tərĕnˈtəm [key], fl. 4th cent. b.c., pupil of Aristotle. He marks a turning point in Greek musical theory by being the first to base theory on analysis...

Protesilaus

(Encyclopedia)Protesilaus prōˌtĕsĭlāˈəs [key], in Greek mythology, Thessalian prince who was killed in the Trojan War. A prophecy foretold that the first man who touched Trojan soil would be the first to die...

Botsaris, Markos

(Encyclopedia)Botsaris, Markos bōzărˈĭs, –zäˈrĭs, Gr. bôtˈsärēs [key], c.1788–1823, Greek patriot. Exiled from his native Epirus in 1803, he joined Ali Pasha in 1820 and later was prominent in the Gr...

Bozzaris, Marcos

(Encyclopedia)Bozzaris, Marcos bōzărˈĭs, –zäˈrĭs, Gr. bôtˈsärēs [key], c.1788–1823, Greek patriot. Exiled from his native Epirus in 1803, he joined Ali Pasha in 1820 and later was prominent in the Gr...

Metaxas, John

(Encyclopedia)Metaxas, John mĭtăkˈsəs, Gr. māˈtäksäsˌ [key], 1871–1941, Greek general and statesman. A career soldier, he served in the Greco-Turkish War of 1897 and in the Balkan Wars of 1912–13, in w...

Beza, Theodore

(Encyclopedia)Beza, Theodore bēˈzə [key] (Théodore de Bèze), 1519–1605, French Calvinist theologian. In 1548 he joined John Calvin at Geneva and soon became his intimate friend and chief aid. From 1549 to 15...