Chapter 4 Flashcards
Cyrus the Great
established massive Persian Empire by 550 B.C.E.; successor state to Mesopotamian empires
Zoroastrianism
Animist religion that saw material existence as battle between forces of good and evil; stressed the importance of moral choice; righteous lived on after death in “House of Song”; chief religion of Persian Empire
Olympic Games
One of the pan-Hellenic rituals observed by all Greek city-states; involved athletic competitions and ritual celebrations
Pericles
Athenian political leader during 5th century B.C.E.; guided development of Athenian empire; died during early stages of Peloponnesian War
Peloponnesian Wars
Wars from 431 to 404 B.C.E. between Athens and Sparta for dominance in southern Greece; resulted in Spartan victory but failure to achieve political unification of Greece
Philip II
Ruled Macedon from 359 to 336 B.C.E.; founder of centralized kingdom; later conquered rest of Greece, which was subjected to Macedonian authority
Hellenistic period
That culture associated with the spread of Greek influence as a result of Macedonian conquests; often seen as the combination of Greek culture with eastern political forms
Alexandria, Egypt
One of the cities founded by and named for Alexander the Great; site of ancient Mediterranean’s greatest library; center of literary studies
Roman republic
The balanced constitution of Rome from c. 510 to 47 B.C.E.; featured an aristocratic Senate, a panel of magistrates, and several popular assemblies
Punic Wars
Fought between Rome and Carthage to establish dominance in the western Mediterranean; won by Rome after three separate conflicts
Carthage
Originally a Phoenician colony in northern Africa; became a major port and commercial power in the Western Mediterranean; fought the Punic Wars with Rome for dominance of the western Mediterranean
Hannibal
Great Carthaginian general during Second Punic War; successfully invaded Italy but failed to conquer Rome; finally defeated at Battle of Zama
Caesar, Julius
Roman general responsible for conquest of Gaul; brought army back to Rome and overthrew republic; assassinated in 44 B.C.E. by conservative senators
Augustus Caesar
(63 B.C.E. - 14 C.E) Name given to Octavian following his defeat of Mark Anthony and Cleopatra; first emperor of Rome
Diocletian
Roman emperor form 284 to 305 C.E.; restored later empire by improved administration and tax collection
Constantine
Roman emperor from 312 to 337 C.E.; established second capital at Constantinople; attempted to use religious force of Christianity to unify empire spiritually
polis
city-state form of government; typical of Greek political organization from 800 to 400 B.C.E (pl. poleis)
direct democracy
where people participate directly in assemblies that make laws and select leaders, rather than electing representatives
Senate
Assembly of Roman aristocrats; advised on policy within the republic; one of the early elements of the Roman constitution
consuls
Two chiefs executives or magistrates of the Roman republic; elected by an annual assembly dominated by aristocracy
Cicero
(106-43 B.C.E.) Conservative Roman senator; Stoic philosopher; one of the great orators of his day; killed in reaction to assassination of Julius Caesar
Aristotle
(384-322 B.C.E) Greek philosopher; teacher of Alexander the Great; knowledge based on observation of phenomena in material world
Stoics
Hellenistic group of philosophers; emphasized inner moral independence cultivated by strict discipline of the body and personal bravery
