I. In gen., the yearly produce, the annual income of natural products, in the widest sense (cf.: “cibaria annua,” Cato, R. R. 60): “vectigal novum ex salariā annonā,” Liv. 29, 37: “lactis,” Col. 8, 17, 13: “musti,” id. 3, 21, 6; 3, 3, 10.—
II. Esp.
A. Means of subsistence, and, for the most part, corn or grain: “annona nisi in calamitate pretium non habet,” Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 98: “vilitas annonae ex summā inopiā et caritate rei frumentariae consecuta est,” id. Imp. Pomp. 15, 44: “uberrimus ager ad varietates annonae horreum populi Romani fore videbatur,” Liv. 7, 31: “clausis annonae subsidiis,” Tac. H. 3, 48 fin.: “provincia annonae fecunda,” id. ib. 1, 11; cf. Suet. Aug. 18: “annonae curam agere,” id. Claud. 18; cf. id. Tib. 8: “praebebant annonam regi,” Vulg. 3 Reg. 4, 7; ib. 4 Reg. 25, 30; ib. Dan. 1, 5 al.—Sometimes contrasted with frumentum, as provisions in gen.: copia frumenti et annona tolerabilis rerum aliarum, a supply, Liv 35, 44.—
B. 1.. Meton., the price of grain or other food: “quom cara annona sit,” Plaut. Capt. 3, 1, 35; id. Stich. 1, 3, 25; Ter. And. 4, 4, 7; Cic. Div. 2, 27 fin.: “annona est gravis,” Plaut. Stich. 4, 2, 53; so Suet. Aug. 25: “incendere annonam,” Varr. R. R. 3, 2, 16: “jam ad denarios quinquaginta in singulos modios annona pervenerat,” Caes. B. C. 1, 52: “nihil mutavit annona,” Liv. 5, 12 (cf. id. 2, 34: “annona vetus): annona acris,” Tac. A. 4, 6: “gravitas annonae,” id. ib. 6, 13: “in annonae difficultatibus,” Suet. Aug. 41: “annona macelli,” id. Tib. 34.—
2. Trop., the prices, the market: “Qui homines probi essent, esset īs annona vilior,” Plaut. Mil. 3, 1, 140: “Vilis amicorum est annona, bonis ubi quid deest,” cheap indeed is the market of friendship, Hor. Ep. 1, 12, 24: “his opibus numquam cara est annona veneni,” Juv. 9, 100.—Hence sometimes,
C. Dearness: cena hac annonā est sine sacris hereditas, at the present (i. e. high) market-price, at the present dear rate, Plaut. Trin. 2, 4, 83: “ob annonae causam,” Cic. Dom. 5.—
D. In milit. lang., provisions, supplies: “necessitas annonam pariter et arma portandi,” Veg. Mil. 1, 19: “annona decem et septem dierum,” Amm. 17, 9.—Hence, meton., the loaves of bread them selves, rations (in this sense only in the plur.): ceteri annonas binas aut ternas accipiebant, Lampr. Alex. Sev. 42; cf. Cod. Th. 7,5.—
