Mount Olympus - Travel Guide about the Ancient Sites, Museums, Monasteries and Churches by Jürgen Weidner - HTML preview

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Glossary

I have tried to avoid technical terms. But finally, if you study the literature or, hopefully, visit the places described above, you will be confronted here and there with lesserknown terms. A small selection:

Abaton Inaccessible, for certain persons a not to be entered place

Acropolis Upper town. Located on a hill above the city.

Apse Semicircular extension of a church that can serve a variety of purposes.

Basilica Early Christian church, today a title for special churches.

Cavea Auditorium in Roman theaters

Chthonic deities In the subterranean underworld living gods.

Destruction layer A layer of remnants resulting from a sudden destruction (fire, earthquake).

Dromos Way leading to the burial chamber (s).

Epiphany Appearance

Ex situ Not found at the original location.

Extra Muros Outside the city (walls)

Frigidarium Cooling pool in a Roman bath

Hetairoi Macedonian aristocrat elite cavalrymen

Hypocaust heating Antique heating system in which floors and walls were flowed through by warm air.

Iconoclasm Image dispute within the Orthodox Church. Started about 730 and lasted for over 100 years.

Iconostasis A wall in an Orthodox church decorated with icons

Idol Depiction of a deity

In situ So found locally

Intra Muros Within the city (walls)

Katholikon Church in an orthodox monastery

Centaur A being half human, half horse

Kline Couch made of wood or stone were the deceased frequently were buried on.

Koilon Auditorium in Greek theaters

Lithophagae In limestone boring seashell. Literally: stone eater

Lysippos A famous Greek sculptor

Medusa One of the Gorgons, instead of hair snakes have grown her

Metochi A monastery hierarchically subordinated to another monastery. Often a farm or a representative office.

Narthex Vestibule of a basilica or a church

Odeion Roofed theater

Orchestra Stage

Pantocrator The ruler of the world

Phalangites Soldiers of the phalanx

Phalanx With long lances, short swords and shields armed troops.

Pithoi Pottery

Plutarch Greek philosopher and writer

Praetorium Originally camp of the commander, here shelter for high officials

Refectory Dining room (of a monastery)

Satyr Henchman of Dionysus, often depicted as a human with animal limbs (horns,

hooves).

Sebasteion A temple dedicated to a Roman emperor

Silenos Similar to the satyr

Semantron Wooden board in Orthodox monasteries. It is struck with a hammer and calls the inhabitants to the liturgy.

Spolia Older materials, such as remains of columns, used to build new buildings.

Stauropegion An Orthodox monastery that is not subject to any diocese but is directly subordinate to the Patriarch of Constantinople (Istanbul).

Tessera Mosaic stone, plural Tesserae

Thucydides Athenian general and historian

Tribelon Threeparted entrance or access

Triclinium Antique dining room (usually equipped with three loungers)

Triglyphs Doric order ornament element (three vertical notches).

Tumulus Mound grave