Abbot ab·bot
head of monastery: the monk in charge of a monastery
Alchemy al·che·my
a medieval chemical science and speculative philosophy aiming to achieve the transmutation of the base metals into gold, the discovery of a universal cure for disease, and the discovery of a means of indefinitely prolonging life
Bacchus Bac·chus
classical god of wine: in Greek and Roman mythology, the god of wine, identified with the Greek god Dionysus and the Roman god Liber.
Chariot char·i·ot
ancient 2-wheeled vehicle: a two-wheeled horse-drawn vehicle without seats, used in ancient times in races, warfare, or processions
Christian Chris·tian
believer in Jesus Christ as savior: somebody whose religion is Christianity
Cloak cloak
outer garment: a loose sleeveless outer garment that fastens at the neck
Derision de·ri·sion
mocking scorn: contempt and mockery
Diocletian Di·o·cle·tian
245(or 248)-313(or 316) Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus Roman emperor (284-305); reorganized administration, finances, military forces of empire; reign noted for last great persecution of Christians
Epithet ep·i·thet
a characterizing word or phrase accompanying or occurring in place of the name of a person or thing
Fortunatus Purse
The hero of a medieval European folk tale, the starving, impoverished Fortunatus is visited by Fortune and asked to choose between health, strength, wisdom, beauty, and wealth. Choosing wealth, he receives an inexhaustible purse of money—the proverbial “Fortunatus purse”
Good Friday Good Friday
the Friday before Easter observed in churches as the anniversary of the crucifixion of Christ
Hallucination hal·lu·ci·na·tion
perception of objects with no reality
Magistrate mag·is·trate
an official entrusted with administration of the laws
Matins mat·ins
a service of liturgical prayer used for regular morning worship in churches of the Anglican communion
Mediterranean Sea Med·i·ter·ra·nean Sea
sea 2300 miles (3700 kilometers) long between Europe & Africa connecting with the Atlantic through Strait of Gibraltar & with Red Sea through Suez Canal
Monastery mon·as·tery
a house for persons under religious vows; especially : an establishment for monks
Monastic mo·nas·tic
of or relating to monasteries or to monks or nuns
Monk monk
a man who is a member of a religious order and lives in a monastery
Nobleman no·ble·man
a man of noble rank
Novgorod Nov·go·rod
medieval principality Eastern Europe extending from Lake Peipus & Lithuania to the Urals
Novice nov·ice
a person admitted to probationary membership in a religious community
Palpable pal·pa·ble
capable of being touched or felt
Penance pen·ance
an act performed to show sorrow or repentance for sin
Plague plague
an epidemic disease causing a high rate of mortality
Plume plume
a cluster of distinctive feathers
Protege pro·té·gé
one who is protected or trained or whose career is furthered by a person of experience, prominence, or influence
Roman Empire Holy Roman Empire
an empire consisting primarily of a loose confederation of German and Italian territories under the suzerainty of an emperor and existing from the 9th or 10th century to 1806
Roman Senate sen·ate
the supreme council of the ancient Roman republic and empire
Slav Slav
a person whose native tongue is a Slavic language
Toga to·ga
the loose outer garment worn in public by citizens of ancient Rome
Tunic tu·nic
a simple slip-on garment made with or without sleeves and usually knee-length or longer, belted at the waist, and worn as an under or outer garment by men and women of ancient Greece and Rome
Wineskin wine·skin
a bag that is made from the skin of an animal (as a goat) and that is used for holding wine