Discovering the Western Past - Chapter 4

Question 1

What role did the Senate play in Rome before Julius Caesar’s time?

Answer 1

The Senate, composed of powerful Roman families, made major political and military decisions and controlled the Italian peninsula, southern France, Spain, and northern Africa.

Question 2

What led to the shift in military loyalty away from the Roman Senate?

Answer 2

Armies began to pledge loyalty to their generals instead of the Senate, creating semi-independent armies that challenged the Senate’s power.

Question 3

What was the First Triumvirate?

Answer 3

A political alliance formed in 60 B.C. by three generals—Pompey, Crassus, and Julius Caesar—that diminished the Senate’s power.

Question 4

Why did the Senate fear Julius Caesar, and what event marked his challenge to Senate authority?

Answer 4

The Senate feared Caesar’s growing power in Gaul. Caesar crossed the Rubicon in 49 B.C., directly challenging the Senate’s orders to disband his army.

Question 5

How did Julius Caesar change the structure of the Roman government after seizing power?

Answer 5

He increased the Senate’s size to 900 members, adding his followers, and appointed key officials, reshaping the government.

Question 6

Why was Julius Caesar assassinated?

Answer 6

Roman senators, resentful of Caesar’s autocratic power and his undermining of the Senate, assassinated him on March 15, 44 B.C.

Question 7

What happened after Caesar’s assassination?

Answer 7

Civil war resumed between forces loyal to the assassins, Mark Antony, and Octavian (Caesar’s adopted son), leading to over a decade of conflict.

Question 8

Who was Octavian, and how did he come to power?

Answer 8

Octavian was Julius Caesar’s nephew and adopted son. He defeated Mark Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium in 31 B.C., becoming the sole ruler of Rome.

Question 9

What title did the Senate confer on Octavian, and what did it mean?

Answer 9

The Senate named him “Augustus,” meaning “blessed” or “magnificent.” This marked the beginning of his rule as the first Roman emperor.

Question 10

How did Augustus differ from Julius Caesar in his approach to power?

Answer 10

Augustus maintained the appearance of republican government by preserving traditional offices, while concentrating actual power in himself, avoiding Caesar’s autocratic mistakes.

Question 11

What key political offices and titles did Augustus hold?

Answer 11

Augustus held multiple offices: consul, tribune, imperator (commander-in-chief), and princeps (first citizen), allowing him to control the military and government without outright dictatorship.

Question 12

How did Augustus gain religious authority in Rome?

Answer 12

Augustus became pontifex maximus (supreme priest) in 12 B.C., consolidating both political and religious power.

Question 13

How did Augustus restore stability in the Roman Empire after years of civil war?

Answer 13

Augustus rebuilt the government bureaucracy, appointed officials and governors, reestablished law and order, and restored peace across Roman territories.

Question 14

What provinces were key to Augustus’s control of the empire, and why?

Answer 14

Augustus controlled provinces that provided Rome with grain and soldiers, essential to maintaining loyalty and stability.

Question 15

How did Augustus manipulate Roman traditions to legitimize his power?

Answer 15

Augustus aligned himself with traditional Roman values, presenting his rule as a restoration of the republic, even while centralizing authority in himself.

Question 16

What role did public rituals and ceremonies play in Augustus’s reign?

Answer 16

Public rituals, such as sacrifices and games, reinforced Augustus’s divine connection and authority, helping him build support among the people.

Question 17

How did Augustus use coins and inscriptions as propaganda?

Answer 17

Coins bore his image and highlighted victories, virtues, and achievements, acting as political propaganda to communicate his power to the illiterate masses.

Question 18

How did Roman writers like Horace, Suetonius, Dio Cassius, and Tacitus assess Augustus’s reign?

Answer 18

Horace: Praised Augustus for restoring peace and Roman greatness.

Suetonius: Described Augustus as maintaining public approval through humility.

Dio Cassius: Acknowledged Augustus’s power but noted the preservation of republican titles.

Tacitus: Critiqued Augustus for concentrating power under the guise of republicanism.

Question 19

What was the Res Gestae Divi Augusti, and why is it important?

Answer 19

The Res Gestae was Augustus’s autobiographical account of his achievements, emphasizing his role in restoring peace and order, and serving as a key primary source on his reign.

Question 20

How did Augustus expand and secure the Roman Empire’s frontiers?

Answer 20

Augustus restored peace in Gaul, Spain, and Germany, and extended Roman control from the Atlantic to the Elbe River.

Question 21

How did the Roman road system contribute to Augustus’s control of the empire?

Answer 21

Roman roads facilitated military movement and trade, symbolizing Augustus’s power and unifying the vast empire.

Question 22

What architectural and cultural projects did Augustus undertake?

Answer 22

Augustus rebuilt temples, expanded aqueducts, constructed public buildings, and sponsored literature and arts to glorify Rome and cement his legacy.

Question 23

What was the significance of Augustus’s use of the title princeps?

Answer 23

Princeps (first citizen) allowed Augustus to maintain the appearance of republicanism while holding monarchic power, avoiding the stigma of kingship.

Question 24

How did Augustus’s reign lay the foundation for future emperors?

Answer 24

Augustus’s model of centralized power and ruler worship was adopted by future emperors, solidifying the imperial system and expanding the empire.

Question 25

How did Augustus’s policies impact the Senate and Roman governance?

Answer 25

While the Senate remained as a formal institution, real power shifted to the emperor, and Augustus gradually reduced the Senate’s influence on major decisions.

Question 26

How did ruler worship evolve after Augustus’s death?

Answer 26

After Augustus was deified posthumously, ruler worship grew, and future emperors like Caligula even declared themselves gods during their reigns.

Question 27

What military achievements helped cement Augustus’s control over the empire?

Answer 27

Augustus’s military victories in Spain, Gaul, Germany, and the Alps secured the empire’s frontiers and reinforced his authority.

Question 28

How did Augustus maintain the support of the Roman people and soldiers?

Answer 28

Augustus used grain distributions, public games, and military bonuses to secure loyalty from both the populace and the military.

Question 29

What was Augustus’s contribution to the Roman economy and infrastructure?

Answer 29

Augustus improved roads, aqueducts, and public buildings, and stabilized the economy through taxation and military spending reforms.

Question 30

Why is Augustus considered the founder of the Roman Empire?

Answer 30

Augustus successfully transformed the Roman republic into an empire by centralizing power, maintaining peace, and establishing the structures that future emperors would build upon.