Ancient Rome Flashcards
What two geographical characteristics made it the ideal location of the city?
Fertile soil and the Tiber river
How many hills surround the city of Rome?
Seven
The 7 hills of Rome made the land ___?
Easy to defend
Rome’s location on the Italian peninsula also gave in control of ___?
The Mediterranean Sea
What time did The first settlers establish Rome
900BC
When did the Etruscans ruled Rome
600BC
When did the roman people take back power from the Etruscans?
509BC
What ideas did the Romans borrow from the Etruscans?
Greek alphabet
Roman gods
The toga
The basic outline of the republic
Citizens have the right to vote for leaders.
The leaders rule in the name of the people.
Who held most of the power in the republic?
Senate
Patricians
Upperclassmen who advised the two consuls who led the senate
The two consuls and their system
They led the senate. The consuls must be unanimous for government action to take place, this gave them the power to veto or forbid an action
Plebeians
Ordinary citizens who could not hold power.
Plebeians and patricians
Plebeians wanted the right to be respected and treated fairly. Did not trust the actions of the senate.
The creation of the 12 tables
The patricians gave the plebeians a code of laws called the 12 tables because the plebeians refused to fight in the army.
12 tables
Applied equally to all citizens. Never truly made the plebeians equal.
Even though it ruled a large area by 128 BC the Roman Republic was __?
In trouble
Over the course of the next __ years Rome fell into a __?
75, civil War
And just as Rome is about to fall apart
__ rose to power
Julius Caesar
After gaining the trust of his troops in
__ Cesar seized power in __.
Gaul, 48 BC
Some characteristics of Julius Caesar were?
He was eager and smart leader
Julius Caesar became the only __.
Consul
Why did the senate murder Julius Caesar?
They saw him as a king
When was Julius Caesar murdered by the Senate?
March 15, 44 BC
Who was Julius Caesar’s son?
Octavian a.k.a. Agustus Caesar
When did Octavian follow Julius as leader?
After 13 years of Civil War
After Caesar’s death Augustus’ and Rome’s control had spread well beyond __?
The Italian borders from Britain to Mesopotamia
Augustus showed __ for the Senate.
Great respect
Augustus wanted to share __ with the senate and often __.
Power, pondered restoring the republic
Why did the Senate give Augustus all the power he wanted?
Because of Rome’s peace and prosperity
Why did Rome have provinces?
Used to govern the vast empire
Each province had a __ supported by an __.
Government, army
Who covered daily affairs?
Local rulers
Most people still had __.
Religious freedom
Three reasons why Rome preferred the peace.
Raw materials, taxes, markets for Roman finished goods
What did most conquered people adopt?
Latin
Prior to the age of good emperors their were two __?
Terrible emperors
Caligula
He proclaimed himself a God, appointed his favorite hoarse consul, Thought to be insane
Nero
Murdered his half-brother, mother and wife. Said to have burnt down half of room and blamed it on the christians. Also thought to be insane.
When did the era of five good emperors start?
AD 96
Only the last of the 5 good emperors had a __.
Son
Each of the other good emperors adopted __.
The best young man he could find to be the next Emperor
Who was considered the greatest out of the five good emperors?
Hadrian
Hadrian built a good __ with laws protecting __.
Government, women children and slaves
Hadrian issued a code of laws so that __. He also reorganize the army so__.
Laws were uniform throughout the empire, soldiers defended their home provinces
Hadrian spoke__. Marcus Aurelius wrote philosophy in __.
Greek
What did Romans study of the Greek?
Art literature, architecture, mathematics, science, and ideas about government
The difference between the Greeks and Romans reason to learn.
The Greeks sought knowledge to understand the truths of the world to reason. The Roman sought to use the same truths to build things to expand their empire.
Romans studied __.
The Etruscans and the Greeks
What were the keys to Roman architecture?
Arches and concrete
What is the greatest example of Roman architecture?
The colosseum
What is another great architectural achievement the Romans accomplished?
Roman roads
“all roads lead to Rome”
Over __ Miles of roads.
50,000
Aqueducts
Carried water over long distance, allowed for drinking water and sanitary conditions
Roman society consisted of __.
Few rich people, many poor people and slaves
Most Romans were not on the poor but also __.
Jobless
Wealthy had __. They were known for their__.
Elegant city homes and country villas. Known for their gluttony- overindulgence/ consumption
Poor depended on __ to survive, usually handed out by the __ to prevent __.
Wheat, emperors, riots
__ were also held to prevent riots.
Circuses
Where did the poor live?
In tall, rundown apartment
Despite the circuses most romans did have __.
Strong values and a strong sense of family
Roman law gave absolute power to __.
The father
Women had varying levels of __ based upon their __.
Independence, wealth
Roman circuses
Violent, spectacular shows. Held in the colosseum or in other arenas also called circuses
The circuses were highlighted by __.
The gladiators
Most gladiators were__.
Slaves captured in battle
What was very common in the Roman empire
Slavery
Most slaves were well __ and had no __.
Cared for, rights
House hold slaves were the most __. They helped with __.
Fortunate, daily life and even helped raise children
Gladiators or farm slaves often lived __ lives
Short, brutal
The Romans were __ of other religions as long as the people showed loyalty to __.
