Colosseum:

oval amphitheater in the centre of Rome just east of the Roman Forum; built of concrete and sand, largest amphitheater ever built; construction began under Vespasian in AD 72, completed in AD 80, under Titus; holds between 50,000- 80,000 spectators; used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles.

 

Palatine: * see Endnote 73

The Palatine Hill in Rome; from the start of the Empire (27 BC) Augustus built his palace here and the hill gradually became the exclusive domain of emperors; the ruins of the palaces of  emperors Augustus, Tiberius and Domitian  can still be seen.

 

friezes and architrave: * see Endnote 74

the lowermost members of a classical entablature, resting originally upon columns.

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Imperial Fora:

Latin Imperial Forum (public squares); constructed in Rome between 46 BC-113 AD; centre of the Roman Republic & Empire, for politics, religion & economy; though the Imperial forums were not part of the Roman Forum, they are located close by.  Julius Caesar rearranged both the Forum and the Comitium (another forum type space designated for politics).

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International Exhibition:

(aka World's Fairs), originated in the French tradition of national exhibitions, culminating in French Industrial Exposition (1844, Paris); later Crystal Palace (1851, London); continued in the USA & Europe; to showcase achievements of nations; in the late 19th & early 20th century focused on trade, displays of the art in science & technology and inventions.

 

Luxor and Karnak:* see Endnote 75

reference to Egyptian modernism in the New Kingdom & specifically Rameses II; the New Kingdom (or the Egyptian Empire) was the period from the 16th to-11th century BC, covering 18th, 19th (Ramses II) and 20th dynasties, Egypt's most prosperous period & peak of its power.

 

Graeculus histrio:

Latin for Greek actor, Spengler here refers to Romans who worked in the arts and philosophy in the Imperial age, when the Culture was dead and there was nothing more these areas could contribute; impractical men.

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school-metaphysics:

those who study the branch of philosophy concerned with questions of being, existence and reality; during the Culture phase of the Classical world the great Greek philosophers worked fruitfully in this area, but during the stage of Civilization (Roman period), it was barren.

 

experimental psychology:

work done by those who apply experimental methods to psychological study; employing human participants & animals to study sensation & perception, memory, cognition, learning, motivation, emotion; developmental processes, social psychology, and the neural substrates of all of these.  Spengler’s disdain is probably directed at the many Germans in this area and especially W. Wundt (1832-1920- widely regarded as the "father of experimental psychology) and O. Külpe (1862-1915, mentored by Wundt, revolutionized experimental psychology, established the Würzburg School)

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Praetor:

title granted by the government of Rome to men acting in one of 2 official capacities: the commander of an army (in the field or, less often, before the army had been mustered) or, an elected magistrate assigned various administrative duties.

 

Princeps:* see Endnote 76

official title of a Roman Emperor, the title designating the leader of Rome at the beginning of the Empire.  It was used as a title for the first period of the Empire, the Principate Roman imperial system, dating from the reign of Augustus in 27 BC to 284 AD (the end of the Crisis of the Third Century) ; the term  is derived from the position of princeps senatus, or  "first among equals" of the Senate.  He was the first member by precedence of the Senate, his opinion would be asked first in debates. 

 

Zeitgeist:

German for spirit of the age or spirit of the time; refers to the dominant set of ideals and beliefs that motivate the actions of the members of a society in a particular period in time; often attributed to the philosopher Hegel.

 

Mozart:

(1756-1791) prolific & influential composer; child prodigy; court musician at Salzburg (his birth place); left post for Vienna, here achieved fame but no financial security; in Vienna composed his best-known symphonies, concertos, and operas & portions of the Requiem; wrote over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, operatic, and choral music, his influence is profound on subsequent Western art music.

 

pedant:

a person who makes an excessive or inappropriate display of learning; who overemphasizes rules or minor details; adheres rigidly to book knowledge without regard to common sense.