The Artifact (69 page)
Authors: Jack Quinn
over the river Styx. (Greek mythology).
Circus Maximus
the open stadium in Rome with tiered seats 74.
where gladiatorial games were held, measuring 600
x 200 yards with 250,000 tiered wooden seats;
chariots raced around a raised center platform down
its length.
cohort
about 1,000 soldiers 14.
TEXT
TRANSLATION
FOOTNOTE #
corban Pesach
sacrificial lamb
.
35.
cubit
200 x 400 yards. 37.
Deus ex machin
God descending from a machine 89.
(Greek theatrical term).
coinage. 12.
Dinari
basic
doctore
an ex gladiator, fight trainer in gladiator school. 47.
editors
politicians, senators or wealthy citizens who 59.
sponsored a day or period of games.
etrogim
a lemon fruit pilgrims brought to the Temple. 36.
familia
a group of gladiators
owned
by the same lanista. 58.
fascina
sharp trident with long shaft. 53.
ferrum recipere
to take the iron: a defeated man kneels, clasps his 63.
arms around the victor’s knees to take the death
galerus
protective shoulder guard 77.
54.
gladiatorii
traditional gladiators
gladius
27” straight sword. 88.
goyim
non-believers in Judaism . 39.
greaves
padded brass protector for lower legs and shins. 49.
86
Habet! Hoc habet!
You have him! He’s had it!
.
halakic
the legal strictures of the Talmud. 91.
harena
the sand. 43.
hoplomachus
similar to Thracian attire, but on horseback, 68.
heavily armored with small, round, bronze
shield and long spear.
huppah
an awning of bright cloth. 24.
TEXT
TRANSLATION
FOOTNOTE #
Igula! Igula! Igula
Kill! Kill! Kill! 85.
Is postuto ut brace ambulo
. He needs that brace to walk. 7.
Kingdom of God Torah prophecy that oppressors of Jews would 33.
be overcome they would be free from persecution.
kinnor
a stringed musical instrument. 23.
lanista
an old gladiator who purchased his freedom and 44.
bought/manages/promotes younger gladiators
for profit.
legion
about 5,000 infantry soldiers
.
2.
l
e
gionnaires
an infantry soldier 3.
Liquidus! Liquidus
! Limp! Limp! Limp! 8.
Liquidus!
Ludi incipien
Let the games begin! 79.
(text)
manica
arm defense made of leather or metal.
Mare Magnum Veinternum
Mediterranean Sea. 84.
Mary Magdala so called because she and her deceased 90.
husband had lived in Magdala.
mattan
a gift from groom to bride. 20.
Mer Mare Mediterranean Sea
. 69.
meridiana
second rate gladiators. 72.
mikvah
ritual bath for cleansing or purification. 32.
milia passumm
statute miles. 1.
missus
a loser whose life was spared. 60.
mistitha
wedding drinking party. 16.
mohar
dowry from groom’s father to bride’s father. 17.
most pious (James) Referred to in historical texts as “Upright James” 30.
TEXT
TRANSLATION
FOOTNOTE #
myrmillo
wore helmet with dorsal fin on crest, face plate 50.
with small eye-holes, gladius, greave (on left leg),
manica, scutum
, lightly armored for agility vs. Retiarius.
Natzerat Illit
township of Nazareth 5.
noxii
guilty of robbery, rape, murder, sentenced to 55.
fight to the death en mass or unarmed against
professional gladiators.
Original Judah rebel agitator crucified circa 3747 (CE 1) 26.
The Galilean grandfather to current Judah, leader of
Zealots
&
Sicarii.
Pax Romana
the peace imposed by Rome on conquered nations. 38.
periit
to be killed
.
70.
28.
Pesach
Passover, exodus
pompa
a ceremonial parade opening a day of games
.
80.
primus palus
a gladiator at the pinnacle of his craft. 66.
Probatio armorum
a procedure to ensure weapons are sharp. 81.
Procul omen abesto
. Far be that from us. 10.
Provocators
characterized by heavily armed swordsmen 57.
at least 5’4”-5’7” tall, characterized by large
bulbous helmet,
cardiophylax (
breastplate
)
gladius, greaves, manica and scutum.
pugio
short curved dagger. 75.
retiarius
armed with trident, dagger and throwing rete (net). 52.
round
a headband of pouches containing religious items. 22.
S.P.Q.R.
The Senate and People of Rome. 73.
scutum
wooden cavalry shield. 11.
secutor
a gladiator armed as a legionnaire with large
scutum
46.
(oblong shield) and
gladius
. (27” straight sword).
TEXT
TRANSLATION
FOOTNOTE #
shechar
a light beer of barley and millet. 19.
shekels
an ounce of silver could purchase a fine vase. 18.
Sicarii
rebel activists, Daggermen, who created fear 25.
among Roman citizens and sympathizers by
infiltrating crowds to stab and flee.
83.
Sine missus! Sine missus
Certain death! Certain death!
soudarion
a cloth tied around the head to hold the jaw in place. 41.
stans missus
when the crowd spares the lives of both 65.
combatants who fought well.
subligaculum
a canvas loincloth worn by most gladiators. 62.
