Glossary of terms used in THE RUBY-VIPER TRILOGY
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A B C
acanthus – a prickly perennial herb chiefly found in the Mediterranean region
Adonis – the Greek god of beauty and desire
Alps – one of the highest and most extensive mountain ranges in Europe, stretching across the modern-day countries of Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia
amphora – an ancient Greek jar or vase with a large oval body, narrow cylindrical neck, and two handles that rose almost to the level of the mouth; they were widely used throughout the ancient world as shipping and storage jars for wine and other foods; plural amphorae
amulet – an ornament or small piece of jewelry thought to give protection against evil, danger, or disease; a good luck charm; in ancient Rome, it was called a bulla
Apennines – the Apennine Mountains, a large range consisting of smaller chains that together extend 870 miles north-south through the Italian peninsula
apostate – a person who has officially renounced or separated himself from his religion, political belief, or principle; in Martha Marks’s The Ruby Ring, Prefect Tiberius Julius Alexander is accurately described as an apostate Jew
Arsinoë – a name given to numerous female members of the ancient royal families of Egypt, Macedonia, Thrace, etc.; per historic custom, it appears in Rubies of the Viper as the name of a boat; the ë is pronounced as a separate, final syllable
atrium – the central room of a Roman house, usually with a roof opening to admit light and a sunken pool or tank (impluvium) that collects rainwater
ballista – sometimes called a “bolt thrower,” an ancient weapon that launched either javelins (“bolts”) or stones at a distant target; similar to a larger device called a “catapult”; the derivative English word “ballistics” is the study of the motion of projectiles (bullets, rockets, and bombs) and the effects they have on impact
beehive tomb – a burial structure used by the ancient Etruscans and others; its charaacteristic false dome consists of successively smaller rings of mudbricks or stones; English-speaking archeologists named it for its resemblance to a beehive
bireme – an ancient warship with two files of oarsmen on each side; invented by the Phoenicians and used by many navies as battering ram vessels; see trireme (below)
bulla – a good-luck charm commonly given to Roman children to wear around their necks as protection; the viper amulet featured in this series is a bulla
burnoose – a one-piece hooded cloak worn in both ancient and modern times by Arabs and Berbers
Caesar – a title used by Roman emperors from Augustus to Hadrian; the word began as the surname (cognomen) of Julius Caesar but over time came to mean an absolute ruler or dictator
Caesarea Maritima – an important coastal city and seaport built by Judean King Herod I (“the Great”) and named in honor of Caesar Augustus; later used during the Roman-Jewish War as the military headquarters of Roman generals Vespasian and Titus; now an Israeli national park
Campania – an Italian province on the coast south of Rome; it included such ancient cities as Naples, Pompeii, and Herculaneum
Carcer Tullianum – also known as either the Carcer or the Tullianum, a prison and place of execution right in the heart of the ancient city of Rome; named for Servius Tullius, the legendary sixth king of Rome who lived in the sixth century BC; the Latin word carcer (“prison”) is the root of incarcerate in modern English
catapult – an ancient military device for hurling large stones or other missiles at an enemy
centurion – an officer grade that bore great responsibility in the army of ancient Rome; a man holding that rank commanded a century, which originally was one hundred men but by the time of The Ruby-Viper Trilogy novels had been reduced to eighty
chiton – the basic garment of ancient Greece, usually knee-length for men and full-length for women
Cilicia – ancient name of a region located on the Mediterranean coast in the southern part of today’s Turkey; a Roman province at the time of Martha Marks’s novels; around AD 41, per the customs of that time, the 13-year-old Jewish princess Berenice became Queen of Cilicia by marrying King Herod of Cilicia, who was her uncle
cithara – an ancient Greek stringed instrument similar to but larger than the lyre and having a box-shaped resonator
Cloaca Maxima – the ancient “Great Sewer” that carried stormwater and both human and animal waste from the Roman Forum and dumped them into the Tiber River
cohort – a component of the Roman arm; it consisted of six centuries of eighty men each
colonnade – a row of columns supporting a roof or arcade; its usual purpose is to connect the private interior of a building with the public exterior
