Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Flamininus, Titus Quinctius

(Encyclopedia)Flamininus, Titus Quinctius tīˈtəs kwĭngkˈshəs flămĭnīˈnəs [key], c.230–175 b.c., Roman general and statesman. He served in the Second Punic War against Hannibal and the Carthaginians and...

apology

(Encyclopedia)apology [Gr.,=defense], literary work that defends, justifies, or clarifies an author's ideas or point of view. Unlike the ordinary use of the word, the literary use neither implies that wrong has bee...

Alleyn, Edward

(Encyclopedia)Alleyn, Edward ălˈĭn [key], 1566–1626, English actor. He was the foremost member of the Admiral's Men, joining the group c.1587, and was the only rival of Richard Burbage. An exceptionally large ...

Brooke, Fulke Greville, 1st Baron

(Encyclopedia)Brooke, Fulke Greville, 1st Baron fo͝olk grĕvˈĭl [key], 1554–1628, English author and statesman. A favorite of Queen Elizabeth I, he held many official positions during his lifetime. His Life of...

Bry, Théodore de

(Encyclopedia)Bry, Théodore de tēōdôrˈ də brē, brī [key], 1528–98, Flemish engraver and publisher, b. Liège. He spent most of his life in Frankfurt-am-Main. He visited London, where he executed a series ...

phalanx

(Encyclopedia)phalanx, ancient Greek formation of infantry. The soldiers were arrayed in rows (8 or 16), with arms at the ready, making a solid block that could sweep bristling through the more dispersed ranks of t...

Castello, Giovanni Battista

(Encyclopedia)Castello, Giovanni Battista kästĕlˈlō [key], c.1509–c.1569, Italian painter and architect; called Il Bergamasco to distinguish him from Bernardo Castello, who also worked in Genoa. Giovanni was...

Leverett, John

(Encyclopedia)Leverett, John lĕvˈərĭt [key], 1616–79, American colonial governor, b. Boston, England. He went to Boston, Mass., with his father in 1633, but went back (1644) to England to serve in the parliam...

Athabasca, Lake

(Encyclopedia)Athabasca, Lake, fourth largest lake of Canada, c.3,120 sq mi (8,100 sq km), c.200 mi (320 km) long and from 5 to 35 mi (8–56 km) wide, NE Alta., and SW Sask., at the edge of the Canadian Shield. A ...

Browse by Subject