weight of water in an amphora tyrian shekel - monetary unit , only coinage accept in the temple judaean nomenclature ben - son of essenes - religious group dybbuk - possessing spirit hasmonean - dynasty of judaea , suppressed by the romans kashrut - dietary laws kohanim - priests korban - temple treasure mosaic law - set of rules and commands written by moses messianics - religious group , followers of jesus christ nasi - president of the sanhedrin nazarene - denomination for christians or essenes nisan - month of april pesach - religious festival ( passover ) pharisees - religious group rabban - doctor of the mosaic law , sage saducees - religious group sanhedrin - supreme council seder - ritual feast shabbat - day of rest sheol - the land of the dead , the land of nothingness sicarii - radical group , sect of assassins torah - the five books of moses , sacred book zealots - religious radical group greco-roman nomenclature acropolis - highest point in predominantly greek cities addenda - plural of annex agora - public square in predominantly greek cities ambrosia - mythical food/drink of the greek gods acheron - river in the underworld of greek mythology basilica - edifice reserved for assemblies bireme - a ship of greek origin , with 2 decks of oars cardo - urban street - north to south orientation castrum - military camp or edifice chatti - germanic tribe consul - supreme magistrate of rome christians - religious group , followers of jesus christ christ - messiah curia - assembly building of the roman senate decumanus - urban street - east to west orientation sacred disease - epilepsy dominus - roman salutation , lord , master domus - residential house ecclesia - a place for assemblies , church , temple erratum - corrective text of a published work forum - public square in predominantly roman cities hades - the underworld in greek mythology insula - residential building with multiple floors iseum - temple in honor of the goddess isis khaire - greek salutation koine - greek dialect in the antiquity legate - general / governor of a roman province ludi - plays and theatrical games mega khaire - greek salutation mithraeum - temple in honor of the god mithra murmillones - roman gladiators , used shield and sword olympus - mythical residence of the greco-roman gods oracle - prophetic prediction palatine - designation of the imperial palaces of rome parthians - persians patera - father patrician - roman aristocrat pax romana - period of relative peace in the roman empire pythia - priestess of the temple of apollo in delphi prefect - high roman official , responsible for military and civil rule praetor - roman magistrate , responsible for judiciary affairs pretorium - government seat of a roman prefect/procurator princeps - title of a member of the imperial family procurator - high roman official , responsible for military and civil rule publican - tax collector at the service of rome quaestor - senate supervisor for judicial and fiscal affairs retiarii - roman gladiators , used a net and a trident rostra - platform in a forum for official speeches salve - roman salutation , singular salvete - roman salutation , plural septuagint - greek translation of the five books of moses , the pentateuch sophos - scholar / wise man speculatores - messengers and agents of the imperial guard stabulum - inn taberna - public place for the serving of drinks tartarus - mythical place in the greek underworld thermopolium - public place for the serving of food and meals thracian - roman gladiator , use curved sword and shin guards triclinium - dining-room in greco-roman residences trireme - a ship of greek origin , with 3 decks of oars ( 180 rowers ) vale - roman salutation villa - residence of a wealthy roman vox populi - the voice of the people ziggurat - ancient temple in babylon athaliah , daughter of jezebel novel by mordechai landsberg smashwords edition copyright 2012 mordechai landsberg all rights reserved .