Glossary of Ancient Terms
Below is a short glossary of Ancient Roman Terms prepared for you by Littleton Coin Company!
A Short Glossary of Ancient Roman Terms
Augustus: "Honor majestic" A word related to the priestly arts. The Senate granted this title to Octavian, who then adopted it. It placed him above the rest of the state as protector of Rome. Used by emperors that followed him. Shown as AVG on coins.
Barbarian: At the height of the Roman Empire, Romans looked at everyone outside their domain as strange and uncivilized foreigners.
Caesar: Heir to the throne, junior emperor. First used by Octavian to advertise his connection with Julius Caesar, and then used by later rulers. Shown as C or CAES on coins
Centurion: Soldier in charge of a century of men (80 men), smallest unit in the Roman army
Citizen: Any male 15 or older who was a free man within the Roman republic. Citizenship gave voting, religious and social rights along with required military service.
Consul: In the empire, the Office of Consul was the highest in the Senate, sometimes held by the emperor himself. While there was no political power attached to the position, it commanded respect. Shown as COS on coins, followed by numbers indicating times office held.
Emperor: "A man who rules an empire." Comes from the Latin word imperator.
Germanicus: A title honoring military successes in Germany. Shown on coins as GERM.
Gloria Exercitus: Glory to the Army, first used by Constantine the Great.
Imperator: Commander, leader. Title of honor awarded to a victorious general. Later, granted to emperors for military victories. Shown as IMP on coins.
Legion: A Legion was made up of 10 cohorts (480 men to a cohort) or 4,800 men.
Magnus: "The great"
Optimate: Conservative faction in the Senate.
Optimus Maximus: "The greatest and the best"
Praetor: A leader - literally means "goes before" or "leads."
Praetorian Guard: Usually the emperor's personal bodyguards.
Praetorian Prefect: Commander of the Imperial Guard, usually the best legal mind in the government and responsible for the emperor's safety
Prefect (Praefectus): Overseer, civil or military officer. Title given to a person of standing in the Roman world.
Princeps: First citizen, leader or best leader.
Province: An area outside Italy ruled by Rome.
Senate: A council of senior men selected from civil offices who directed the Roman state.
Tribunicia Potestas: Tribune of the people. Gave emperors veto power and right to convene the Senate. Shown on coins as TRP, usually followed by numbers. Indicated renewal.
Vota: Vows taken by the emperor upon taking office.
Usurp: To seize control by force or illegal means, as of the Roman Empire or a portion of, such as Gaul.
Barbarian: At the height of the Roman Empire, Romans looked at everyone outside their domain as strange and uncivilized foreigners.
Caesar: Heir to the throne, junior emperor. First used by Octavian to advertise his connection with Julius Caesar, and then used by later rulers. Shown as C or CAES on coins
Centurion: Soldier in charge of a century of men (80 men), smallest unit in the Roman army
Citizen: Any male 15 or older who was a free man within the Roman republic. Citizenship gave voting, religious and social rights along with required military service.
Consul: In the empire, the Office of Consul was the highest in the Senate, sometimes held by the emperor himself. While there was no political power attached to the position, it commanded respect. Shown as COS on coins, followed by numbers indicating times office held.
Emperor: "A man who rules an empire." Comes from the Latin word imperator.
Germanicus: A title honoring military successes in Germany. Shown on coins as GERM.
Gloria Exercitus: Glory to the Army, first used by Constantine the Great.
Imperator: Commander, leader. Title of honor awarded to a victorious general. Later, granted to emperors for military victories. Shown as IMP on coins.
Legion: A Legion was made up of 10 cohorts (480 men to a cohort) or 4,800 men.
Magnus: "The great"
Optimate: Conservative faction in the Senate.
Optimus Maximus: "The greatest and the best"
Praetor: A leader - literally means "goes before" or "leads."
Praetorian Guard: Usually the emperor's personal bodyguards.
Praetorian Prefect: Commander of the Imperial Guard, usually the best legal mind in the government and responsible for the emperor's safety
Prefect (Praefectus): Overseer, civil or military officer. Title given to a person of standing in the Roman world.
Princeps: First citizen, leader or best leader.
Province: An area outside Italy ruled by Rome.
Senate: A council of senior men selected from civil offices who directed the Roman state.
Tribunicia Potestas: Tribune of the people. Gave emperors veto power and right to convene the Senate. Shown on coins as TRP, usually followed by numbers. Indicated renewal.
Vota: Vows taken by the emperor upon taking office.
Usurp: To seize control by force or illegal means, as of the Roman Empire or a portion of, such as Gaul.
Great Ancient Books
At Littleton Coin Company!
- 100 Greatest Ancient Coins
- By Halen Berk
Explore a wealth of collecting knowledge with Harlan Berk's 100 Greatest Ancient Coins! Part of Whitman Publishing's "100 Greatest" series, this is the first volume dedicated to non-U.S. collectibles. - Coinage and History of the Roman Empire, Volumes I & II
- By David Vagi
Here's a 2-volume set that covers more than 550 years of Roman history and numismatics. Coinage and History of the Roman Empire by David Vagi is an easy, enjoyable way to explore the lives of the Roman rulers and their families and learn about your ancient coins. - Ancient Coin Collecting III: The Roman World - Politics and Propaganda
- By Wayne G. Sayles
The Roman Empire was perhaps the greatest the world has ever known. Now you can discover its culture and coinage, in Ancient Coin Collecting III: The Roman World - Politics and Propaganda. In this third volume of his acclaimed series, ancient coin expert Wayne G. Sayles leads you on a guided tour of the empire, from its origins in the third century B.C. to its final days in the fifth century A.D. This indispensable guide is a "must" for anyone interested in Roman coins. Add it to your collection today!
Other Good Ancient Lenses
Coin Collecting Help from Littleton
We have several lenses dedicated just to you Ancient Coin collectors! We also have other lenses dedicated to US and World coin collecing. Check them out now!
- Littleton Coin Home
- Of course, we have to add a plug to our retail site, LittletonCoin.com. It's a great place to find coins and accessories to help you with your collection! We also have a large amount of helpful coin information.
- Littleton Coin Squidoo Page
- This is the Littleton Coin Company Squidoo page, with fun polls, interesting articles and more! You can also find all of our lenses listed on this page!
- Guide to Ancient Coins
- Learn all about the different denominations of Ancient Roman Coins!
- Ancient Coins Bits and Pieces
- Learn all about Ancient Coins straight from renowned Numismatist David Sundman (also President of Littleton Coin Company).
by SamDube_LCC
My name is Sam Dube, and I work at Littleton Coin Company. We know a large number of people would like to learn more about collecting, but don't know... (more)
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