coffle – a group of prisoners, enslaved people, or animals chained or tied together in a line, usually for transportation
consul – the highest elected official in the Roman Republic (209- 27 BC); later on, during the Empire, he was replaced by the hereditary emperor, known as Caesar, who was a dictator
Crete – an island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea; the largest and most populous of the Greek islands and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean
Cyprus – an island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea; the third largest and third most populous; known since ancient times for its mineral wealth, superb wines and produce
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D E F G H I
denarius – a coin, either gold or silver depending on the value, minted by the Roman Empire; plural denarii
equestrian rank – also known as the equites (“horsemen”), a hereditary Roman social class below the senatorial class but still primarily wealthy property owners
Ethiopians – a general term used by the ancient Greeks for black-skinned people, not specifically referring to the modern nation of Ethiopia
Etruscan Sea – one name for the body of water that parallels the western coast of Italy; also known as the Tyrrhenian Sea
Etruscans – people who lived in an area known as Etruria in ancient Italy, shared a common language and culture, and formed a federation of city-states before they were defeated by the Roman Empire
Falernian – an expensive white wine produced in Campania, an Italian province on the coast south of Rome
freedman – a person who has been legally freed from slavery; plural freedmen (in Latin, liberti)
Gaul – a large region that the ancient Romans ruled for 600 years (in Latin, Gallia), now divided among the nations of France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany
garum – a fermented fish sauce used as a condiment in the ancient world; a popular version of it was produced and bottled in the Campanian city of Pompeii; the family that produced it became extremely wealthy before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD
Great Revolt, The – what the ancient Hebrews called the war they fought from AD 66-70 (or, by some calculations, AD 66-74) between Rome and the independent province of Judea; also known in history as the Roman-Jewish War
gunnysack – a sack made of a coarse heavy fabric such as burlap
Hatzidakis – a family surname of Cretan origin that was common in ancient times and still is today; pronounced with four clear syllables: hot-zi-dak-is
Hellespont, The – ancient name of the narrow passage between the Aegean Sea and the Sea of Marmara; known today as the Dardanelles or the Strait of Gallipoli
henna – a reddish dye made from the leaves of the henna tree; used for cosmetics since the ancient Egyptian period, and possibly even earlier
Hera – the Greek goddess of marriage, family, childbirth, and women; the wife and sister of Zeus, king of the gods
Herodian Dynasty, The — the Jewish royal family that ruled Judaea between 39 BC and 92 AD; notable members mentioned in Martha Marks’s novels include King Herod the Great (73 BC – 4 BC), King Herod Agrippa (10 BC – 44 AD), and Queen Berenice (AD 28-?)
Hispania – the name that ancient Romans gave to what is now known as the Iberian Peninsula, where Spain and Portugal are located
hypocaust – an ancient Roman central heating system consisting of an underground furnace and tile flues that distributed the heat; slaves usually managed the fires that kept the heat flowing; it was generally found in the wealthiest houses only
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J K L M
Jotapata – the modern spelling of an ancient fortified city once spelled Yodfat, Yodefat, or Iotapata; the site of a lengthy and deadly seige during The Great Revolt; now an Israeli national historic site
Judea – while Judea is considered part of ancient Israel, the name refers specifically to the southern kingdom of Judah, which split from the northern Kingdom of Israel after King Solomon’s reign, making it only a portion of the larger ancient Israelite territory; as early as the 10th century BC, the Israelite and Judean religion began to emerge within the broader West Semitic culture, otherwise known as Canaanite culture
Juno – the Roman goddess of light, women, marriage, and childbirth; the wife of Jupiter, she was also known as the “queen of heaven” and associated with youthfulness, vital energy, and the moon; throughout The Ruby-Viper Trilogy, Theodosia identifies closely with Juno the Moon as her personal protector
Jupiter – the supreme Roman god of sky, thunder, and lightning; also known as the “king of the gods,” he was associated with treaties, alliances, and oaths such as “I swear by Jupiter” or simply “By Jupiter!”
