7. Ancient Rome Flashcards
Which of the following best describes the mixed legacy of Ancient Rome?
a) It brought law, culture, and brutal imperialism.
b) It inspired agricultural reforms in Europe.
c) It was primarily known for military conquests.
d) It emphasized self-sufficient rural lifestyles.
a) It brought law, culture, and brutal imperialism.
What aspect of Ancient Rome remains a foundation of Western traditions?
a) Its rejection of urban lifestyles.
b) Its advancements in industrial technology.
c) Its fusion of Latin and Greek culture.
d) Its focus on feudal systems.
c) Its fusion of Latin and Greek culture.
What marks the beginning of the Roman Republic?
a) The reorganization of the empire in 284 CE.
b) The establishment of the Republic in 509 BCE.
c) The resignation of the last Western Roman Emperor.
d) The rise of Augustus Caesar.
b) The establishment of the Republic in 509 BCE.
During which period did Rome flourish while reaching its ecological limits of expansion?
a) Late Empire (284–476 CE)
b) Middle Ages (post-476 CE)
c) Early Empire (31 BCE–284 CE)
d) Roman Republic (509–31 BCE)
c) Early Empire (31 BCE–284 CE)
What is traditionally associated with the Late Empire period?
a) The peak of Roman territorial expansion.
b) The reorganization of the Roman state under Diocletian.
c) The fall of the Western Roman Empire.
d) The establishment of the Republic.
c) The fall of the Western Roman Empire.
How did the memory of Ancient Rome influence Europeans after its fall?
a) It inspired dreams of universal law and order.
b) It caused the rejection of Roman artistic traditions.
c) It encouraged the abandonment of centralized authority.
d) It led to innovations in agricultural techniques.
a) It inspired dreams of universal law and order.
Memories of Rome’s earlier republic inspired which group of people?
a) Those who supported feudalism.
b) Those who wanted to limit or overthrow monarchs.
c) Those who sought to expand monarchies.
d) Those who rejected political reform.
b) Those who wanted to limit or overthrow monarchs.
Over what approximate time span did Ancient Rome’s history last?
a) 500 years.
b) 1,000 years.
c) 1,500 years.
d) 2,000 years.
b) 1,000 years.
What was one significant contribution of Roman engineering?
a) Large-scale urban infrastructure that influenced modern construction.
b) The rejection of Greek architectural styles.
c) The development of temporary wooden structures.
d) A focus on portable military equipment.
a) Large-scale urban infrastructure that influenced modern construction.
During which period did Augustus Caesar become the single ruler of Rome?
a) Roman Republic
b) Late Empire (Dominate)
c) Early Empire (Principate)
d) Middle Ages
c) Early Empire (Principate)
Why was Lucretia a popular subject for Renaissance and Baroque artists?
a) Her story inspired Greek philosophers.
b) Her rape and suicide symbolized virtue and rebellion.
c) She was known for her military conquests.
d) She founded the Roman Republic herself.
b) Her rape and suicide symbolized virtue and rebellion.
What was a notable feature of the Roman Republic?
a) It rejected foreign influences and cultures.
b) It balanced the interests of commoners and aristocrats.
c) It was dominated by a tyrannical monarchy.
d) It remained isolated from Mediterranean trade.
b) It balanced the interests of commoners and aristocrats.
How did the Roman Republic differ from the Classical Greek poleis?
a) Romans were more open to outsiders joining their republic.
b) Romans strictly adhered to monarchy.
c) Romans avoided military expansion.
d) Romans rejected cultural exchanges with Greece.
a) Romans were more open to outsiders joining their republic.
What was the purpose of studying Latin and Greek during the Middle Ages?
a) To develop advanced mathematical theories.
b) To gain access to classical literature, philosophy, history, and the Latin Bible.
c) To promote political reforms within kingdoms.
d) To prepare for military service in the Roman Empire.
b) To gain access to classical literature, philosophy, history, and the Latin Bible.
How did the educated elite in the past share a common culture?
a) By studying classical texts in Latin and Greek.
b) By listening to public radio.
c) By adopting Hellenistic traditions exclusively.
d) By engaging in seafaring activities.
a) By studying classical texts in Latin and Greek.
What does the term “Roman Empire” sometimes mean to historians?
a) The Republic’s initial military conquests in Italy.
b) A multinational state ruled by an emperor.
c) The government of Rome before Augustus’ rule.
d) A city-state focused on trade and agriculture.
b) A multinational state ruled by an emperor.