Subsisto alive
Stay alive 67.
Subsisto! Vultus a foetidus
Stop! Look, a stinking crippled Jew. 6.
claudus Jew!
tameh
impure 34.
Thracian
wields 17” curved slashing sword, wide brim plumed 51.
helmet with griffin,
manica
(protective leather sleeve).
tironae
portable lounge chair borne by slaves 71.
tsa’ad
a days journey 28.
tuba
a long straight brass trumpet. 78.
Uri, vinciri, uerberari
To endure burning with fire, shackling 46.
ferroque necari.
with chains whipped with rods and
killed with steel.
Vado in, permissum nos
Go on, let us see you run! 9.
velox
.
virtus
manly strength. 84.
Zealots Jewish rebels who openly advocated 13.
the forceful overthrow of the Roman
occupation of Palestine.
2
380 statute miles. (Also see GLOSSARY in Appendix.)
3
about 5,000 infantry soldiers.
4
Roman soldiers.
July
5
6
township of Nazareth.
“Stop! Look, a stinking crippled Jew.”
7
8
“He needs that brace to walk.”
9
“Limp! Limp! Limp!”
10
“Go on, let us see you run!”
11
Far be that fate from us ( Ovid, Roman poet, 43BCE—CE 17)
12
wooden cavalry shield
13
money.
14
Jewish rebels who openly advocated the overthrow of the Roman occupation of Palestine.
15
about 1,000 soldiers
16
August
17
Wedding, carouse, drinking party.
18
Dowry from groom’s father to bride’s father.
19
An ounce of silver could purchase a fine vase.
20
A light beer of barley and millet.
21
A gift from groom to bride.
22
October/November.
23
A headband of pouches containing religious items.
24
A stringed musical instrument.
25
An awning of bright cloth.
26
Zealots who infiltrated Roman crowds and sympathizers to stab and flee.
27
Rebel agitator crucified circa 3747 (CE 1), grandfather to current Judah, Sicarii/Zealot leader.
28
Attendant, best man.
29
Passover, Exodus.
30
A day’s journey.
31
Referred to in historical texts as ‘Upright James’.
32
Roman-appointed Jewish high priest
33
ritual bath for cleansing or purification.
34
Torah prophecy that oppressors of Jews would be overcome and they would be free from persecution.
35
Impure.
36
Sacrificial lamb.
37
A lemon fruit pilgrims brought to the Temple.
38
200 x 400 yards.
39
the peace imposed by Roman on conquered nations.
40
Nonbelievers in Judaism.
41
Forty-seven feet long.
42
a cloth tied around the head to hold the jaw in place.
43
Slaves trained to wrestle and slay animals in the arena.
44
sand
45
an old gladiator who has purchased his freedom and buys/manages/promotes younger gladiators for profit.
46
The ferryman who conveys the dead across the river Styx to Hades.
47
“To endure burning with fire, shackling with chains, whipped with rods and killed with steel.”
48
an ex gladiator, fight trainer in gladiator school.
49
a gladiator armed as a legionnaire with large scutum (large oblong shield) and gladius (27” straight sword)
50
Padded brass protector for lower legs and shins.
51
wears helmet with dorsal fin on crest, face plate with small eye-holes, gladius, greave (on left leg),
manica
(protective leather sleeve on sword arm), scutum, lightly armored for agility vs. Retiarius.
52
wields 17” curved slashing sword, wide brim plumed helmet with griffin,
manica,
greaves, subligaculum (canvas
loincloth).
53
Armed with trident, dagger and throwing
rete
(net).
54
Sharp trident with long shaft.
55
Traditional gladiators.
56
Guilty of robbery, rape, murder, sentenced to fight to the death en mass or unarmed against professional gladiators.
57
A group of gladiators owned by the same
lanista
.
58
Characterized by heavily armed swordsmen, at least 5’4”-5”7” tall with large bulbous helmet, cardiophylax
(breastplate) gladius, greaves manica and scutum.
59
A group of gladiators owned by the same
lanista
.
60
politicians, senators or wealthy citizens who sponsored a day or period of games.
61
A loser whose life was spared.
62
A cave-like tunnel below the amphitheatre leading to the Gate of Life, from which gladiators entered the arena before
a contest , exited after a successful; and from which a procession of the days contestants formed a parade before the
Emperor and spectators at the beginning of games.
63
A canvas loincloth worn by most gladiators.
64
take the iron: a defeated man kneels, clasps his arms around his opponents legs to accept the death plunge of a sword
in the neck.
65
Numbering about 200 in Rome throughout the provinces.
66
when the crowd spares the life of both combatants who fought well.
67
a gladiator at the pinnacle of his craft.
68
Stay alive!
69
similar to Thracian attire, but on horseback, heavily armored with small, round, bronze shield and long spear.
70
Mediterranean Sea
71
to be killed.
72
lounge chair borne by slaves.
73
second rate gladiators.
74
The Senate and People of Rome.
75
the open stadium where gladiatorial games were held; measuring 600x200 yards with 250,000 tiered wooden seats,
pylon; chariots raced around a raised center platform down its length.
76
short curved dagger.