knucklebones – a game that has been played for thousands of years; originally it involved throwing the ankle bones of sheep or goats into the air and catching them on the back of the hand; in modern times it is often called jacks and uses spiked metal shapes instead of bones
lanista – a man who trained gladiators to fight in ancient Rome
legate – a
legion – the principal unit of the Roman army comprising 3,000 to 6,000 foot soldiers with cavalry
legionary – a soldier who is part of a legion
litter – a covered, curtained, and cushioned couch equipped with horizontal wooden shafts that were carried by litter bearers, who were usually slaves; a typical litter carried a single passenger, but some owned by the wealthiest Romans were larger
Lusitania – a Roman province located in what is today Spain and Portugal on the Iberian Peninsula
Macedonia – an ancient kingdom that occupied the northeast corner of the Greek peninsula
manumission – the formal emancipation from slavery
to manumit – to release or set free, specifically from slavery; its synonym to emancipate does not exclusively mean from slavery
“meatman” – translation of an ancient slang term for a professional flogger or executioner; the original word came from Latin carnifex (“butcher” or “maker of meat”)
Miles Gloriosus – a comedic play by Titus Maccius Plautus (c. 254–184 B.C.), translated as “Swaggering Soldier”; even today, in plays such as “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” it’s a stereotype of a certain type of military character
Minoan – an ancient people who flourished on the island of Crete for almost 2,o00 years during the Bronze Age; their civilization was based at Knossos, named for the legendary King
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N O P Q
necropolis – a large cemetery that contains elaborate tomb monuments; in Rubies of the Viper, it specificallly refers to an Etruscan necropolis that was 1,000 years old at that time; from the Greek nekropolis (“city of the dead”)
Numidian – a person from Numidia, an area of northern Africa bordering the Mediterranean Sea that was part of the Roman Empire
Pasiphaë – in ancient Greek mythology, an immortal daughter of the sun-god Helios; also a skilled practitioner of witchcraft who married King Minos of Crete and was cursed with lust for the king’s finest bull, with whom she conceived a hybrid child, the bull-headed Minotaur, who possessed the head and tail of a bull and the body of a man; the ë at the end is pronounced as a separate syllable: pə-ˈsi– fə-ˌē
pergola – a structure in a garden that climbing plants can grow over, creating shade, and that people can sit under or walk through
peristyle – a colonnade surrounding a building, court, or garden space
Pola – an ancient seaport and ship-building center; now the site of well-preserved Roman ruins and a tourist resort known as both Pula (Croatian) and Pola (Italian); located in western Croatia at the southern tip of of the Istrian Peninsula, which juts into the northern part of the Adriatic Sea; in Martha Marks’s Rubies of the Viper, it plays a small but critical role in a challenging escape
praetor – in ancient Rome, a magistrate who ranked just below a consul and had chiefly judicial functions
Praetorian – in ancient Rome, a member of the imperial bodyguard, known as the Praetorian Guard
Praetorian Guard – the main body of troops in Rome; a force that emperors often used to discourage plotting, curb rebellions, and crush unrest and dissent
prefect — in ancient Rome, a category of military or civil official, ranging from low to very high-ranking; in some circumstances, a prefect could act as a governor, but his title of prefect was considered to outrank that of a governor
quaestor – in ancient Rome, an official who was concerned chiefly with financial administration
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R S T U
Roman-Jewish War – commonly used name for the war fought from AD 66-70 (or, by some calculations, AD 66-74) between Rome and the independent province of Judea; in Jewish history, it’s known as The Great Revolt
Saturnalia – a festival celebrating the god Saturn in ancient Rome that began on December 17; it was a night of upside-down social roles, where slaves played the role of their masters as their real masters served them food and drink and even entertained them