When is Rome conventionally considered to have transitioned from a Republic to an Empire?
a) 509 BCE
b) 150 BCE
c) 31 BCE
d) AD 476
c) 31 BCE
What phrase did Romans use to describe the Mediterranean during their dominance?
a) Pax Romana
b) Mare Nostrum
c) Via Appia
d) Civitas Romana
b) Mare Nostrum
What role did the creation of a multinational empire play in Rome’s transformation?
a) It hindered Rome’s cultural integration with other societies.
b) It contributed to the transition from a Republic to a monarchy.
c) It limited Roman rule to central Italy.
d) It focused Rome’s efforts on internal development rather than expansion.
b) It contributed to the transition from a Republic to a monarchy.
What marked the beginning of the Roman Empire under an emperor?
a) The defeat of the Persian Empire.
b) The rise of Augustus as the first emperor.
c) The collapse of the Greek poleis.
d) The founding of Rome in 753 BCE.
b) The rise of Augustus as the first emperor.
Before its transformation into an empire, what was Rome originally?
a) A collection of Greek city-states.
b) A city-state in central Italy.
c) A kingdom ruled by Augustus.
d) A Hellenistic monarchy.
b) A city-state in central Italy.
What makes Rome’s early history difficult to study?
a) Roman historians started producing written sources only in the third century BCE.
b) The city’s founding occurred in the first century BCE.
c) Roman historical records were entirely based on mythology.
d) Archaeological evidence contradicts all written accounts.
a) Roman historians started producing written sources only in the third century BCE.
How did early Roman historians like Livy gather information about Rome’s past?
a) By relying solely on archaeological evidence.
b) By using oral traditions, fasti lists, and earlier records.
c) By directly interviewing eyewitnesses of early Roman events.
d) By translating Persian historical accounts.
b) By using oral traditions, fasti lists, and earlier records.
What issue did Livy recognize about the historical records he used?
a) They were destroyed during Rome’s conquests.
b) They were falsified by prominent Roman families.
c) They lacked any mention of the Roman monarchy.
d) They focused exclusively on economic matters.
b) They were falsified by prominent Roman families.
According to Livy, what lesson can be drawn from Horatius Cocles’ tale?
a) Romans valued courage and sacrifice even if the stories were exaggerated.
b) Early Romans avoided warfare whenever possible.
c) Rome’s history was based entirely on verifiable facts.
d) Horatius symbolized the fall of the Roman Republic.
a) Romans valued courage and sacrifice even if the stories were exaggerated.
Why do modern historians remain skeptical of Livy’s accounts?
a) His writings completely lack historical value.
b) He wrote centuries after the events he described.
c) Livy was known for deliberately falsifying records.
d) Archaeological evidence contradicts all his accounts.
b) He wrote centuries after the events he described.
How do Livy’s stories remain valuable despite their inaccuracies?
a) They demonstrate how Romans viewed their history and themselves.
b) They provide accurate military strategies from the Roman Republic.
c) They offer detailed economic data about early Rome.
d) They include firsthand accounts of Rome’s kings.
a) They demonstrate how Romans viewed their history and themselves.
Who was Tarquin the Proud, according to Roman tradition?
a) The first consul of the Roman Republic.
b) A king who refused to consult the Senate.
c) The founder of the city of Rome.
d) The leader of the plebeians during the Republic.
b) A king who refused to consult the Senate.
What event led to the downfall of Tarquin the Proud?
a) The assassination of his nephew, Brutus.
b) Sextus Tarquin’s assault on Lucretia.
c) A military defeat against the Greek city-states.
d) His refusal to implement economic reforms.
b) Sextus Tarquin’s assault on Lucretia.
What action did Lucretia take after her assault?
a) She immediately fled the city.
b) She confessed to a crime to protect her family.
c) She revealed what happened, demanded justice, and then took her own life.
d) She called upon the gods to punish Sextus Tarquin directly.
c) She revealed what happened, demanded justice, and then took her own life.
Who led the revolt against Tarquin the Proud, according to Livy?
a) Horatius Cocles
b) Lucretia’s father
c) Sextus Tarquin
d) Brutus
d) Brutus
What did the story of Lucretia symbolize for later Romans?
a) The need to expand Roman territory.
b) The rejection of monarchy and the values of the Republic.
c) The importance of military conquests over cultural development.
d) The divine origin of Roman kings.
b) The rejection of monarchy and the values of the Republic.
What governmental system replaced the monarchy after the fall of Tarquin the Proud?
a) A dictatorship led by Brutus.
b) A democracy with universal suffrage.
c) A republic with annually elected consuls.
d) An empire ruled by Augustus.
c) A republic with annually elected consuls.
