Brill’s New Pauly

Get access Subject: Classical Studies
Edited by: Hubert Cancik and Helmuth Schneider (Antiquity) and Manfred Landfester (Classical Tradition).
English translation edited by Christine F. Salazar (Antiquity) and Francis G. Gentry (Classical Tradition)

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Brill´s New Pauly is the English edition of the authoritative Der Neue Pauly, published by Verlag J.B. Metzler since 1996. The encyclopaedic coverage and high academic standard of the work, the interdisciplinary and contemporary approach and clear and accessible presentation have made the New Pauly the unrivalled modern reference work for the ancient world. The section on Antiquity of Brill´s New Pauly are devoted to Greco-Roman antiquity and cover more than two thousand years of history, ranging from the second millennium BC to early medieval Europe. Special emphasis is given to the interaction between Greco-Roman culture on the one hand, and Semitic, Celtic, Germanic, and Slavonic culture, and ancient Judaism, Christianity, and Islam on the other hand. The section on the Classical Tradition is uniquely concerned with the long and influential aftermath of antiquity and the process of continuous reinterpretation and revaluation of the ancient heritage, including the history of classical scholarship. Brill´s New Pauly presents the current state of traditional and new areas of research and brings together specialist knowledge from leading scholars from all over the world. Many entries are elucidated with maps and illustrations and the English edition will include updated bibliographic references.

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Noah

(340 words)

Author(s): Ego, Beate (Osnabrück)
[German version] (Νῶε/ Nôe, Lat. Noa, Noe; Hebr. Nōaḥ). In the Bible, Noah is the main character in the story of the Flood in Gn 6,5-9,29. This story originated in Mesopotamia (cf. the Gilgamesh Epic and the Atraḫasis Epic; legend of the Flood). As a righteous man Noah is spared God's punishment and thus he became the father of mankind, as father of Shem, Ham und Japheth (Gn 6,10; 9,18), who represent the three continents. According to the traditional interpretation of the Pentateuch, the Biblical story…

Noarus

(78 words)

Author(s): Olshausen, Eckart (Stuttgart)
[German version] (Νόαρος/ Nóaros). River flowing north into the Ister [2] (Danube) in the territory of the Scordisci (and navigable there) (Str. 7,5,2). Between the N. and the Margus [1] (Str. 7,5,12) was the land of the ‘Great Scordisci’. On the discussion of the identification of the N. (Drina, Korana, Mur, Raab, lower reaches of the Sava) cf. [1; 2]. Olshausen, Eckart (Stuttgart) Bibliography 1 E. Polaschek, s.v. Noaros, RE 17, 783-785 2 J. Fitz, s.v. Noaros, KlP 4, 142.

Nobiles

(1,840 words)

Author(s): Crawford, Michael Hewson (London)
[German version] A. Patricians and Nobility It was generally assumed during the late Roman Republic that under the Monarchy and the early Republic political and religious power rested in the hands of a series of patrician gentes ( gens ). The origins of the patrician class were traced back to Romulus (Liv. 1,8,7). The patrician gentes sometimes belonged to one family, but more frequently to several, not necessarily closely related families. Some of the gentes derived their descent from the Trojans who according to legend settled in Latium under the leadership of Aenea…

Nobilior

(30 words)

Author(s): Elvers, Karl-Ludwig (Bochum)
[German version] Roman cognomen (‘especially noble’; nobiles ); prominent in the family of the Fulvii (Fulvius [I 15-17]), but also widespread elsewhere. Elvers, Karl-Ludwig (Bochum) Bibliography Kajanto, Cognomina, 72; 279.

