General Flashcards

(37 cards)

1
Q

Broad history: important years?

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Paradoxical aspects of Roman society?

A

Never truly democratic, like Athens.

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

gens

A

Clan. Plural: gentes.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

patricians

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

plebeians

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

paterfamilias

A

Head of household

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Household deities?

A

Lares and penates.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Ways of seeing what the gods want?

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

lictor

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

praetor

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

quaestor

A

Financial officer

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

aediles

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

censors

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

senate

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

centuriate assembly

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

tribal assembly(s?)

A

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

17
Q

Servian Wall

A

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

18
Q

Theme: divine origins of Rome

A

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

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

19
Q

Rhea Silvia

A

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

20
Q

Faustulus

A

Rescued Romulus and Remus after they’d been abandoned.

21
Q

fabulae pallatiae

A

adaptations of Greek New Comedy. in greek setting

22
Q

ludi

A

public festivals

23
Q

Roman naming convention

A

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

24
Q

cognati

A

blood relations

25
adfines
kin by marriage
26
agnati
blood relations through males. in manus marriage, wives enter agnati of husband
27
peculium
property that a family member under patria potestas is allowed by the paterfamilias to use
28
univira
of a woman: married once
29
sui iuris
independent - emancipated by paterfamilias
30
adulterium
sex between married woman and any man other than the husband
31
salutatio
clientes attend patronus as he walked to the forum
32
ager publicus
public land
33
Agrarian Problem
After Second Punic War, devastated land was bought up by the wealthy. Expanding power of elite and displacement of peasants
34
comitia tributa
Tribal Assembly
35
The Social War
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.
36
proscription
Legal condemnation of enemies of the state
37
curator morum
overseer of morals