antīquĭtas, ātis, f. [antiquus], the quality of being antiquus, age, antiquity (class., but only in prose).
I In gen.: antiquitas generis, Cic. Font. 14, 31; so Nep. Milt. 1, 1: non vestra (urbs) haec est, quae gloriabatur a diebus pristinis in antiquitate suā? Vulg. Isa. 23, 7.—
II Spec., ancient time , antiquity.
A Lit.: fabulae ab ultimā antiquitate repetitae, Cic. Fin. 1, 20, 65: habet ut in aetatibus auctoritatem senectus, sic in exemplis antiquitas, id. Or. 50, 169: antiquitas dat dignitatem verbis, Quint. 8, 3, 24; Suet. Ner. 38 al.—
B Meton.
1 The occurrences of antiquity , the history of ancient times , antiquity : tenenda est omnis antiquitas, Cic. de Or. 1, 5, 18: memoria antiquitatis, id. Brut. 59, 214: antiquitatis iter, id. de Or. 1, 60, 256 al.: antiquitatis amator, Nep. Att. 18, 1 Bremi and Dähne; cf. id. ib. 20 al.—In plur., a title of historical or archaeological works , antiquities; cf. Plin. praef.; Gell. 5, 13: Varro in antiquitatibus rerum humanarum scripsit, etc., id. 11, 1 et saep. —
2 Men of former times , the ancients : errabat multis in rebus antiquitas, Cic. Div. 2, 33; cf. Hand, Wopk. Lectt. Tull. p. 209; Cic. Leg. 2, 11, 27: antiquitas melius ea, quae erant vera, cernebat, id. Tusc. 1, 12, 26: fabulose narravit antiquitas, Plin. 12, 19, 42, § 85; 19, 4, 19, § 1 al.—
3 The condition or state of former times (eccl. Lat.): Et soror tua Sodoma et filiae ejus revertentur ad antiquitatem suam, Vulg. Ezech. 16, 55 ter. —
II Esp., with the access. idea of moral excellence (cf. antiquus, II. C.), the good old times , the honesty of the good old times , integrity , uprightness , etc.: P. Rutilius documentum fuit virtutis, antiquitatis, prudentiae, Cic. Rab. Post. 10: his gravissimae antiquitatis viris probatus, id. Sest. 3: haec plena sunt antiquitatis, id. Planc. 18, 45; Sall. H. Fragm. ap. Serv. ad Verg. G. 2, 209: exemplar antiquitatis, Plin. Ep. 5, 15, 1.