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I. Ancient Italy Flashcards

1
Q

What are the two nicknames for Italy?

A

Lo Stivale (boot)
Il bel paese ( the fair country)

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2
Q

When and why did Greeks begin to colonise Italy and Sicily?

A

Overpopulation and famine
8th centry BCE

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3
Q

What was the overall name of the Greek settlements in Italy?

A

Magna Graecia (Greater Greece)

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4
Q

Who founded Naples and Taranto?

A

Greeks
Cities originally called Neapolis and Tarentum

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5
Q

What kind of language is Etruscan ?

A

Not Indo-European

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6
Q

When was the heyday of the Etruscans ?

A

800 to 500 BCE

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7
Q

When did the Latini come to occupy the region of Rome ?

A

10th century BCE approx

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8
Q

What’s the family background of Romulus and Remus?

A

Sons of King Numitor who was usurped by younger brother Amulius. Amulius forces Numitor’s daughter Rhea Silvia to become a Vestal Virgin but she gives birth to twins, and claims they are sons if Mars. Amulius orders twins be drowned but they are discovered by a she-wolf.

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9
Q

What’s the foundation myth of Rome?

A

Romulus and Remus found new city near spot where she-wolf discovered them. They choose different hills as center of city, receive different auguries about which is correct.
They fight and Romulus kills Remus.

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10
Q

What’s the mythical date of the foundation of Rome?

A

21 April 753 BCE.

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11
Q

How does Romulus populate Rome with men ?

A

Opens gates to all; runnaway slaves, criminals etc..

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12
Q

How did Romulus populate Rome with women?

A

Invited the Sabines for entertainment. Kidnapped their women and killed them.

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13
Q

Who was the legendary last King of Rome?

A

Tarquin the Proud

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14
Q

How and why was Tarquin deposed?

A

His son Sextus raped a married woman named Lucretia who then kills herself. Brutus (friend of her husband) displays her corpse and call upon people to expel the Tyrant.

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15
Q

How many years did the Roman Republic last for?

A

482
From 509 BCE to 27 BCE

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16
Q

What was the structure of Roman government in the Republican period ?

A

Two annually elected consuls who could command the army
And senate; 300 people

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17
Q

What was the secret to the success of Roman expansion in early Republican period?

A

They turned conquered people into socii (partners) who had to provide soldiers for wars and received protection and a share of plunder

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18
Q

When did Hannibal invade Rome ?

A

Spring of 218 BCE, 2nd punic war

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19
Q

How far did Hannibal march to Rome? How many elephants did he have ? How many men died on the way?

A

1500 km (Southern Spain through Pyrenees then Alps)
37 elephants
36000 men (starvation)

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20
Q

What was Hannibal’s most famous triumph?

A

Battle of Cannae in Apulia

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21
Q

How many Romans were slaughtered at the battle of Cannae ?

A

70 000

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22
Q

Why did Hannibal’s campaign fail ?

A

It depended on the socii turning against Rome. They didn’t

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23
Q

What happened in the 3rd Punic war ?

A

Carthage was destroyed

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24
Q

Apart from the sack of Carthage, what other triumph did Rome accomplish in 146 BCE ?

A

The sack of Corinth, defeating the Achaean League ( a bunch of Greek states)