Nobilissimus

(174 words)

Author(s): Gizewski, Christian (Berlin)
[German version] The word nobilis (pl. nobiles ), in the Republican period and the Imperial period of the first two cents. AD, presumably denotes in particular the members of a senatorial family which included several consuls. From the 3rd cent. AD, with the increasing prevalence of court titles (Court titles C.,) it served to designate especially distinguished members of both the senatorial class and the imperial household (Dig. 1,2,2,43: members of the Senate; Cod. Iust. 6,23,19: members of the sacrum consistorium). From it was derived - probably from the reign of Constan…

Nobilitas

(6,544 words)

Author(s): Näf, Beat (Zürich RWG)
Näf, Beat (Zürich RWG) [German version] A. Definitions (CT) The nobility and its rule are a decisive element in the societies of numerous cultures. In defining nobility, various dimensions will be considered in each case: these include peculiarities of a particular historical epoch as well as structural characteristics which have remained the same or at least comparable throughout the ages. Among the latter are: lineage and affiliation, synchronically with clans and diachronically with dynasties; inherit…

Nobility

(5 words)

see Nobilitas

Nobility

(4 words)

see Nobiles

Nodens

(229 words)

Author(s): Euskirchen, Marion (Bonn)
[German version] (Nodon). Celtic god known from two archaeological sites in Britain. Two statuettes of Mars, with inscriptions dedicating them to the god Mars N. ( Deo Marti Nodonti) from Cockersand Moss (Lancashire) support the connection of the indigenous god with the Roman god ( interpretatio II Romana ). Other dedications to Deus N. or Deus M(ars) N., on bronze and lead tablets, including a defixio , came to light in the basilica-like temple in Lydney Park (Gloucestershire). Together with a building supposedly for temple sleep, a guest h…

Nodus

(4 words)

see Hairstyle

Noega

(152 words)

Author(s): Barceló, Pedro (Potsdam)
(Νοῖγα/ Noîga). [German version] [1] Coastal city in northern Spain Coastal city in northern Spain in the territory of the Astures (Asturia), east of the Melsus (= Nelo in Plin. HN 4,111; modern Nalón), possibly near Gijón (Str. 3,4,20; Ptol. 2,6,6: Νοῖγα Οὐκεσία/ Noîga Oukesía). Mela 3,113-15 has the most detailed information on its location; but despite intense discussion the location remains unclear. Barceló, Pedro (Potsdam) Bibliography C.Fernández Ochoa, Noega-Gigia: reflexiones sobre dos enclaves astur-romanos, in: Leyenda y arqueología de las ciudades pre…

Noemon

(104 words)

Author(s): Antoni, Silke (Kiel)
(Νοήμων/ Noḗmōn). [German version] [1] Lycian, follower of Sarpedon at Troy Lycian, follower of Sarpedon at Troy, killed by Odysseus (Hom. Il. 5,678; Ov. Met. 13,258). Antoni, Silke (Kiel) [German version] [2] Pylian, companion of Antilochus at Troy Pylian, companion of Antilochus at Troy (Hom. Il. 23,612). Antoni, Silke (Kiel) [German version] [3] Ithacian Ithacian, son of Phronius, who upon Athena's request lent a ship to Telemachus for his journey to Pylus (Hom. Od. 2,386f.). When he later needed the ship himself, he asked Antinous [1] about Te…

Noetus of Smyrna

(201 words)

Author(s): Rist, Josef (Würzburg)
[German version] (Νοητός/ Noētós). Early Christian theologian (end of the 2nd cent. AD). According to the biased report of his adversary Hippolytus [2] (Refutatio omnium haeresium 9,7-10; 10,26f.) N. came from Smyrna. His heterodox teachings, which according to Hippolytus could be traced back to Heraclitus, were brought to Rome by Epigonus and further disseminated among the Roman bishops Zephyrinus ( c. 198-217) and Callistus (217-222) by Epigonus's pupil Cleomenes. N. is regarded as the founder of modalistic monarchianism. This school saw in the Father …

Noise

(825 words)

