Bassaeus Rufus, Marcus
Praetorian prefect under M. Aurelius, an Italian of humble origin, rose from the centurionate and primipilate (see centurio; primipilus) to hold four procuratorships, and the prefecture of the ...
beneficiarii
Were junior officers in the Roman army below the rank of centurion. They were appointed through the favour (beneficium) of their commander, and the title existed at least from the time of Caesar. In ...
Capernaum
A town near the Sea of Galilee which was a centre for Christ's ministry (Mk.2: 1). It has been identified with Kefar Naḥum (Tell Hûm).
cohors
(pl. cohortēs) In the early Roman republic the infantry provided by the allies were organized in separate cohortes of varying strength, each under a Roman or native prefect. In the legions the cohort ...
Cornelius
*Gentile centurion admitted to the Church by Peter (Acts 10), thus marking a turning point in the progress of the Gospel from Jerusalem to Rome.
eyewitness
Luke claims (Luke 1: 2) to be relying on the evidence of eyewitnesses; and the author of 2 Pet. (1: 16) implies that he was an eyewitness at the Transfiguration of Jesus. The latter is part of his ...
Italian band
A cohort of the Roman army probably composed of Roman citizens, of which Cornelius was a centurion (Acts 10: 1).
manipulus
A tactical unit of a legion; its adoption in the 4th century bc was associated with the introduction of the throwing spear (pīlum) which required a more open and manœuvrable formation. Legionaries ...
primipilus
In the army of the imperial period the primipilus was chief centurion (see centurio) of a legion, commanding the leading century of the five in the first cohort. He probably held office for one year ...
Quintus Marcius Turbo
From Dalmatia, is first recorded as centurion in legion II Adiutrix and rose through the primipilate, becoming tribune in the vigiles and urban cohorts at Rome, and commander of the imperial horse ...
Raetia
A Roman Alpine province (see Alps), including Tyrol and parts of Bavaria and Switzerland. Though small, Raetia was important because it blocked potential invasion-routes into Italy.Immediately after ...
Roman army
One of the most successful and long-lived armies of antiquity, it developed standards of discipline, organization, and efficiency that would not be seen again in western Europe until the late ...
son of David
It is claimed both in the gospels (Matt. 1: 17) and by Paul (Rom. 1: 3) that Jesus was descended from the royal house of David on the human side. But it is a title usually given to Jesus by those who ...
Son of God
Or ‘children of God’. In Gen. 6: 1–4 ‘Sons of God’ united with ‘daughters of men’ to produce a race of supermen who were presumably destroyed by the Flood. The expression, meaning supernatural ...
Tertullian
(c. 160–c. 240),early Christian theologian. His writings include Christian apologetics and attacks on pagan idolatry and Gnosticism. He later joined the Montanists, urging asceticism and venerating ...
