cŏlōnĭa, ae, f. [colonus].
I (Acc. to colonus, I.) A possession in land , a landed estate , a farm , Col. 11, 1, 23; Dig. 19, 2, 24, § 4; 33, 7, 20.—
B An abode , dwelling in gen. (cf. 1. colo, I. B.), Plaut. Aul. 3, 6, 40; and humorously: molarum, for a mill , id. Ps. 4, 6, 38.—Far more freq.,
II (Acc. to colonus, II.) A colony , colonial town , settlement : colonia dicta est a colendo: est autem pars civium aut sociorum, missa ubi rem publicam habeant ex consensu suae civitatis aut publico ejus populi unde profecti sunt consilio. Hae autem coloniae sunt. quae ex consensu publico, non ex secessione sunt conditae, Serv. ad Verg. A. 1, 12: in coloniam aliquos emittere, Varr. R. R. 3, 16, 29: in colonias mittere, Liv. 4, 49, 14: coloniam collocare idoneis in locis, Cic. Agr. 2, 27, 73: condere, Vell. 1, 15, 1.—Also freq.,
B Meton. for the persons sent for the establishment of such a town , a colony , colonists , planters; hence: coloniam deducere aliquo, Cic. Rep. 2, 4, 9: veteranorum, id. Phil. 2, 39, 100; 2, 40, 102; id. Agr. 1, 5, 16; 2, 27, 73; 2, 34, 92; id. Brut. 20, 79; Liv. 9, 28, 7; 9, 46, 3; 10, 1, 1; 39, 55, 5 ( bis ) and 9; Vell. 1, 14; Suet. Tib. 4; id. Ner. 9 al.: mittere in Aeoliam, Ioniam, etc., Cic. Div. 1, 1, 3: Antium, Liv. 8, 14, 8; cf. on the Roman colonies, their laws and regulations, Nieb. Röm. Gesch. 2, p. 49 sq.; Madv. Opusc. Ac. p. 208 sq.; and Dict. of Antiq. —
C Transf., of colonies of bees , Varr. R. R. 3, 16, 9 and 29.