Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Swiss Guards, Swiss mercenaries who fought in various European armies from the 15th cent. until the 19th cent. These mercenaries, who were not volunteers, were put at the disposal of foreign powers by...

(Encyclopedia) Triumvirate trīŭmˈvĭrĭt, –vĭrātˌ [key], in ancient Rome, ruling board or commission of three men. Triumvirates were common in the Roman republic. The First Triumvirate was the alliance of Ju...

(Encyclopedia) Pius IV, 1499–1565, pope (1559–65), a Milanese named Giovanni Angelo de' Medici; successor of Paul IV. He was probably not related to the great Medici family. His career in Rome began in 1527, and...

(Encyclopedia) Zuccaro tso͞okˈkārō [key], Italian painters, two brothers, who were leading exponents of the late mannerist style in Rome. Taddeo Zuccaro, 1529–66, won recognition by his decorative paintings in...

(Encyclopedia) Plutarch plo͞oˈtärk [key], a.d. 46?–c.a.d. 120, Greek essayist and biographer, b. Chaeronea, Boeotia. He traveled in Egypt and Italy, visited Rome (where he lectured on philosophy) and Athens, an...

(Encyclopedia) Gielgud, Sir John (Arthur John Gielgud) gĭlˈgo͝od [key], 1904–2000, English actor, director, and producer. A grandnephew of Ellen Terry, Gielgud made his debut at the Old Vic in 1921. His intelli...

(Encyclopedia) Froude, James Anthony fro͞od [key], 1818–94, English historian. Educated at Oxford, he took deacon's orders after coming under the influence of the Oxford movement, but he later abandoned the path ...

(Encyclopedia) Metellus mētĕlˈəs [key], ancient Roman family of the plebeian gens Caecilia. Lucius Caecilius Metellus, d. c.221 b.c., consul (251 b.c.), fought in the First Punic War. He was pontifex maximus (fr...

(Encyclopedia) Gaul gôl [key], Lat. Gallia, ancient designation for the land S and W of the Rhine, W of the Alps, and N of the Pyrenees. The name was extended by the Romans to include Italy from Lucca and Rimini no...

(Encyclopedia) druids dro͞oˈĭdz [key], priests of ancient Celtic Britain, Ireland, and Gaul and probably of all ancient Celtic peoples, known to have existed at least since the 3d cent. BC. Information about them...