8. Fall of Rome and the Early Middle Ages Flashcards
According to Edward Gibbon, what two main forces contributed to the fall of the Roman Empire?
A) Economic decline and military weakness
B) Christianity and barbarian invasions
C) Corruption and plague
D) Slave revolts and famine
B) Christianity and barbarian invasions
In Gibbon’s view, how did Christianity weaken the Roman Empire?
A) By promoting warfare among Christian sects
B) By shifting focus away from the material world and classical culture
C) By allying with barbarian tribes
D) By banning Roman military training
B) By shifting focus away from the material world and classical culture
What happened to the Western Roman Empire after the barbarian invasions?
A) It was fully absorbed into the Eastern Roman Empire
B) It remained unified under a single Roman emperor
C) It fragmented into various independent barbarian kingdoms
D) It continued as the strongest part of the empire
C) It fragmented into various independent barbarian kingdoms
What is the significance of Odoacer’s deposition of Romulus Augustulus in 476?
A) It marks the conventional date for the fall of the Western Roman Empire
B) It marks the end of the Eastern Roman Empire
C) It marks the beginning of the Renaissance
D) It marks the conversion of the empire to Christianity
A) It marks the conventional date for the fall of the Western Roman Empire
How did the inhabitants of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium) refer to themselves?
A) Byzantines
B) Hellenes
C) Romoi (Romans)
D) Orthodox Christians
C) Romoi (Romans)
What historical period do some modern historians now use instead of the term “Fall of Rome”?
A) The Pax Romana
B) The Late Middle Ages
C) The Age of Exploration
D) Late Antiquity
D) Late Antiquity
Why do some modern historians challenge Gibbon’s interpretation of Rome’s fall?
A) They believe Rome was destroyed primarily by natural disasters
B) They argue there was no sharp break between Roman and medieval history
C) They think the empire fell much earlier, around 300
D) They claim Gibbon ignored economic factors
B) They argue there was no sharp break between Roman and medieval history
What is the “Crisis of the Third Century” primarily associated with?
A) The division of the empire into East and West
B) Severe political instability and civil wars
C) The spread of Christianity
D) The rise of barbarian kingdoms
B) Severe political instability and civil wars
Why was succession a persistent problem for the Roman Empire after Augustus?
A) Augustus created too many rules for succession
B) Augustus failed to create a formal office of emperor with clear succession rules
C) The Senate refused to participate in imperial s
B) Augustus failed to create a formal office of emperor with clear succession rules
How did Commodus contribute to the empire’s instability?
A) By invading the eastern provinces
B) By acting as a competent military leader but poor administrator
C) By alienating the Senate and terrifying the elite with unpredictable behavior
D) By reforming the Senate and reducing military power
C) By alienating the Senate and terrifying the elite with unpredictable behavior
What happened after the assassination of Commodus in 192?
A) The Senate appointed a strong and stable ruler
B) The empire peacefully transitioned to the Severan dynasty
C) Civil wars broke out among rival generals
D) The empire immediately split into Eastern and Western halves
C) Civil wars broke out among rival generals
What independent “empire” did General Postumus establish during the third-century crisis?
A) The Empire of Dacia
B) The Gallic Empire
C) The Byzantine Empire
D) The Visigothic Kingdom
B) The Gallic Empire
What major economic problem worsened the third-century crisis?
A) Collapse of trade routes to China
B) Drastic population decline due to plague
C) Inflation caused by excessive minting of devalued coins
D) Overproduction of agricultural goods leading to deflation
C) Inflation caused by excessive minting of devalued coins
What was the purpose of introducing the solidus?
A) To pay tribute to barbarian kingdoms
B) To restore the power of the Senate
C) To provide a reliable gold currency for the military
D) To fund the construction of defensive walls
C) To provide a reliable gold currency for the military
What was one key reason emperors began to lose legitimacy during the crisis?
A) The Senate became too powerful and overshadowed the emperor
B) Emperors relied solely on military force without securing senatorial approval
C) Barbarian invasions made Roman law unenforceable
D) Christianity replaced imperial rituals and authority
B) Emperors relied solely on military force without securing senatorial approval
According to the historian’s interpretation, why was Augustus’s facade of Republican government important?
A) It created new military positions
B) It gave the emperor the power to dissolve the Senate
C) It maintained senatorial auctoritas, which legitimized imperial rule
D) It prevented the spread of barbarian influence
C) It maintained senatorial auctoritas, which legitimized imperial rule
What was the fundamental problem underlying the crisis of the third century?