How did Romans of the Republic feel about monarchy?
a) They admired monarchs for their power.
b) They feared and hated monarchy.
c) They sought to restore monarchy throughout the Republic.
d) They considered monarchy the most stable form of government.
b) They feared and hated monarchy.
What does the term pietas mean in the Roman context?
a) Personal ambition and self-interest.
b) Dutifulness to something beyond oneself, such as the community or the gods.
c) Complete obedience to the monarchy.
d) A duty to accumulate wealth and power.
b) Dutifulness to something beyond oneself, such as the community or the gods.
Why did Brutus punish his own sons according to Livy?
a) They committed a crime against the gods.
b) They conspired to restore the monarchy, which he opposed out of duty to the Republic.
c) They refused to participate in military service.
d) They insulted Lucretia’s memory.
b) They conspired to restore the monarchy, which he opposed out of duty to the Republic.
Why did Lucretia kill herself, according to Livy?
a) To seek revenge against Sextus Tarquin.
b) To discourage other women from adultery and protect the ideal of a virtuous Roman woman.
c) To protest the monarchy and support the Republic.
d) To demonstrate that she was guilty of a crime.
b) To discourage other women from adultery and protect the ideal of a virtuous Roman woman.
How were Roman women expected to demonstrate pietas?
a) By participating in politics alongside men.
b) By displaying self-sacrifice and devotion to their families and virtues.
c) By becoming military leaders in times of crisis.
d) By pursuing personal ambitions over domestic duties.
b) By displaying self-sacrifice and devotion to their families and virtues.
What societal expectation was placed on Roman women but not on men?
a) Both men and women were expected to remain univira (one-person partners).
b) Women were expected to be univira, faithful to one man for life, while men were not held to the same standard of chastity or fidelity.
c) Men and women were equally confined to domestic life.
d) Both genders were expected to demonstrate physical strength and rationality.
b) Women were expected to be univira, faithful to one man for life, while men were not held to the same standard of chastity or fidelity.
What does the story of Cincinnatus illustrate about Roman values?
a) The importance of wealth and political ambition.
b) The value of rural simplicity and duty over personal gain.
c) The need for permanent dictatorship in emergencies.
d) The rejection of the idea of pietas.
b) The value of rural simplicity and duty over personal gain.
Why did Cincinnatus resign as dictator after saving Rome from the Sabines?
a) His term as dictator had expired.
b) He valued duty over personal power and showed no desire to prolong his authority.
c) He failed to defeat the Sabines and was removed from power.
d) He was overthrown by his political rivals.
b) He valued duty over personal power and showed no desire to prolong his authority.
What did Romans believe about rural living compared to urban life?
a) Urban life was a source of moral corruption, while rural life embodied real virtue.
b) Rural living was unnecessary for service in the army.
c) Urban life was the foundation of Roman society’s moral standards.
d) Rural simplicity was only valued for the lower classes.
a) Urban life was a source of moral corruption, while rural life embodied real virtue.
Why did Romans expect women to remain primarily in domestic roles?
a) Women were considered physically weaker and less rational than men.
b) Roman law strictly forbade women from leaving their homes.
c) Women were thought to lack the ability to demonstrate pietas.
d) Men needed women to manage agricultural estates.
a) Women were considered physically weaker and less rational than men.
How did the Romans justify the sexual double standard between men and women?
a) Men were expected to protect their children’s legitimacy, while women were not.
b) Men’s infidelity did not affect the legitimacy of their heirs, while women’s chastity ensured inheritance rights.
c) Romans believed men were naturally more virtuous than women.
d) Roman women were expected to engage in politics rather than maintain chastity.
b) Men’s infidelity did not affect the legitimacy of their heirs, while women’s chastity ensured inheritance rights.
What does Livy’s account suggest about women’s capacity for pietas?
a) Women, like men, could exhibit pietas through self-sacrifice and duty.
b) Women were incapable of demonstrating pietas due to their domestic roles.
c) Women only displayed pietas by participating in military service.
d) Women’s pietas was limited to religious worship.
a) Women, like men, could exhibit pietas through self-sacrifice and duty.
What was the primary difference between Greek aretē and Roman pietas?
a) Aretē emphasized individual excellence, while pietas emphasized duty to the community.
b) Aretē focused on moral purity, while pietas focused on physical strength.
c) Aretē valued public service, while pietas valued self-interest.
d) Aretē and pietas were identical concepts with different cultural labels.
a) Aretē emphasized individual excellence, while pietas emphasized duty to the community.
