Customs Flashcards
In the Roman Government/social structure, what was/were the cursus honorum?
course of honors - steps you take to make it to the highest jobs (from bottom to top - quaestor, praetor, consul)
In the Roman Government/social structure, what was/were the consul?
two men - executives - elected yearly
In the Roman Government/social structure, what was/were the praetor?
judges (8 elected yearly)
In the Roman Government/social structure, what was/were the quaestor?
treasurers (20 elected yearly)
In the Roman Government/social structure, what was/were the aedile?
in charge of roads and public games (4 elected yearly)
In the Roman Government/social structure, what was/were the censor?
2 elected every five years for 18 months - in charge of taking the census and public morals
In the Roman Government/social structure, what was/were the dictator?
had absolute power in times of emergency; normally ruled 6 months maximum
In the Roman Government/social structure, what was/were the magister equitum?
master of the horse/cavalry - assistant to dictator
In the Roman Government/social structure, what was/were the senator?
must be a praetor to enter - for life
In the Roman Government/social structure, what was/were the tribune?
10 elected yearly - only plebeians can run - can veto the senate
In the Roman Government/social structure, what was/were the patricians/optimates?
highest class
In the Roman Government/social structure, what was/were the equites?
business class
In the Roman Government/social structure, what was/were the plebians/populares?
lower class
In the Roman Government/social structure, what was/were the patron?
patron
In the Roman Government/social structure, what was/were the cliens?
client
In the Roman Government/social structure, what was/were the salutatio?
visit of client to patron’s house
In the Roman Government/social structure, what was/were the sportula?
cold food basket given to client when he is received by patron in his atrium
In the Roman Government/social structure, what was/were the deductio?
patron leads clients to forum
In the Roman Government/social structure, what was/were the paterfamilias?
head of family (family includes wife, children, slaves and property)
In the Roman Government/social structure, what was/were the patria potestas?
power (of life and death in early times) of paterfamilias over family
In Chariot Racing, what was/were the metae?
turning posts
In Chariot Racing, what was/were the spina?
backbone around which they raced
In Chariot Racing, what was/were the ova et delphines?
eggs and dolphins (wood or bronze) used as lap counters
In Chariot Racing, what was/were the number of laps in a usual race?
7
In Chariot Racing, what was/were the maximum number of people that could be held in the circus maximus?
250,000
In Chariot Racing, what was/were the ludi circenses?
chariot races
In Chariot Racing, what was/were the factiones?
racing companies
In Chariot Racing, what was/were the colors of the factiones?
red (russata), white (albata), blue (veneta), green (prasina)
In Chariot Racing, what was/were the original factiones?
red, white
In Chariot Racing, what was/were the longest lasting factiones?
blue, green
In Chariot Racing, what was/were the circus maximus is between which two hills?
the Palatine and Aventine hills
In Chariot Racing, what was/were the white cloth dropped to start race?
mappa
In Chariot Racing, what was/were the biga?
2 horse chariot; quadriga - 4 horse chariot; auriga - charioteer
In Chariot Racing, what was/were the curriculum?
successfully completed lap
In Chariot Racing, what was/were the carceres?
starting gates
In Gladiator Games, what was/were the Myrmillones?
fought with helmet, oblong shield, sword, fish crest on helmet. Usually fought the retiarius or Thracians.
In Gladiator Games, what was/were the Retiarii?
lightly clad, armed with a net and trident. Usually fought Myrmillones or Secutores.
In Gladiator Games, what was/were the Samnites?
oblong shield, visored helmet, sword.
In Gladiator Games, what was/were the Thracians?
small round shield, curved scimitar.
In Gladiator Games, what was/were the Bestiarii?
hunters - fought wild beasts
In Gladiator Games, what was/were the Essedarii?
rode chariots with 2 horses.
In Gladiator Games, what was/were the Andabatae?
heavily armed, but can’t see out of visored helmet.
In Gladiator Games, what was/were the Laquearii?
armed with lasso and a curved piece of wood.
In Gladiator Games, what was/were the Secutores?
“pursuers” - like Samnite but without the neck protector
In Gladiator Games, what was/were the Hoplomachi?
full-armed with a breast-plate and visored helmet.
In Gladiator Games, what was/were the rudis?
wooden sword given to gladiators on their retirement.
In Gladiator Games, what was/were the lanista?
gladiator trainer.
In Gladiator Games, what was/were the editor munerum?
giver of games.
In Gladiator Games, what was/were the arena/harena?
sand put down to absorb the blood from a gladiator match.
In Gladiator Games, what was/were the venationes?
hunts where Bestiarii fought wild beasts.
In Gladiator Games, what was/were the premere pollicem?
to press the thumb against the forefinger - crowd wants to spare gladiators life
In Gladiator Games, what was/were the vertere pollicem?
turning the thumb upwards or towards the chest - to signify the death stroke
In Gladiator Games, when were the gladiator fights were brought to Rome?
in 264 BC
In Gladiator Games, what was/were the gladiator fights originally for?
funerals
In Gladiator Games, what was/were the naumachiae?
mock naval battles - they flooded the arena
In the Roman Baths (Thermae/Balneae), what was/were the apodyterium?
dressing room
In the Roman Baths (Thermae/Balneae), what was/were the hypocausta?
furnace
In the Roman Baths (Thermae/Balneae), what was/were the caldarium?
hot bath
In the Roman Baths (Thermae/Balneae), what was/were the frigidarium?
cold bath
In the Roman Baths (Thermae/Balneae), what was/were the unctorium?
scraping room/ massage
In the Roman Baths (Thermae/Balneae), what was/were the strigil?
scraper
In the Roman Baths (Thermae/Balneae), what was/were the palaestra?
exercise area
In a Roman School, what was/were the ludus?
elementary school
In a Roman School, what was/were the litterator?
elementary school teacher
In a Roman School, what was/were the paedagogus?
slave who carries books to school
In a Roman School, what was/were the grammaticus?
upper school teacher
In a Roman School, what was/were the rhetor?
teacher of public speaking
In a Roman School, what was/were the stylus and tabula (tabella)?
pen and notebook
In a Roman Army, what was/were the century?
smallest unit of a legion
In a Roman Army, what was/were the maniple?
double a century (later dropped in favor of a cohort)
In a Roman Army, what was/were the cohort?
6 times a century
In a Roman Army, what was/were the legion?
basic fighting unit of the Roman army
In a Roman Army, what was/were the contubernium?
6-8 men who share a tent (part of a century)
In a Roman Army, what was/were the dux?
general