CAESAR, a title of the Roman emperors, was originally a family name
of the Julia gens; it was assumed by Octavianus as the adopted son
of the great dictator, C. Julius Caesar, and was by him handed down
to his adopted son Tiberius. It continued to be used by Caligula,
Claudius, and Nero, as members either by adoption or female descent
of Caesar’s family; but although the family became extinct with
Nero, succeeding emperors still retained the name as part of their
titles, and it was the practice to prefix it to their own names, as
for instance, _Imperator Caesar Domitianus Augustus_. When Hadrian
adopted Aelius Varus, he allowed the latter to take the title of
Caesar; and from this time, though the title of _Augustus_ continued
to be confined to the reigning emperor, that of _Caesar_ was also
granted to the second person in the state and the heir presumptive to
the throne. [AUGUSTUS.]
CĂLĂMISTRUM, an instrument made of iron, and hollow like a reed
(_calamus_), used for curling the hair. For this purpose it was
heated, the person who performed the office of heating it in wood
ashes (_cinis_) being called _ciniflo_, or _cinerarius_.
CĂLĂMUS, a sort of reed which the ancients used as a pen for writing.
The best sorts were got from Aegypt and Cnidus.