agonothetes, the
Official assigned with the task of organising and hosting the contest in the framework of a contest.
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barrel-vault
vaulted, semi-cylindrical construction used often as roof.
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caldarium
Derivative of the Latin verb caleo (= warm up). It is the strongly heated room of Roman baths. Its hot plunge pool was used to take not only a hot bath but also a steam bath due to high levels of humidity. It was also called the "inner room".
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cornice
1. (Antiq. and Byz.) Member of the entablature or the architrave that projects in the elevation of a secular or religious building. As a horizontal member it may run along a wall. The cornice may also be the projecting part of the roof, protecting the building from rain.2. (Byz. archit.) Decorative architectural element used to articulate the walls of a church, both on the inside and on the outside, by marking the division between the vertical wall and the spring of the vaults. It usually bears painted or sculptural decoration of vegetal or geometric motifs.
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ephebarchus
The public archon who undertook the supervision of adolescents. The institution of adolescence received legal substance in the Athenian state with the “On the adolescents” law in 334/333 BC. Although the office of ephebarchus existed in earlier years, it proved popular in the cities of Greece and Asia Minor during the Hellenistic period.
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frigidarium
A large cold pool to drop into after enjoying a hot Roman bath (from frigeo). Normally frigidarium has used after a visit to warm rooms (caldarium) or after a training in palaistra. As the largest room in the thermae and often functioned as a hall for social events or communication
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gymnasiarch, the
The man responsible for the supervision of the youngsters and the adolescents who were trained at the gymnasia and at the palaestrae. This rank, widely diffused in all cities of the ancient Greek world, constituted a public office which was usually bestowed on the most eminent and rich citizens, since it required great expenses.
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gymnasium
The gymnasium was one of the most important centres of public life in Greek cities. The institution of the gymnasium, directly connected with the development of the Greek city, aimed to create virtuous citizens and gallant warriors. As educational institutions of public character, the gymnasia were intended for the physical and theoretical education of the young and consisted of separate spaces for special purposes.
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hermaic stele, the
Column crowned with the bust of Hermes.
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hypocaust, the
the main system for the heating of ancient baths. The word means literally a “furnace that burns underneath”. With this system the room’s floor was supported by small poles and the space underneath the floor was heated by the circulation of hot air, while the heat was transferred through the walls by conductors.
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mortar, the
Liquidised paste consisting of soil, water, sand or marble. It is used as binding material between rocks or plinths. Thus, it assures stability and protection of mansory.
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niche
Semi-circular recess on the surface of the wall.
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odeum, the
Public building similar to the theatre, but roofed and with smaller dimensions, which was used for musical contests.
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opus quadratum
Tecnhique of wall construction, in which chiselled squared blocks of stone of the same dimensions were placed in parallel lines.
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palaestra
A colonnaded enclosure for athletic exercise. The palaestra functioned both independently and as a part of the Greek gymnasium. It was formed as an open court surrounded by colonnades with adjoining rooms.
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pillar
Pier of square or rectangular cross-section.
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pseudo-isodomic masonry
Masonry built of blocks of the same height within each course , but each course varying in height.
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rubble masonry
A building techinique that employs rough, unhewn stones of various size, set in mortar in irregular courses.
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thermae
Building complexes dated in the Roman Period housing the public baths. Within the building there were three rooms, the frigitarium, the tepidarium and the caldarium and several other facilities rooms. The Roman bath-houses were also used as meting places and they often included a palaestra and a gymnasium.
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