Welcome to the Woodlands Junior Glossary of Roman Words and Terms.This page supports our Roman Homework pages. 

Words are listed alphabetically. Just look up the topic you need.

We hope you find this glossary helpful We’d welcome your comments to ensure we continually improve it.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

Ager - The raised mound of a Roman road

Amphitheatre - A place where Romans went to watch animals and people fighting

Aqueduct - A system of pipes and channels which brings clean water into towns

B

Ballista - Catapult resembling a very large crossbow (also spelled ballistra)

Barbarian - A person who lived outside the Roman Empire, seen as having a violent nature.

Basilica - A large building where town business was carried out (like a modern Town Hall)

Bulla - A special locket worn around children's neck, given to them at birth. It contained an amulet as a protection against evil and was worn on a chain, cord, or strap.

C

Caldarium - Hot room in a bath-suite

Camouflage - An aid designed to hide or disguise something

Cavalry - Soldiers who fight on horseback

Chariot - Cart with two wheels pulled by horses. Romans raced chariots, and Celtic warriors rode into battle on them.

Cohort - Roman army unit

D

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E

Election - Process where people vote to choose the people they want to be in charge. Elections are often held to decide who will govern a country

F

Fortuna -Roman goddess of luck and good fortune.

Forum - Open space in the middle of a town for markets and meeting people (like a market square)

Frigidarium - Cold room in a bath-suite, normally a cold plunge pool

G

Gaul - The Roman name for what is now France, Belgium and Holland.

Gladiator - A slave trained to fight other gladiators or animals in amphitheatres.

Groma - A wooden cross with weights hanging from it which gave the Romans a straight line.

H

Horreum - Granary

Hypocaust - Roman central heating - It works by hot air flowing through gaps between walls and flooring

I

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J

Juno - A Roman goddess of women and childbirth. She was the wife of the god Jupiter.

Jupiter - The chief Roman god, equivalent to the Greek god Zeus. He was also the god of thunder and is often seen with thunderbolts in his hand.

K

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L

Lararium - A household shrine usually taking the form of a raised platform or shelf. Small statues of household gods (Lares) may have stood in the shrine.

Lares - Household gods

Latin - The language spoken and written by the Romans

Legend - A story made up about people in the past.

Legion - A military unit recruited from Roman citizens and usually around 5000 men in strength.

Ligula - An instrument with a narrow cup-shaped scoop, which may have been used as a medical probe, an ear scoop or for picking up small quantities of ointment.

Liquamen - A salty fish sauce

Londinium - The Roman name for London.

M

Mausoleum - A building erected to house the dead. They could often be quite substantial structures.

Mercury - The messenger of the Roman gods. He was also the god of trade.

Minerva - Roman goddess of wisdom and crafts.

Mosaic - A pattern made from coloured pieces of stones and pottery.

Myth - A made up story often about gods and spirits which is told to explain things about the world.

N

Neptune - Roman god of the sea.

O

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P

Pedagogue - A Roman slave who was trained as a teacher.

Professional - A person trained to do a special job in exchange for payment (wages).

Q

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R

Republic - A country without a king, queen or emperor. The people who rule it are elected. France, Italy and Germany are countries today which are republics.

Roman - A person who lives in or comes from Rome in Italy.

Roman Governor -The ruler of Roman Britain, who worked for the Roman Emperor.

S

Sacred - Something that is believed to be holy and to have a special connection with a god or gods.

Senate - The Roman government, made up of senators.

Senator - A person elected to be part of the government. Some countries today, like the U.S.A., still have senators.

Sewage - The dirty water and worse which is poured down sewers from drains and lavatories.

Sewers - Pipes or tunnels that carry away sewage

Slave - Someone sold to another person to work for them for free. They don't have any rights or freedom.

Strigil - A metal object used in Baths to scrape sweat, dirt and excess oil off. (see our Roman bath page)

Stylus - A metal pen for scratching words into wax on wooden tablets.

T

Tax - Money or items given to the government. This payment helped to pay for things like soldiers in the army and building roads.

Tribe - A group of people who live in one part of a country and are ruled by a chief.

U

Underworld - A gloomy place where Romans believed your soul went after you died.

V

Venus - Roman goddess of love and beauty

Villa - A large house in the country. Some villas were farmhouses and some were like palaces.

W

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