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Livia Drusilla

(Encyclopedia)Livia Drusilla lĭvˈēə dro͞osĭlˈə [key], c.55 b.c.–a.d. 29, Roman matron; mother of the Roman emperor Tiberius. She first married Tiberius Claudius Nero. Tiberius was his son. In 38 b.c., Aug...

Varus

(Encyclopedia)Varus (Publius Quinctilius Varus) vârˈəs [key], d. a.d. 9, Roman general. In 13 b.c. he was consul with Tiberius Claudius Nero (later emperor as Tiberius) and later was governor of Syria. Although ...

Marcellus

(Encyclopedia)Marcellus märsĕlˈəs [key], principal plebeian family of the ancient Roman gens Claudia. Marcus Claudius Marcellus, c.268–208 b.c., was consul five times. In his first consulship he fought (222) ...

Baganda

(Encyclopedia)Baganda bägänˈdə [key], also called Ganda, the largest ethnic group in Uganda. Bagandas comprise about 17% of the population and have the country's highest standard of living and literacy rate. Th...

Carleton, Guy, 1st Baron Dorchester

(Encyclopedia)Carleton, Guy, 1st Baron Dorchester, 1724–1808, governor of Quebec and British commander during the American Revolution. He began his service in America in 1758 and distinguished himself in the Fren...

Douglas-Home, Alexander Frederick, Baron Home of the Hirsel

(Encyclopedia)Douglas-Home, Alexander Frederick, Baron Home of the Hirsel dŭgˈləs-hyo͞om [key], 1903–95, British politician. Educated at Eton and Oxford, he was elected to the House of Commons in 1931 as a Co...

Conti

(Encyclopedia)Conti kôNtēˈ [key], cadet branch of the French royal house of Bourbon. Although the title of prince of Conti was created in the 16th cent., the founder of the continuous line was Armand de Bourbon,...

pragmatic sanction

(Encyclopedia)pragmatic sanction, decision of state dealing with a matter of great importance to a community or a whole state and having the force of fundamental law. The term originated in Roman law and was used o...

Gondomar, Diego Sarmiento de Acuña, conde de

(Encyclopedia)Gondomar, Diego Sarmiento de Acuña, conde de gŏnˈdəmär, Span. dyāˈgō särmyānˈtō ᵺā äko͞oˈnyä kōnˈdā ᵺā gōndōmärˈ [key], 1567?–1626, Spanish ambassador to England (1613�...

Ptolemy XV

(Encyclopedia)Ptolemy XV (Ptolemy Caesarion), 47–30 b.c., son of Cleopatra and (almost certainly) Julius Caesar. He became joint ruler with his mother, but played no role in the great and tragic events that broug...