Classical Literacy

AD

anno Domini "in the year of our Lord" used for dates

am/pm

ante meridiem/post meridiem "before noon"/"afternoon"

abacus

Ancient counting tool, beads on a wire separated by frame

Achilles

greatest hero of greek invincible except for his lower leg, fought in trojan war

Achilles heel

idiom to describe someone strong in something but having a weakness

Acropolis

Ancient Citadel containing multiple buildings, took 16 years to make, used as a treasury, church, mosque, powder box

ad nauseam

"to sickness/nausea" Doing something so much you get sick of it

ad hoc

"to this(purpose", something made for a specific purpose

ad hominem

"to the person", the logical fallacy of attacking a person instead of their ideas

ad infinitum

"to infinity", endlessly

Adonis

mortal lover of Aphrodite and Persephone, god of Beauty, fertility, and permanent renewal

Adriatic Sea

Romans used this to transport items across to Rome

Aegean Sea

Used for commercial sea trading, borders Greece and Turkey, Home to many islands and gods, Myceans relied heavily on it

Aeneas

trojan hero, son of a prince, helped defend his city against greeks during trojan war, battled with Diomedes, great leader

Aeneid

epic poem written by Virgil, Aeneas' journey from Troy to Italy

Aesop

Legendary Greek writer and storyteller, all stories have a moral, "slow and steady wins the race"

Agamemnon

leader of Greek army during Trojan war, married clymmetra, killed by wife, ruled Mycenae

agenda

a plan of problems to be addressed, "things that ought to be done"

Alexander the Great

lived as king of Macedonia, died from malaria, never lost in battle, took down Persia

Alexandria

city, port located in northern Egypt, conquered by Alexander the Great, largest city on the mediterranean sea

All Gaul is divided into three parts

has the ability to divide on task into three parts, Julius Caesar said this

All roads lead to Rome

any method will achieve the same outcome, derives from medieval latin

alma mater

the school or college someone once attended, "nourishing mother"

Alpha and Omega

beginning and end, derives from Greek alphabet

Alps

highest and most extensive mountain range in Europe, created by glaciers, split Germany, France, Italy and etc

alter ego

"other self" second self different version

alumnus

"student" male or female graduate

ambrosia and nectar

food and drink of the gods, gave immortality, cleaned wounds and gave strength and also used as anointing fluids

amphitheater

Built in Rome, dome-shaped to hold festivals and theaters, gladiator fights, first built in Pompeii

Androcles and the Lion

written by Aesop, person escapes slavery and saves a lion who had a thorn in itself, sentence to death by the lion he saved

Andromeda

greek mythology, Wife of Persius, Poseidon sent a sea monster to kill this person, galaxy named after her

ante bellum

"before the war" To describe something before the war

Mark Anthony

born in Rome to a military commander, general for Caesar, had 3 children with Cleopatra, killed himself

arachnophobia

greek word for spider and phobos means fear, fear of spiders

basilica

to describe a large important Church, derived from Greek word basilike stoa