General

Question 1

Broad history: important years?

Answer 1

1000-600 BCE: Archaic community
600-500 BCE: Kings
500-31 BCE: The Republic, subdivided into Early, (til 275) Middle, (til 146) and Late.
31 BCE-476 CE: The Empire

Question 2

Paradoxical aspects of Roman society?

Answer 2

Never truly democratic, like Athens.

Always characterized by significant inequality: always had slaves, always had an elite class.

Question 3

gens

Answer 3

Clan. Plural: gentes.

Question 4

patricians

Answer 4

Elite families. In the fifth century BCE, they acquired a “lock” on the consulship

Question 5

plebeians

Answer 5

A member of the plebs. General citizens in Rome, though some did become wealthy and influential.

Question 6

paterfamilias

Answer 6

Head of household

Question 7

Household deities?

Answer 7

Lares and penates.

Question 8

Ways of seeing what the gods want?

Answer 8

Haruspicy (inspection of entrails) and auspicy (watching birds)

Question 9

lictor

Answer 9

Bodyguards to those with imperium. Hold fasces (bundle of wooden rods sometimes with an axe)

Question 10

praetor

Answer 10

A magistracy developed out of the consulship. Takes over some military and judicial duties.

Question 11

quaestor

Answer 11

Financial officer

Question 12

aediles

Answer 12

In charge of public works and festivals, provision of grain.

Question 13

censors

Answer 13

Four-year office. Keep track of citizens and property for tax purposes. Have the effective ability to purge members from the Senate.

Question 14

senate

Answer 14

A group of old (“sen”) guys. Membership is for life. Under the Republic, tended to be former holders of magistracies. Very great informal influence.

Question 15

centuriate assembly

Answer 15

People divided into “centuries” based on property. The wealthy get much more weight.

Question 16

tribal assembly(s?)

Answer 16

Either one or two assemblies. In third century, attained power to make law. Voted for some officials.

Question 17

Servian Wall

Answer 17

Associated with King Servius Tullius, but really built in response to the Gallic sack of Rome in 390 BCE.

Question 18

Theme: divine origins of Rome

Answer 18

Manifested in: rape of Rhea Silvia, survival of abandoned twins.

Implications: significance of Mars (god of war) and divine plan for Rome.

Question 19

Rhea Silvia

Answer 19

Legendary mother of Romulus and Remus. Forced to become a Vestal Virgin. Became pregnant and claimed she was raped by Mars.

Question 20

Faustulus

Answer 20

Rescued Romulus and Remus after they’d been abandoned.

Question 21

fabulae pallatiae

Answer 21

adaptations of Greek New Comedy. in greek setting

Question 22

ludi

Answer 22

public festivals

Question 23

Roman naming convention

Answer 23

Three parts: (tria nomina) praenomen, (given) nomen, (gens) cognomen (family within clan)

Sometimes had agnomen (nickname or honorific)

Women: feminine form of father’s nomen

Question 24

cognati

Answer 24

blood relations

Question 25

adfines

Answer 25

kin by marriage

Question 26

agnati

Answer 26

blood relations through males. in manus marriage, wives enter agnati of husband

Question 27

peculium

Answer 27

property that a family member under patria potestas is allowed by the paterfamilias to use

Question 28

univira

Answer 28

of a woman: married once

Question 29

sui iuris

Answer 29

independent - emancipated by paterfamilias

Question 30

adulterium

Answer 30

sex between married woman and any man other than the husband

Question 31

salutatio

Answer 31

clientes attend patronus as he walked to the forum

Question 32

ager publicus

Answer 32

public land

Question 33

Agrarian Problem

Answer 33

After Second Punic War, devastated land was bought up by the wealthy. Expanding power of elite and displacement of peasants

Question 34

comitia tributa

Answer 34

Tribal Assembly

Question 35

The Social War

Answer 35

Roman allies revolt after a measure to give all Italians citizenship was passed then repealed. Armies sent out under Marius and Sulla. Eventually everyone becomes a citizen.

Question 36

proscription

Answer 36

Legal condemnation of enemies of the state

Question 37

curator morum

Answer 37

overseer of morals