A) Lack of military power
B) Crisis of auctoritas (legitimacy)
C) Invasion by the Goths
D) Decline of trade routes
B) Crisis of auctoritas (legitimacy)
Why were third-century emperors often called “barracks emperors”?
A) They were chosen exclusively by the Senate
B) They were generals elected by the people
C) They gained power mainly through military support
D) They governed only military camps and not the empire
C) They gained power mainly through military support
What happened when troops were dissatisfied with an emperor they had helped to power?
A) They exiled him to a remote province
B) They organized peaceful protests
C) They frequently murdered him
D) They appealed to the Senate for a replacement
C) They frequently murdered him
What was significant about Diocletian’s reign starting in 284 CE?
A) It marked the collapse of the Roman Empire
B) It restored the old Republic
C) It brought political stability after the crisis
D) It eliminated the use of the military in politics
C) It brought political stability after the crisis
What does the term “dominate” refer to in Roman history?
A) A new form of military unit
B) A style of government established by Diocletian
C) The domination of Rome by barbarian tribes
D) The Senate’s return to power
B) A style of government established by Diocletian
How did Diocletian emphasize the emperor’s authority and status?
A) By reviving old Republican traditions
B) By encouraging senators to share power
C) By adopting the title dominus and introducing ritual proskynesis
D) By building a new capital in Gaul
C) By adopting the title dominus and introducing ritual proskynesis
Which gods were especially associated with Diocletian’s rule?
A) Jupiter and Hercules
B) Mars and Venus
C) Apollo and Diana
D) Isis and Serapis
A) Jupiter and Hercules
What change occurred in the emperor’s advisory council under Diocletian and his successors?
A) It was renamed the Senate
B) It became known as the consistory and its members stood in the emperor’s presence
C) It was opened to common citizens
D) It lost all power to the military
B) It became known as the consistory and its members stood in the emperor’s presence
Why did emperors increasingly seek legitimacy from the gods after Diocletian?
A) The Senate had become too powerful
B) The military no longer supported them
C) The Senate was no longer an effective source of legitimacy
D) The emperor wanted to establish a theocracy
C) The Senate was no longer an effective source of legitimacy
hy was the emergence of a theocratic monarchy under Diocletian not shocking to people at the time?
A) It was imposed suddenly without precedent
B) The Senate forced the emperor to adopt the title dominus
C) There had long been a drift toward viewing emperors as divine
D) The empire was already officially Christian
C) There had long been a drift toward viewing emperors as divine
How did Augustus manage the cult of his genius during his reign?
A) He banned it across the entire empire
B) He allowed it everywhere, including Rome
C) He only permitted it outside the city of Rome
D) He personally performed sacrifices to his own genius
C) He only permitted it outside the city of Rome
What does the title dominus mean, which Diocletian adopted regularly?
A) Father
B) Lord
C) Savior
D) Protector
B) Lord
Why were people in the Eastern provinces more accepting of the emperor as a theocratic monarch?
A) They had always rejected republicanism
B) Their traditions already included kings ruling by divine right
C) They were primarily rural and isolated
D) They had never paid taxes to Rome
B) Their traditions already included kings ruling by divine right
What is the saying “render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s” often interpreted to show?
A) Early Christians rejected Roman citizenship
B) Jesus wanted to overthrow the Roman Empire
C) Local people expected taxes to go to kings, not the Roman state
D) The Senate collected all taxes in the provinces
C) Local people expected taxes to go to kings, not the Roman state
What does the emergence of the dominate represent in broader historical terms?
A) The decline of Hellenistic influence in Rome
B) The fusion of Roman and Hellenistic traditions
C) The final stage of the Roman Republic
D) The beginning of Christian dominance in government
B) The fusion of Roman and Hellenistic traditions
What major administrative change did Diocletian implement to manage the empire more effectively?
A) He abolished the Senate
B) He created two separate empires permanently
C) He divided the empire into eastern and western halves with co-emperors
D) He relocated the capital to Alexandria
C) He divided the empire into eastern and western halves with co-emperors
What was a key difference between the Eastern and Western parts of the Roman Empire?
A) The West was more populous and urbanized
B) The East was more rural and underdeveloped
C) The East remained more Greek-speaking, populous, and wealthy
D) The West had no cities at all
C) The East remained more Greek-speaking, populous, and wealthy
What challenge did Christian bishop Irenaeus mention about his work in Gaul?
