Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

29 results found

Papinian

(Encyclopedia)Papinian (Aemilius Papinianus) pəpĭnˈēən [key], d. 212, Roman jurist. He was a close friend of the Roman emperor Septimius Severus, under whom he was libellorum magister [master of the rolls] and...

Theodosius II

(Encyclopedia)Theodosius II, 401–50, Roman emperor of the East (408–50), son and successor of Arcadius. He preferred the study of theology and astronomy to public affairs, which he left to the guidance of his s...

Gnosticism

(Encyclopedia)Gnosticism nŏsˈtĭsĭzəm [key], dualistic religious and philosophical movement of the late Hellenistic and early Christian eras. The term designates a wide assortment of sects, numerous by the 2d c...

Leo I, Saint, pope

(Encyclopedia)Leo I, Saint (Saint Leo the Great), c.400–461, pope (440–61), an Italian; successor of St. Sixtus III. A Doctor of the Church, he was one of the greatest pontiffs of the early years of the church....

Honorius

(Encyclopedia)Honorius, 384–423, Roman emperor of the West (395–423). On the death (395) of Theodosius I, the Roman Empire was divided; Arcadius, the elder son, received the East, and Honorius, the younger son,...

Ambrose, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Ambrose, Saint ămˈbrōz [key], 340?–397, bishop of Milan, Doctor of the Church, b. Trier, of Christian parents. Educated at Rome, he became (c.372) governor of Liguria and Aemilia—with the capit...

Vandals

(Encyclopedia)Vandals, ancient Germanic tribe. They originated in N Jutland and, along with other Germanic peoples, settled in the valley of the Oder about the 5th cent. b.c. They appeared in Pannonia and Dacia in ...

Arianism

(Encyclopedia)Arianism ârˈēənĭzˌəm [key], Christian heresy founded by Arius in the 4th cent. It was one of the most widespread and divisive heresies in the history of Christianity. As a priest in Alexandria,...

Rome, city, Italy

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Roman Empire (a.d. 117) CE5 Rome, Ital. Roma, city (1991 pop. 2,775,250), capital of Italy and see of the pope, whose residence, Vatican City, is a sovereign state within the city of Rome. R...

Browse by Subject