Author(s): Saiko, Maren (Bochum)
[German version] (θόρυβος/ thórybos, ψόφος/ psóphos, ὄχλος/ óchlos; Latin strepitus, clamor). Nowadays humans and animals are exposed to the nuisance of noise everywhere. In Antiquity this was limited to centres of population concentration like Alexandria (Call. Hecale fr. 260,63-69) or Rome (Stat. Silv. 4,4,18: clamosa urbs, ‘the noisy capital city’). Information about this can really only be found in the Roman sources of the Imperial period. Especially in Rome in the 1st cents. BC and AD, i.e. in periods of relative prosperity, the most varied of everyday ac…

Nola

(572 words)

Author(s): Olshausen, Eckart (Stuttgart) | Sauer, Vera (Stuttgart)
[German version] This item can be found on the following maps: Social Wars | Villa | Coloniae | Etrusci, Etruria | Pilgrimage Town in Campania, north east of the Vesuvius (Str. 5,4,8; It. Ant. 109,2; Tab. Peut. 6,4); it still bears the same name today. N. lies at the foot of the Appennines, on a broad plain approximately halfway from Capua to Nuceria, on a major traffic artery leading from Etruria to Poseidonia/Paestum, subsequently known as via Popilia. We do not know what part the inhabitants of Chalcis [1] played in its foundation (Sil. Pun. 12,161; Just. Epit. 20,1,1…

Nomads

(386 words)

Author(s): Brentjes, Burchard (Berlin)
[German version] (Νομάδες/ Nomádes). Nomads are wandering shepherds leading a special form of non-sedentary life, which is adapted, thanks to herd raising, to arid steppe regions of Eurasia and Africa. We may distinguish between: 1. nomads keeping sheep, horses, camels, and cattle (partly yaks) in north Eurasia; 2. those breeding sheep, goats, and camels, sometimes also keeping donkeys, in Arabia, Iran, India, and North Africa; 3. nomads breeding mainly cattle in East Africa. Greeks, Romans, and Byz…

Nomae

(57 words)

Author(s): Messina, Aldo (Triest)
[German version] (Νομαί/ Nomaí). At this not yet located place in Sicily, Ducetius was defeated by an army from Syracuse in 451/0 BC (Diod. Sic. 11,91,3). Possibly identical with the Sicilian place-name Noai (Apollodoros FGrH 244 F 6) and Neai (Diod. Sic. 11,88,6: Νέαι/ Néai); cf. [1]. Messina, Aldo (Triest) Bibliography 1 K. Ziegler, s.v. Noai, RE 17, 783.

Nomarches

(274 words)

Author(s): Ameling, Walter (Jena)
[German version] (νομάρχης/ nomárchēs). Office in the Egyptian administration. It already existed before the Ptolemies. Even if the word nomarches is derived from the Greek némein (‘administer’) rather than from nomos [2], his office was connected with a specific administrative district, in which he was responsible for the distribution and all other issues concerning the royal finance and tax administration. When Alexander [4] the Great (Arr. Anab. 3,5,2; 3,5,4), appointed two Persians (?, [1. 82]), Petiesis and Doloaspis, as nomárchai for all Egypt, and left the nomárchai of th…

Nomen

(61 words)

Author(s): Schiemann, Gottfried (Tübingen)
[German version] (pl. nomina). In Roman law, the term for debts. Gai. Inst. 128-133 distinguishes between ‘cash debts’ ( nomina arcaria), which arose e.g. from loans ( mutuum , see also condictio ), and ‘ledger debts’ ( nomina transscripticia), which arose by an entry in the ‘ledger’ of the creditor as an obligation from a litterarum obligatio . Schiemann, Gottfried (Tübingen)

Nomenclator

(269 words)

Author(s): Eck, Werner (Cologne)
[German version] Mostly a slave, who called out to his master, especially an office-holder or a candidate to an office, the names of people coming to meet him. This was particularly important during elections to an office, since the candidate had to convey the impression that he remembered each one of his constituents personally. Cicero’s brother especially emphasizes this aspect in his Commentariolum petitionis, which is also our source for the function and importance of the nomenclator. Plinius (HN 29,19) describes the nomenclator as follows: alienis oculis agnoscimus, aliena …
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