A Smaller Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities

Name: A Smaller Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities
Author: Smith, William

Smith, William

Classical dictionaries; Greece -- Antiquities; Rome -- Antiquities

BIBLĬŎTHĒCA (βιβλιοθήκη, or ἀποθήκη βιβλίων), primarily, the place
where a collection of books was kept; secondarily, the collection
itself. Public collections of books appear to have been very ancient.
That of Peisistratus (B.C. 550) was intended for public use; it
was subsequently removed to Persia by Xerxes. About the same time
Polycrates, tyrant of Samos, is said to have founded a library. In
the best days of Athens, even private persons had large collections
of books; but the most important and splendid public library of
antiquity was that founded by the Ptolemies at Alexandria, begun
under Ptolemy Soter, but increased and re-arranged in an orderly
and systematic manner by Ptolemy Philadelphus, who also appointed a
fixed librarian, and otherwise provided for the usefulness of the
institution. A great part of this splendid library was consumed
by fire in the siege of Alexandria by Julius Caesar; but it was
soon restored, and continued in a flourishing condition till it
was destroyed by the Arabs, A.D. 640. The Ptolemies were not long
without a rival in zeal. Eumenes, king of Pergamus, became a patron
of literature and the sciences, and established a library, which,
in spite of the prohibition against exporting papyrus issued by
Ptolemy, who was jealous of his success, became very extensive, and
perhaps next in importance to the library of Alexandria. The first
public library in Rome was that founded by Asinius Pollio, and was
in the atrium Libertatis on Mount Aventine. The library of Pollio
was followed by that of Augustus in the temple of Apollo on Mount
Palatine and by another, bibliothecae Octavianae, in the theatre of
Marcellus. There were also libraries on the Capitol, in the temple of
Peace, in the palace of Tiberius, besides the Ulpian library, which
was the most famous, founded by Trajan. Libraries were also usually
attached to the Thermae. [BALNEUM.] Private collections of books were
made at Rome soon after the second Punic war. The zeal of Cicero,
Atticus, and others, in increasing their libraries is well known. It
became, in fact, the fashion to have a room elegantly furnished as a
library, and reserved for that purpose. The charge of the libraries
in Rome was given to persons called _librarii_.


BĪCOS (βῖκος), the name of an earthen vessel in common use among the
Greeks, for holding wine, and salted meat and fish.

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A Smaller Dictionary of Greek and Roman AntiquitiesSmith, William

History

A Smaller Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities

Smith, William

Classical dictionaries; Greece -- Antiquities; Rome -- Antiquities

BIBLĬŎTHĒCA (βιβλιοθήκη, or ἀποθήκη βιβλίων), primarily, the place
where a collection of books was kept; secondarily, the collection
itself. Public collections of books appear to have been very ancient.
That of Peisistratus (B.C. 550) was intended for public use; it
was subsequently removed to Persia by Xerxes. About the same time
Polycrates, tyrant of Samos, is said to have founded a library. In
the best days of Athens, even private persons had large collections
of books; but the most important and splendid public library of
antiquity was that founded by the Ptolemies at Alexandria, begun
under Ptolemy Soter, but increased and re-arranged in an orderly
and systematic manner by Ptolemy Philadelphus, who also appointed a
fixed librarian, and otherwise provided for the usefulness of the
institution. A great part of this splendid library was consumed
by fire in the siege of Alexandria by Julius Caesar; but it was
soon restored, and continued in a flourishing condition till it
was destroyed by the Arabs, A.D. 640. The Ptolemies were not long
without a rival in zeal. Eumenes, king of Pergamus, became a patron
of literature and the sciences, and established a library, which,
in spite of the prohibition against exporting papyrus issued by
Ptolemy, who was jealous of his success, became very extensive, and
perhaps next in importance to the library of Alexandria. The first
public library in Rome was that founded by Asinius Pollio, and was
in the atrium Libertatis on Mount Aventine. The library of Pollio
was followed by that of Augustus in the temple of Apollo on Mount
Palatine and by another, bibliothecae Octavianae, in the theatre of
Marcellus. There were also libraries on the Capitol, in the temple of
Peace, in the palace of Tiberius, besides the Ulpian library, which
was the most famous, founded by Trajan. Libraries were also usually
attached to the Thermae. [BALNEUM.] Private collections of books were
made at Rome soon after the second Punic war. The zeal of Cicero,
Atticus, and others, in increasing their libraries is well known. It
became, in fact, the fashion to have a room elegantly furnished as a
library, and reserved for that purpose. The charge of the libraries
in Rome was given to persons called _librarii_.


BĪCOS (βῖκος), the name of an earthen vessel in common use among the
Greeks, for holding wine, and salted meat and fish.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

A Smaller Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities

A Smaller Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities

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