A) He was not allowed to preach publicly
B) He was forced to convert to Roman religion
C) He had to preach in the locals’ non-Latin language
D) He had to pay special taxes as a Christian
C) He had to preach in the locals’ non-Latin language
Why did Diocletian divide the empire into smaller provinces?
A. To make it easier for governors to monitor and enforce central government demands
B. To give more power to local decurions
C. To reduce military expenditures
D. To promote economic competition between provinces
A. To make it easier for governors to monitor and enforce central government demands
What was a significant challenge for local decurions during the third-century crisis?
A. They were required to serve in the military
B. They had to personally cover tax shortfalls
C. They lost all political influence
D. They were forced to move to Rome
B. They had to personally cover tax shortfalls
What was a consequence of Constantine granting Christian clergy exemption from decurial service?
A. The Christian clergy became politically influential
B. Decurions were allowed to serve in the military instead
C. Many wealthy men sought ordination to avoid civic duties
D. The Senate opposed the exemption and repealed it
C. Many wealthy men sought ordination to avoid civic duties
Why did many decurions flee to the countryside?
A. To escape heavy taxation and government obligations
B. To pursue a more luxurious lifestyle
C. To establish trade networks with rural villages
D. To become military generals
A. To escape heavy taxation and government obligations
What was a long-term effect of decurions fleeing to their country estates?
A. The empire established new urban centers
B. Cities became more prosperous due to trade with the countryside
C. Urban markets declined, leading to self-sufficient rural estates
D. The emperor granted land to city officials to prevent migration
C. Urban markets declined, leading to self-sufficient rural estates
How did landlords respond to the declining importation of slaves?
A. They abolished slavery entirely
B. They increased reliance on coloni, dependent farmers
C. They imported workers from outside the empire
D. They expanded urban industries to attract workers
B. They increased reliance on coloni, dependent farmers
Why did Diocletian and Constantine reorganize the army’s supply system?
A. Inflation and a declining tax base made it harder to provide for the troops
B. They wanted to increase the number of legions stationed at the frontier
C. The aristocracy demanded a stronger military presence in the cities
D. They needed to encourage urban markets to grow
A. Inflation and a declining tax base made it harder to provide for the troops
How did the government adapt to inflation when supplying the army?
A. It reduced military salaries
B. It relied more on imported goods
C. It privatized the military supply chain
D. It began taxing local suppliers in kind
D. It began taxing local suppliers in kind
What was a consequence of the army being dispersed throughout the empire?
A. Soldiers increasingly relied on market trade for supplies
B. Military forces became more centralized under the emperor
C. Soldiers took goods by force, leading to economic disruptions
D. The demand for maritime trade increased
C. Soldiers took goods by force, leading to economic disruptions
How did the Roman government contribute to economic decline?
A. By producing more goods for trade instead of local consumption
B. By imposing strict trade laws that favored the cities
C. By limiting military expansion and reducing tax collection
D. By promoting self-sufficiency, reducing reliance on markets
D. By promoting self-sufficiency, reducing reliance on markets
What does the decreasing number of Roman shipwrecks suggest?
A. Improvements in shipbuilding and navigation
B. A decline in long-distance trade
C. Increased military control over trade routes
D. The spread of piracy throughout the empire
B. A decline in long-distance trade
What did Constantine’s legislation against pilfering marble and columns indicate?
A. A cultural shift toward rural lifestyles
B. The growing wealth of the countryside
C. A lack of construction materials in cities
D. The decline of urban centers and infrastructure
D. The decline of urban centers and infrastructure
What long-term impact did the Romanization of the countryside have?
A. It weakened the influence of Latin in former Roman territories
B. It contributed to the development of Romance languages
C. It led to a revival of classical Greek as the primary language
D. It resulted in the decline of rural populations
B. It contributed to the development of Romance languages
How did the third-century crisis impact the Roman ruling elite?
A. It allowed military leaders from the provinces to rise to power
B. It strengthened the Senate’s control over the empire
C. It reinforced the importance of classical education for governors
D. It prevented emperors from promoting new men into power
A. It allowed military leaders from the provinces to rise to power
What was a key characteristic of the early emperors’ Senate appointments?
A. They primarily selected men with military experience
B. They promoted individuals unfamiliar with classical civilization
C. They chose men well-versed in Latin and Greek literature
D. They avoided appointing provincial leaders to high office
C. They chose men well-versed in Latin and Greek literature
Why did Diocletian’s theocracy benefit the new ruling class?
