Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Bar Kokba, Simon

(Encyclopedia)Bar Kokba, Simon, or Simon Bar Cochba kōkˈbə [key] [Heb.,=son of the star], d. a.d. 135, Hebrew hero and leader of a major revolt against Rome under Hadrian (132–135). He may have claimed to be a...

Romulus Augustulus

(Encyclopedia)Romulus Augustulus ôgŭsˈtyo͝oləs [key], d. after 476, last Roman emperor of the West (475–76). His father, the general Orestes, deposed Julius Nepos and proclaimed Romulus Augustulus emperor. O...

Cambrai, League of

(Encyclopedia)Cambrai, League of, 1508–10, alliance formed by Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I, King Louis XII of France, Pope Julius II, King Ferdinand V of Aragón, and several Italian city-states against the re...

Berlin Philharmonic

(Encyclopedia)Berlin Philharmonic, orchestra, Berlin, Germany, founded 1882 by musicans who had left an ensemble led by Benjamin Bilse. The orchestra performs in the modernist Philharmonie concert hall (1963). Amon...

Opitz, Martin

(Encyclopedia)Opitz, Martin märˈtĭn ōˈpĭts [key], 1597–1639, leader of the Silesian school of German poetry. His influence as poet, critic, and metrical reformer was widely recognized during his time; he wa...

Majorian

(Encyclopedia)Majorian (Julius Maiorianus) məjôrˈēən [key], d.461, Roman emperor of the West (457–61). He became emperor after he and Ricimer had deposed Avitus. An able and honest ruler, Majorian enacted la...

Arusha

(Encyclopedia)Arusha əro͞oˈshə [key], city (2020 pop. 493,000), capital of Arusha prov., NE Tanzania. It is an industrial and administrative center, connected by rail with Tanga on ...

Ariovistus

(Encyclopedia)Ariovistus ârˌēōvĭsˈtəs [key], fl. 58 b.c., Germanic chieftain, leader of the Suebi. He crossed the Rhine c.71 b.c., defeated the Aedui, and came to dominate much of Gaul (see Gallic Wars). In ...

Piso

(Encyclopedia)Piso pīˈsō [key], distinguished family of the ancient Roman gens Calpurnia. One of the best-known members was Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus, d. after 43 b.c., father-in-law of Julius Caesar. As...

Catiline

(Encyclopedia)Catiline (Lucius Sergius Catilina) kătˈĭlīn [key], c.108 b.c.–62 b.c., Roman politician and conspirator. At first a conservative and a partisan of Sulla, he was praetor in 68 b.c. and governor o...