I.gen. plur oppidūm, Sulp. ap. Cic. Fam. 4, 5, 4; old abl plur. oppedeis, Lex. Servil.), n. ob and pedum; Gr. πέδον; Sanscr pada-m, on or over the plain.
I. A town (of towns other than Rome, which was called Urbs; “though occasionally the term oppidum was applied to Rome) (class.): oppidum ab opi dictum, quod munitur opis causā, ubi sit: et quod opus est ad vitam gerundam,” Varr. L. L. 5, § 141 Müll.; cf. Fest. p. 202: “hi coetus (hominum) sedem primum certo loco domiciliorum causā constituerunt, quam cum locis manuque saepsissent, ejusmodi conjunctionem tectorum oppidum vel urbem appellaverunt,” Cic. Rep. 1, 26, 41: Athenas anticum opulentum oppidum Contempla, Enn. ap. Non. 470, 5 (Trag. v. 324 Vahl.): “fortunatum oppidum,” Plaut. Cist. 1, 1, 81: “Segesta est oppidum pervetus in Siciliā,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 33, § 72: “praesidia in oppidis,” id. Att. 8, 11, B, § “1: Romana per oppida,” Verg. G. 2, 176: “urbe (i.e. Romā) oppidove ullo,” Suet. Oth. 1.—Constr. with gen., of name of a town: “Antiochiae,” Cic. Att. 5, 18, 1.—Of Rome: per totum oppidum, all through the town, i.e. Rome, Varr. L. L. 6 § “14 Müll.: eos (legatos) in oppidum intromitti non placuit,” Liv. 42, 36: “oppidum Martis,” Mart. 10, 30, 2.—In like manner oppidum denotes Athens, Nep. Milt. 4, 2; and Thebes, id. Pel. 1, 2.—In a fig. of an old man: “ad hoc ego oppidum vetus continuo legiones meas Protinus adducam: hoc si expugno, etc.,” Plaut. Ps. 2, 1, 12.—
B. Transf., the inhabitants of a town: “illic oppida tota canem venerantur, nemo Dianam,” Juv. 15, 8.—
II. A fortified wood or forest, among the Britons, Caes. B. G. 5, 21. —