A. It gave the Senate more influence over military decisions
B. It helped them gain legitimacy despite lacking aristocratic respect
C. It encouraged more senators to join the military
D. It eliminated the role of provincial leaders in government
B. It helped them gain legitimacy despite lacking aristocratic respect
What was a major difference between the new ruling class and the previous Roman elite?
A. The new rulers were primarily from the senatorial aristocracy
B. The new rulers lacked the classical education of their predecessors
C. The new rulers relied more on philosophy than military experience
D. The new rulers strengthened the Senate’s political role
B. The new rulers lacked the classical education of their predecessors
What was the purpose of the breviarium in the fourth century?
A. It was a simplified guide to Roman history for busy officials
B. It was a philosophical work intended for the aristocracy
C. It served as an official military training manual
D. It was a collection of Roman laws for provincial governors
A. It was a simplified guide to Roman history for busy officials
What was a major break from classical tradition made by Emperor Constantine?
A. He restored the power of the Senate
B. He focused on rebuilding Rome instead of Constantinople
C. He embraced Christianity as a new state religion
D. He rejected all provincial influences in government
C. He embraced Christianity as a new state religion
What major decision did Emperor Constantine make regarding Christianity in 313 CE?
A. He repealed Diocletian’s persecutions and favored Christianity
B. He declared Christianity the sole religion of the empire
C. He forced all Roman citizens to convert to Christianity
D. He banned all other religions from the empire
B. He declared Christianity the sole religion of the empire
Why is it important for secular students to study religion when examining European history?
A. Religion played a significant role in shaping historical events
B. All historians must be religious to understand the past
C. Christianity has remained unchanged throughout history
D. The beliefs and practices of past Christians were different from those of today
D. The beliefs and practices of past Christians were different from those of today
What did Jesus’ followers believe about his execution?
A. It was a tragic but insignificant event in Jewish history
B. It was necessary to atone for humanity’s sin
C. It marked the end of his teachings and influence
D. It was a sign that he was not the true Messiah
B. It was necessary to atone for humanity’s sin
Why did Christianity appeal to non-Jews in the Roman Empire?
A. It abandoned Judaism’s dietary and ritual rules
B. It required strict observance of Jewish laws
C. It was officially supported by the Roman Senate
D. It focused solely on the worship of Roman gods
A. It abandoned Judaism’s dietary and ritual rules
What challenge did early Christians face within the Roman Empire?
A. They were sometimes persecuted for refusing to worship the emperor’s spirit
B. They were forced to adopt Greco-Roman religious practices
C. They were not allowed to spread their religion
D. They were required to serve in the Roman army
A. They were sometimes persecuted for refusing to worship the emperor’s spirit
How did Christian intellectuals use Greco-Roman traditions?
A. They adapted Greco-Roman philosophy to define and refine Christian doctrines
B. They rejected all elements of Greco-Roman thought
C. They replaced Greco-Roman artistic styles with completely new ones
D. They refused to engage in debates about Christian beliefs
A. They adapted Greco-Roman philosophy to define and refine Christian doctrines
How did Christianity’s rise to dominance impact Greco-Roman religious practices?
A. Pagan temples were neglected or desecrated
B. Pagan gods were merged with Christian saints
C. Christian leaders encouraged Romans to continue pagan worship
D. Paganism and Christianity coexisted equally without conflict
A. Pagan temples were neglected or desecrated
What was a key feature of early Christian monasticism?
A. Monks and nuns sought to live strict lives of self-denial
B. Monks and nuns were required to marry and have children
C. Monastic life was focused on accumulating wealth and power
D. Monks and nuns were considered unimportant in Christian society
A. Monks and nuns sought to live strict lives of self-denial
How did the concept of sainthood develop in Christianity?
A. Saints were believed to perform miracles through God’s Holy Spirit
B. Saints were considered divine beings equal to God
C. Only members of the Roman aristocracy could become saints
D. The veneration of saints was a minor and unimportant practice
A. Saints were believed to perform miracles through God’s Holy Spirit
By 400 CE, where had Christianity spread beyond the Roman Empire?
A. Armenia, Ethiopia, Arabia, Iraq, Persia, and Ireland
B. Only within the borders of the Roman Empire
C. China and Japan
D. Nowhere, as it remained a small sect within Rome
A. Armenia, Ethiopia, Arabia, Iraq, Persia, and Ireland
