Britanni, the inhabitants of Britain. See: [Britannia].——A man in Gallia Belgica. Pliny, bk. 4, ch. 17.
Britannia, an island in the northern ocean, the greatest in Europe, conquered by Julius Cæsar during his Gallic wars, B.C. 55, and first known to be an island by Agricola, who sailed round it. It was a Roman province from the time of its conquest till the 448th year of the christian era. The inhabitants, in the age of Cæsar, used to paint their bodies, to render themselves more terrible in the eyes of their enemies. The name of Britain was unknown to the Romans before Cæsar conquered it. Cæsar, Gallic War, bk. 4.—Diodorus, bk. 5.—Pausanias, bk. 1, ch. 33.—Tacitus, Agricola, ch. 10.—Pliny, bk. 34, ch. 17.
Britannĭcus, a son of Claudius Cæsar by Messalina. Nero was raised to the throne in preference to him, by means of Agrippina, and caused him to be poisoned. His corpse was buried in the night; but it is said that a shower of rain washed away the white paint which the murderer had put over his face, so that it appeared quite black, and discovered the effects of poison. Tacitus, Annals.—Suetonius, Nero, ch. 33.
Britomartis, a beautiful nymph of Crete, daughter of Jupiter and Charme, who devoted herself to hunting, and became a great favourite of Diana. She was loved by Minos, who pursued her so closely, that, to avoid his importunities, she threw herself into the sea. Pausanias, bk. 2, ch. 30; bk. 3, ch. 14.——A surname of Diana.
Britomarus, a chief of the Galli Insubres conquered by Æmilius. Florus, bk. 2, ch. 4.
Britŏnes, the inhabitants of Britain. Juvenal, satire 15, li. 124.
Brixellum, a town in Italy near Mantua, where Otho slew himself when defeated. Tacitus, Histories, bk. 2, ch. 32.
Brixia, a town of Italy beyond the Po, at the north of Cremona, now Brescia. Justin, bk. 20, ch. 5.
Brizo, the goddess of dreams worshipped in Delos.
Brocubēlus, a governor of Syria, who fled to Alexander, when Darius was murdered by Bessus. Curtius, bk. 5, ch. 13.