Etruscan & Ancient Rome Vocab

Cista

a cylindrical container used by wealthy women as cases for toiletry articles

Fibula

a brooch used to fasten garments in antiquity

Tumulus

a monumental earth mound, often raised over a tomb

Repoussé

a metalworking technique for creating patterns or images in relief by hammering or pressing from the reverse side of a metal sheet

Syncretism

a process in art that brings diverse elements together to produce something entirely new

Veristic

an interest in the faithful reproduction of the immediate visual and tactile appearance of subjects ("hyper-realism" in portraiture)

Basilica

in ancient Roman architecture, a secular building, used as a law court and for public assemblies

Fenestrated

with openings or windows

Forum

the public open space in a Roman city or town, originally used as a market; the center of political and administrative activities

Propaganda

information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view

Amphitheater

(literally "double theater") an open circular or oval building with a central space surrounded by tiers of seats for spectators, for the presentation of dramatic or sporting events

Pax Romana

an extended period of stability, domestic peace, and economic prosperity at the start of the Roman Empire

Coffer

a recessed decorative panel used to decorate ceiling or vaults

Oculus

a circular opening in the center of a dome or in a wall

Damnatio memoriae

(Latin, "condemnation of memory") a Roman phenomenon in which the government condemned the memory of a person who was seen as a tyrant, traitor, or other sort of enemy to the state

Porphyry

an extremely hard, purple stone from Egypt that was reserved for imperial use

Encaustic

pigment suspended in hot wax