Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- The Roman aristocracy, including the nobilitas, a large part of the equites, and their supporters; hence, an aristocracy or nobility in general.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun plural The nobility or aristocracy of ancient Rome, as opposed to the
populares .
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun Plural form of
optimate .
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
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Examples
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Those who favored the interests of the Senate were called optimates, and sometimes procĕres or principes.
Roman Antiquities, and Ancient Mythology For Classical Schools (2nd ed) Charles K. Dillaway
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But on that side were the "optimates," the men who, if they did not lead, ought to lead the Republic; those who, if they were not respectable, ought to be so; those who, if they did not love their country, ought to love it.
Life of Cicero Volume One Anthony Trollope 1848
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Antony to the cause of the "optimates" after the Philippies, he would have availed himself of it.
Life of Cicero Volume One Anthony Trollope 1848
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Cicero was of the fourth class, believing in the Republic, intent on saving it, imbued amid all his doubts with a conviction that if the "optimates" or "boni" -- the leading men of the party -- would be true to themselves,
Life of Cicero Volume One Anthony Trollope 1848
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"optimates," as he called them -- as would preserve the city from democracy and revolution.
Life of Cicero Volume One Anthony Trollope 1848
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Similarly, when the most gentle king returned from there the Angrarians came with Bruno and their other optimates to the district called Bucki [Bückegau] and there gave hostages, like the easterners [Austrasii].
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The optimates, literally, the best men, as Romes conservatives called themselves, did not approve.
The Spartacus War Barry Strauss 2009
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The optimates, literally, the best men, as Romes conservatives called themselves, did not approve.
The Spartacus War Barry Strauss 2009
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Despite Harry Reid and his fellow optimates 'best efforts a few weeks ago, there was simply no way to block Burris -- and all that he symbolizes for Blagojevich's political sovereignty.
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Back in ancient Rome, the Gracchus brothers, leaders of the populares, the party of the people, in conflict with the wealthy optimates or landed gentry, advocated just such debt relief.
Alex Abella: A Simple Solution: A National Debt Moratorium 2009
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