Which of the following best describes Roman expectations of women compared to Greek expectations?
a) Romans believed women were inherently equal to men in public life.
b) Romans had greater expectations that men would value women than in Greek society, particularly Classical Athens.
c) Romans confined women strictly to the home, more so than the Greeks.
d) Romans considered women unfit for education and public involvement.
b) Romans had greater expectations that men would value women than in Greek society, particularly Classical Athens.
What broader societal contrast does the text draw between Greek and Roman cultures?
a) Greeks valued individualism, while Romans prioritized the community.
b) Greeks emphasized public service, while Romans valued personal ambition.
c) Greeks celebrated pietas, while Romans focused on aretē.
d) Greeks avoided military glory, while Romans sought it exclusively.
a) Greeks valued individualism, while Romans prioritized the community.
What does the story of Tiberius Gracchus and the snakes reveal about Roman marital expectations?
a) Roman husbands were expected to prioritize their wives’ well-being, even at great personal cost.
b) Roman husbands viewed their wives as inferior and disposable.
c) Roman society discouraged men from taking advice from soothsayers.
d) Roman men were required to consult the Senate on personal matters.
a) Roman husbands were expected to prioritize their wives’ well-being, even at great personal cost.
What role did Cornelia play in her children’s lives according to the text?
a) She acted as a public politician, directly shaping the Republic.
b) She managed her sons’ education and pushed them toward public service.
c) She insisted that her sons avoid politics and focus on their private lives.
d) She distanced herself from her family to prioritize her own ambitions.
b) She managed her sons’ education and pushed them toward public service.
How did Cornelia’s view of her sons’ political careers change later in life?
a) She regretted encouraging their political ambitions, as it led to chaos and division.
b) She celebrated their success, even as it caused suffering for the Republic.
c) She became indifferent to their public service after they achieved fame.
d) She pressured them to seek military glory instead of political careers.
a) She regretted encouraging their political ambitions, as it led to chaos and division.
What was the greatest honor a Roman general could receive after a military victory?
a) Being named consul for life.
b) Leading a “triumph,” a ceremonial parade through the city.
c) Receiving the aristeia for killing the most enemies.
d) Being declared emperor by the Senate.
b) Leading a “triumph,” a ceremonial parade through the city.
During a Roman “triumph,” what role did a slave play?
a) He carried the general’s weapons and armor.
b) He whispered reminders of the imperator’s mortality to keep him humble.
c) He announced the names of the defeated enemies.
d) He acted as a guard to protect the general from assassination.
b) He whispered reminders of the imperator’s mortality to keep him humble.
In awarding honors to soldiers, what did Roman generals prioritize over individual combat prowess?
a) Skill in defeating the enemy in battle.
b) Saving the life of a fellow Roman citizen.
c) Accumulating wealth and spoils of war.
d) Leading the largest number of troops into battle.
b) Saving the life of a fellow Roman citizen.
How does the text describe the modern West’s cultural inheritance from Greek and Roman values?
a) Modern Western culture is exclusively influenced by Greek ideals of individualism.
b) Western debates often reflect a mix of Greek individualism and Roman communal values.
c) Modern society has completely rejected both Greek and Roman values.
d) The modern West has adopted only Roman values of pietas and communal service.
b) Western debates often reflect a mix of Greek individualism and Roman communal values.
What does the dual honor and humility of Roman imperators reflect about pietas in public affairs?
a) Ambition and service to the Republic could coexist but required humility to avoid arrogance.
b) Military leaders were discouraged from accepting public praise.
c) Personal ambition was viewed as entirely incompatible with public service.
d) Roman generals were expected to retire immediately after achieving victory.
a) Ambition and service to the Republic could coexist but required humility to avoid arrogance.
According to the text, how did Romans view the authority of law compared to the Greeks?
a) Romans placed less emphasis on law than the Greeks did.
b) Romans admired and celebrated the authority of law more emphatically than the Greeks.
c) Romans viewed law as secondary to personal ambition.
d) Romans saw no distinction between law and custom, unlike the Greeks.
b) Romans admired and celebrated the authority of law more emphatically than the Greeks.
What did Livy consider one of the benefits of the Roman Republic?
a) The establishment of a monarchy.
b) Greater obedience to the commands of law than to those of men.
c) Increased social freedoms for Roman youths.
d) The abolition of conservatism in Roman society.
b) Greater obedience to the commands of law than to those of men.
