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classis (old orthog. CLASIS, Column. Rostr.; v. under I. B. 2.), is (
I.acc. sing. usu. classem; classim, Auct. B. Afr. 9, 2; abl. usu. classe; “classi,” Verg. A. 8, 11; Liv. 23, 41, 8; Vell. 2, 79), f. root cal-, cla-, of clamo, καλέω; prop. the people as assembled or called together, hence,
I. After the division of the Roman people by Servius Tullius into six (or, the citizens who paid tribute alone being reckoned, into five) classes,
1. A class, Liv. 1, 42, 5; 1, 43, 2 sq.; Cic. Rep. 2, 22, 39 sq.; Gell. 6 ($3), 13, 1 sq.; Cic. Fl. 7, 15; Liv. 1, 42, 5; 1, 43, 1 sqq.; Plin. 33, 3, 13, § 43; cf. Dion. Halic. 4, 16 sq.; “7, 59: prima classis vocatur... tum secunda classis, etc.,” Cic. Phil. 2, 33, 82: infra classem; v. classicus, I.—
2. Trop.: “qui (philosophi) mihi cum illo collati, quintae classis videntur,” i.e. of the lowest rank, Cic. Ac. 2, 23, 73; cf. classicus, I. B.—Hence,
B. In milit. lang., the whole body of the citizens called to arms, an army. 1 Of the land army (mostly very ancient): procincta, Lex Numae in Fest. s. v. opima, p. 189, 13 Müll.: classis procincta [id est exercitus armatus, Gloss.], Fab. Pictor. ap. Gell. 10, 15, 4; cf. Gell. 1, 11, 3; Paul. ex Fest. p. 56, 3: “classi quoque ad Fidenas pugnatum cum Vejentibus quidam in annales rettulere,” Liv. 4, 34, 6 Weissenb. ad loc.: “Hortinae classes populique Latini,” Verg. A. 7, 716 Serv.—
2. Of men at sea, the fleet, including the troops in it (the usu. signif. in prose and poetry): “CLASESQVE. NAVALES. PRIMOS. ORNAVET.... CLASEIS. POENICAS...., Column. Rostr., v. 7 sq.: nomina in classem dare,” Liv. 28, 45, 19: “cetera classis... fugerunt,” id. 35, 26, 9: “ut classem duceret in Ligurum oram,” id. 40, 26, 8; 41, 24, 13; cf. id. 42, 48, 10: “navium classis,” id. 22, 37, 13: “posteaquam maximas aedificasset ornassetque classes,” Cic. Imp. Pomp. 4, 9: “classem instruere atque ornare,” Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 51, § 135: “classis ornandae reficiendaeque causā, Liv 9, 30, 4: comparare,” Cic. Fl. 14, 33: “facere,” Caes. B. C. 3, 42 al.: “classe navigare,” by ship, Cic. Fl. 14, 32; cf. Verg. A. 1, 379; 8, 11; “Hor.C. 3, 11, 48: classes = naves,” Verg. A. 2, 30: “geminasque legit de classe biremis,” id. ib. 8, 79: “omittere,” id. ib. 5, 794: “armare,” id. ib. 4, 299: “deducere,” id. G. 1, 255: “efficere,” Nep. Them. 2, 3: “(Suiones) praeter viros armaque classibus valent,” Tac. G. 44. —
II. In the post-Aug. per., sometimes, a class, division, in gen.: “pueros in classes distribuerant,” Quint. 1, 2, 23; so id. 1, 2, 24; 10, 5, 21; Suet. Tib. 46: “operarum,” Col. 1, 9, 7: “servorum,” Petr. 74, 7.
A Latin Dictionary. Founded on Andrews' edition of Freund's Latin dictionary. revised, enlarged, and in great part rewritten by. Charlton T. Lewis, Ph.D. and. Charles Short, LL.D. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1879.

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hide References (32 total)
  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (32):
    • Cicero, On Pompey's Command, 4.9
    • Cicero, Against Verres, 2.5.135
    • Cicero, Philippics, 2.33.82
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 1, 43.2
    • Vergil, Aeneid, 8.11
    • Vergil, Aeneid, 1.379
    • Vergil, Aeneid, 2.30
    • Vergil, Aeneid, 7.716
    • Vergil, Georgics, 1.255
    • Caesar, Civil War, 3.42
    • Tacitus, Germania, 44
    • Suetonius, Tiberius, 46
    • Cornelius Nepos, Themistocles, 2.3
    • Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia, 33.43
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 41, 24.13
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 23, 41
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 42, 48
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 28, 45.19
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 1, 42.5
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 22, 37
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 4, 34.6
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 35, 26.9
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 1, 43.1
    • Livy, The History of Rome, Book 40, 26.8
    • Cicero, De Republica, 2.22
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 1, 2.23
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 1, 2.24
    • Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Book 10, 5.21
    • Gellius, Noctes Atticae, 10.15.4
    • Gellius, Noctes Atticae, 1.11.3
    • Gellius, Noctes Atticae, 6.13.1
    • Columella, Res Rustica, 1.9.7
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