Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Contubernales

Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary, and Greek Lexicon (Rich, 1849)

CONTUBERNA'LES (σύσκηνοι). Comrades or mess-mates; i. e. soldiers who shared the same quarters, and lived together under the same tent; each tent being occupied by ten men, with a subaltern (decanus), something like our sergeant or corporal, at their head. Festus. s. v. Veg. Mil. ii. 8. and 13. Cic. Ligar. 7. Hirt. Bell. Alex. 16.

2. Young men of distinguished families, who accompanied a general in his military expeditions, for the purpose of learning the art of war, were also termed his contubernales, or on his staff. Cic. Cael. 30. Suet. Jul. 42.

3. Hence, in a more general sense, any close or intimitate friends and acquaintances. Plin. Ep. iv. 27. 5.

4. Persons living together as man and wife, without being legally married; as slaves, or a freedman and a slave. Pet. Sat. 96. 7. Id. 57. 6. Columell. i. 8. 5. Id. xii. 3. 7.