Course Learning Outcomes Flashcards
Q: Summarize what is known about pre-Republican Rome.
A: Pre-Republican Rome (before 509 BCE) was a monarchy ruled by kings, traditionally seven in number. It was influenced by the Etruscans, who contributed to its culture, architecture, and governance. The society was divided into patricians and plebeians. Rome’s early development included religious institutions, a warrior ethos, and urban infrastructure like the Cloaca Maxima.
Q: Describe the main features of Roman religion.
A: Roman religion was polytheistic, centered on a pantheon of gods like Jupiter, Mars, and Venus. It emphasized ritual, augury, and priesthoods (e.g., Pontifex Maximus, Vestal Virgins). State and household worship were key, and religious festivals like Saturnalia played a major role. It adapted deities from conquered cultures, notably Greek and Eastern gods.
Q: Outline the main events and key figures of the Roman Republic.
A: The Republic (509–27 BCE) began with the overthrow of the monarchy. Key events include the Struggle of the Orders, Punic Wars (vs. Carthage), expansion in the Mediterranean, and civil wars. Key figures include Cincinnatus, the Gracchi brothers, Marius, Sulla, Pompey, Julius Caesar, and Augustus, who ended the Republic.
Q: Identify the main architectural and engineering achievements of Rome.
A: Rome’s achievements include aqueducts (e.g., Aqua Appia), roads (Via Appia), amphitheaters (Colosseum), basilicas, domes (Pantheon), and concrete use. Engineering feats like the arch and vault enabled massive structures. Military camps (castra) and urban planning showcased Rome’s infrastructure expertise.
Q: Summarize the major Roman writers and philosophers.
A: Roman literature includes Virgil (Aeneid), Ovid (Metamorphoses), Horace (odes), and Cicero (oratory, philosophy). Historians include Livy, Tacitus, and Suetonius. Stoicism influenced thinkers like Seneca and Marcus Aurelius. Lucretius promoted Epicureanism in De Rerum Natura.
Q: Explain the political evolution of the Roman Empire, from the Julio-Claudians to the fall of Romulus Augustulus.
A: The Empire began with Augustus (27 BCE). The Julio-Claudians (Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero) faced succession crises. The Flavians (Vespasian, Titus, Domitian) stabilized rule. The Five Good Emperors (Nerva–Marcus Aurelius) brought prosperity. Later instability led to the Crisis of the Third Century, Diocletian’s reforms, Constantine’s Christianity, and finally, the fall of the Western Empire in 476 CE with Romulus Augustulus.
