Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Sebastian, Saint, fl. 3d cent.?, Roman martyr. Little is known of his life. According to tradition he was an officer of the Praetorian guards much favored by Emperor Diocletian, who did not know that ...

(Encyclopedia) Aetius, c.396–454, Roman general. At first unfriendly to Valentinian III, he later made his peace with Valentinian's mother, Galla Placidia, and was given a command in Gaul. An ambitious general, he...

(Encyclopedia) Matilda, 1046–1115, countess of Tuscany, called the Great Countess; supporter of Pope Gregory VII in the papal conflict with the Holy Roman emperors. Ruling over Tuscany and parts of Emilia-Romagna ...

(Encyclopedia) John XXII, 1244–1334, pope (1316–34), a Frenchman (b. Cahors) named Jacques Duèse; successor of Clement V. Formerly, he was often called John XXI. He reigned at Avignon. John was celebrated as a ...

(Encyclopedia) Germanicus Caesar jərmănˈĭkəs [key], 15 b.c.–a.d. 19, Roman general, son of Drusus Senior. He was adopted (a.d. 4) by his uncle Emperor Tiberius. Germanicus fought (a.d. 8) in Pannonia and Dalm...

(Encyclopedia) Philip the Arabian: see Philip, Roman emperor. ...

(Encyclopedia) John George, 1585–1656, elector of Saxony (1611–56). A drunkard, he nonetheless ruled the leading German Protestant state during the Thirty Years War. He vacillated in his policy between support o...

(Encyclopedia) Didius Julianus (Marcus Didius Salvius Julianus) dĭˈdēəs jo͞olēāˈnəs [key], d. 193, Roman emperor (193). He was consul under Pertinax, on whose death the Praetorian Guard received bids for th...

(Encyclopedia) Constantine the Great: see Constantine I, Roman emperor. ...

(Encyclopedia) Kunigunde, Saint: see Henry II, Holy Roman emperor. ...