scribe – in ancient Israel, a member of a learned class who studied the Scriptures and served as copyists, editors, teachers, and jurists; in other ancient places, he was a person who copied and/or wrote letters, official documents, literary manuscripts, etc., usually for other people to read or otherwise use
Seleucia Pieria – seaport on the Mediterranean that primarily served the ancient city of Antioch, Syria
servus – the Latin word for servant or slave; it appears in Rubies of the Viper as a demeaning name that Theodosia’s brother tried to force his slave Alexander to answer to and accept
sesterce – an ancient Roman coin equal to one-quarter of a denarius
Siccari – modern version of the ancient Hebrew term siqariqim, (“assassins”), used to describe a radical splinter group of the Jewish Zealots that terrorized Judea during the time of Jesus; the word comes from sica (“daggers”)
Sicily – an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe; one of the 20 regions of Italy
slingshot – a forked stick with an elastic band attached for shooting small stones; they were important weapons to ancient people who lacked more-sophisticated military technology; in skilled hands, they could be quite lethal
stola – a long, draped garment worn by Roman women; similar to the Greek chiton worn by women of ancient Greece and elsewhere
strigil – a long, curved metal instrument similar in appearance to a scoop; used by ancient Greeks and Romans for scraping oil or water off the skin after bathing or exercising
talent – an ancient Roman coin that featured the image of a honey bee to symbolize wealth and prosperity; worth the equivalent of 20 years of a laborer’s wages; today, a talent would be worth between $500,000 and $1,000,000.
Thessaly – a region of great importance in the ancient Greek world, possessing both agricultural abundance and a strategic position between north and south
toga – a loose outer garment worn in public by citizens of ancient Rome; the white toga virilis specifically marked a boy’s transition into manhood at age fifteen
tribune – a Roman official with the function of protecting the plebeian citizen from arbitrary action by the patrician magistrates; also a military title referring to a senior officer in the Roman army who commanded portions of a legion
trireme – an ancient warship with three files of oarsmen on each side; similar to the bireme but altered by the Greeks to add a tier to the height, increasing the number of rowers to 180; it was faster, heavier, and more maneuverable than the bireme and thus a more effective weapon
tuff – a porous stone formed from debris ejected by an explosive volcanic eruption; used in ancient times to construct government buildings and temples before marble became popular; sometimes confused with tufa, which is limestone formed from hot springs and more generally known as travertine marble
tunic – tunica, the basic garment for both men and women, a short-sleeved or sleeveless, knee-length tunic for men and boys, and a longer, usually sleeved tunic for women
Tyrrhenian Sea – based on the ancient Greek word for “Etruscan,” one name for the body of water that parallels the western coast of Italy; also known as the Etruscan Sea
Umbria – a region in central Italy bordering Tuscany, Lazio and Le Marche; local people are known as Umbrians
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V W X Y Z
viper – from Latin vipera; literally, a venomous or reputedly venomous snake; figuratively, a vicious or treacherous person
window glass – Latin fenestra vitrum, a technology believed to have been produced first in Roman Egypt; not like modern plate glass; rather, it was formed as blocks meant to be embedded into the exterior walls of houses; very expensive in ancient times, such window glass was considered a major upgrade from wooden shutters for blocking rain and cold while admitting light
Yavne – an ancient Judean port that remains today as an archeological site on the Mediterranean; alternatively known to the Judeans as Yavneh and Jabne; known to the Greeks as Yamnia and to the Romans as Iamnia; all three versions are found, as appropriate to the speaker, in Martha Marks’s novel The Viper Amulet
Yosef ben Matityahu – English translation: Joseph son of Matthew, known to history as Josephus; the Judean scholar and military general who fought the Romans and was captured by them after the siege of Jotapata, but then went on to live out his natural life in Rome; author of an autobiography and the only surviving chronicles of the Roman-Jewish War, aka The Great Revolt
Zeus – the king of the ancient Greek gods and husband of Hera in mythology