Tolerant, the Roman gods and emperor
In __ the Romans conquered __.
63 BC, Judea
Judea
The homeland of the Jews
The Jews resented __ and the Romans responded with __.
Foreign rule, harsh punishments
Jewish people awaited their __ to save them from the oppressive __.
Messiah, Romans
Rome was under whose rule when Jesus was born?
Herod
The story of Jesus’s life is written in the __ of the __.
New Testament, Christian Bible
After Jesus’s death what did his disciples do?
Told stories about his life and teachings
The Gospels
Written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. they are the written stories of his life.
What did Jesus preach?
Jesus preached that there was only one true God, a loving, and forgiving God
What did Jesus also state?
He stated that he was the son of God.
Fearing possible__ the __ condemned him to __from which he __.
Revolt, Romans, death, rose and told his disciples to spread his teachings
Greek for messiah
Christos
Jesus received the name __ and his followers were called __.
Christ, Christians
Paul
He was a devout disciple that continue to spread Christianity throughout the Roman empire
Paul wrote __ or epistles, to cities throughout the __.
Letters, Mediterranean region
The significance of Paul’s letters
The letters helped organize Christianity
This __ religion called Christianity, soon alarmed the __.
Fast growing, Roman government
How did many Roman officials start to view the Christians?
As enemies
Who began an official campaign against the christians?
Nero
When was much of Rome burnt down?
64 AD
Who did Nero blame for the fire?
The Christians
He watched with __ as the Christians were put __.
Pleasure, to death
The Romans tormented the Christians for another __.
250 years
During the time of tormenting the Christians the empire was in __ and the Romans were looking for __.
Decline, scapegoat
Not even the Emperor __ could stop the growth of __.
Diocletian, Christianity
What did the emperor Diocletian do to stop Christianity from growing?
He outlawed Christian services. Imprisoned Christian priests. Put many Christians to death.
How did the Emperor Diocletian plan to start Christianity backfire?
Many Romans admired the Christians and saw them as martyrs
The fall of the Roman empire began when __ left his son,__ , as emperor.
Marcus Aurelius, Commodus
When did Commodus assume power?
180 AD
Commodus
He was a savage ruler, his rule was held together by bribes to the army.
The four problems that led to Rome’s collapse.
- Weak, corrupt rollers
- A mercenary army
- The vast size of the Empire
- Serious economic problems
- Weak, corrupt rulers
Most were __, not __.
Generals, politicians
- Weak, corrupt rulers
Many stole __ from the __.
Money, treasury
- Weak, corrupt rulers
Use the money for __ towards the __ and the __.
Bribes, Army, Senate
- Weak, corrupt rulers
This lead to the fall of the __.
Economy and government
- A mercenary army
By this time most soldiers were __.
Foreigners that were paid to fight
- A mercenary army
Mercenaries
They fight for them money and money loan they do not support any causes.they will only fight for their best interests.
- A mercenary army
There is no longer any __ to Rome.
Loyalty
- The size of the empire
The empire had grown __ to be ruled from any __.
Too big, one place
- The size of the empire
Because of the size there enemies on every border __.
Attacked
- The size of the empire
Rome’s bordering enemies
Asia, Africa, northern Europe
- Serious economic problems
The lack of __ led to a lack of __.
Conquests, new income
- Serious economic problems
The lack of new income resulted in more__.
Taxes
- Serious economic problems
Taxes were often spent on an __ that wouldn’t __.
Army, fight
- Serious economic problems
Many people were suffering from severe __ throughout the empire.
Unemployment
- Serious economic problems
Starvation was __.
Rampant
- Serious economic problems
To pay for more __ the government produced more__.
Food, money
- Serious economic problems
Producing more money lead to __ and soon after Roman money was __.
Inflation, worthless
Diocletian attempts to stop decline
He enlarged the army, built new forts, improved tax collection
What was the impact of the three things Diocletian did to stop the decline?
All of which brought in more money to pay the army
What else did Diocletian do to stop the decline?
He split up the empire into two
What was the impact of Diocletian’s action of splitting the empire
This made it easier to rule, he ruled over wealthy east while his co emperor ruled over the west
How many years of fighting was there between the generals for the title of emperor after Diocletian and his coemperor retired
Seven years
Who came out winner of the seven year war for the title of Emperor
Constantine
Because of Constantine’s __ from God he proclaimed __
Revelation, freedom of worship for the entire empire
Because of Constantine’s proclaim freedom what stopped
The persecution of the Christians
When did the edict of Milan happen
313 AD
What was the result of the edict of Milan?
Christianity became the official religion of the Roman empire
Where did Constantine move the capital
Byzantium
What did Constantine renamed Byzantium?
Constantinople
What happened after Constantine’s death
Invaders, barbarians from the north, overwhelmed the empire
These __ tribe captured and looted Rome in __.
Germanic, 410 and455 AD
Who was the last Roman emperor
Romulus Augustus
How old Romulus when he was dethroned
14
When was Romulus dethroned
476 AD
How much longer did the eastern empire survive with its capital at Constantine than the western empire
Another 1000 years as the Byzantine empire