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25
What were the results for landowners of Hannibal’s campaigns?
Rural landscapes devastated Small subsistance farmers forced from land Wealthy landowners took over grabbing large swathes of land
26
Who attempted to reform land ownership in favour of the poor and what happened to him?
Tiberius Gracchus Tribune of the Plebians Attempted to enforce law limiting land ownership to 125 hectares per person He was clubbed to death with a chair leg in the senate
27
What was the cause and outcome of the Social War 91-87BC?
Rebellion by the socii who were deprived the benefits of Roman citizenship - i.e. receiving land as part of reforms Outcome : Everyone south of the Po would hold Roman citizenship
28
What’s the most likely origin of the word Italy?
Greek word for an ox : italoi Lots of cattle and grazing in Italy
29
What reforms enabled the rise of Roman strongmen in the first century BCE?
Military service was opened to the poor in order to meet defence needs of growing Empire They swore allegiance to their general in exchange for the promise of land and bounty
30
What were the achievements of Pompei the Great?
Crucifying slaves after revolt by Spartacus in 71 BCE Made Syria Roman province, capturing Jerusalem
31
Julius Caesar, dates?
100 to 44 BCE
32
What was the first triumverate and how did it end?
Caeser, Pompei and Crassus Ended when Crassus attacked Parthians and died in battle in Mesopotamia in 55 BCE
33
How many people did Caesar claim to kill on the Gallic wars against the Celtic tribes?
1 million
34
What momentous step did Caesar take in 49 BCE ?
He crossed the Rubicon with armies and marches on Rome
35
How did Pompei respond to Caesar’s march on Rome? And how did he die?
He fled Rome, was pursued by Caesar and died on a beach in Egypt beheaded at the behest of 15 year old Pharaoh Ptolemy XIII, brother of Cleopatra
36
When was Caesar assassinated and why?
He made himself dictator perpetuo (for life). Senators killed him in the hope of restoring the Republic
37
What was the relationship between Brutus and Caesar ?
Brutus may have been Caesar’s illegitimate son. His mother Servilia was Caesar’s mistress
38
What happened to Brutus and Cassius after they assassinated Caesar?
They fled Rome after popular support for the murdured dictator who had provided generously to the poor Defeated by Marc Anthony in Greece, they both committed suicide
39
What was the triumverate formed in 43 BCE ?
Supporters of Caesar : Marc Anthony, Lepidus, and Octavian
40
What was the relationship between Octavian Bracchus Augustus and Caesar?
Octavian was Caesar’s great nephew
41
How does Octavian’s triumverate deal with Cicero?
He’s executed, his head exposed in the forum, with his tongue pierced with hairpins
42
How did Octavian (Augustus) defeat Marc Anthony ?
At the naval battle of Actium Fleet led by Agrippa concurred combined fleets of Marc Anthony and Cleopatra who then commit suicide
43
How did Augustus designate his new position as ruler of Rome?
As Princeps (first citizen) rather than Emperator
44
What was the role of the Senate under Augustus?
Retained traditional roles in government administration
45
What did Augustus boast about Rome as a city?
He boasted that he found Rome built in brick and left it in Marble
46
Who succeeds Augustus?
Tiberius, his stepson from marriage with Livia Drusilla At the age of 55
47
Outline the reign of Tiberius?
AD 14-37 Continued stability of Augustus Withdraws to the island of Capri in 26 AD Dies in AD 37 succeeded by his great nephew Caligula
48
Where does the name Caligula come from?
Caligula means little sandal because of the child-sized sandals he wore when accompanying his father Germanicus on military campaigns
49
What were some of the positive and popular things about Caligula’s reign?
He lowered taxes, allowed circulation banned books, put on gladiatorial combat and chariot races, completed large public works such as bringing Obelisk from Egypt (now in Saint Peter’s square)
50
How did King Ptolemy of Mauretania meet his end?
Murdered because Caligula jealous of his purple cloak
51
How did Caligula’s reign end ?
Killed in 41 AD by member of Praetorien guard
52
Under what circumstances does Claudius succeed as Emperor at age 50?
Promises money to Praetorian guard for their support Because of his disabilities (limp/stammer) he was seen as weak and contrôlable Member of Julian-Claudio dynasty so was seen as legitimate and unlikely to result in further conflict
53
Which province did Claudius add to Rome?
Britannia, by conquering the Catuvellauni in Southeast England
54
How did Claudius change the constitution of the Senate?
By including senators from all provinces of Rome
55
What is Claudius’s fifth wife Messalina famous for ?
Having a large number of sexual partners
56
How did Messalina meet her end ?
When Claudius was away from Rome she married her lover who intended to usurp Claudius. When he returned he had them executed
57
How did Claudius die?
Poisoned by his Fifth wife and niece Agrippina in 54 AD who wanted her son Nero to succeed to the throne
58
Rather than military heroics, Nero was interested in ..?
Artistic performances: singing, playing the harp, acting in plays. All activities considered beneath the dignities on the Roman Emperor
59
How did Nero’s relationship with his mother develop after he became emperor?
It deteriorated as he grew tired of her attempts to control him and Nero had her assassinated
60
What happened in Rome on the 19th of july 64 BCE?
There was a fire that raged for a week and destroyed much of Rome
61
What was Nero doing during the fire of 64 AD?
According to Suetonius, he was playing the lyre and enjoying the spectacle from the tower of his palace According to Tacitus, he was away from the city but hurried back to direct the fire fighting and opened his gardens to the homeless
62
Why might it be believed that Nero was responsible for the fire?
Because he claimed a large area of the destroyed land to build his Golden House (Domus aurea), a vast palace complex including a 30-metre high bronze statue of himself wearing a sun crown (the Colosseus)
63
Who did Nero choose as a scapegoat for the fire?
Christians, they were covered in the skins of wild animals, torn to pieces by dogs, crucified and burnt alive
64
Which famous christians may have fallen victim to Nero’s persecution ?
Saint Paul who was beheaded outside the walls of Rome Saint Peter, buried on Vatican Hill
65
How did Nero’s reign end?
His persecutions lost him the support of the provinces and their governors and eventually Servius Sulpicius Galba was proclaimed new emperor Nero commited suicide
66
Who was the last of the Julio-Claudian line if emperors ?
Nero
67
List the Julio-Claudian emperors in chronological order ?
Augustus Tiberius Caligula Claudius Nero
68
What was the year after Nero’s death in AD 65 called ?
The year of the 4 emperors
69
Who emerged successful from the year of the four emperors ?
Vespasian First emperor of the Flavian dynasty 60 yo General
70
What was Vespasian’s great building achievement?
The Flavian amphitheater, better known as the Colosseum, begun in 72 AD
71
Where does the name Colosseum come from?
Its proximity to the Colossus of Nero in what had been Nero’s private park, built after the fire
72
How many people can be seated in the Colosseum?
50000 people
73
How did the Roman Empire expand under the Flavians ?
Jerusalem sacked in 70 AD Expanded territory in Britain
74
Dates of the Flavian dynasty
69 to 96 AD
75
Who was the last of the Flavians and why was he deposed?
Domitian Became tyrannical towards the senates and his enemies and was assassinated Executed senators he viewed as traitors Demanded to be addressed as Dominus Et Daius Paranoid reign of terror and imposed struct censorship
76
Who was the Emperor Titus ?
Eldest son of Vaspasian Ruled for just two years between 79 and 81 AD
77
What two disasters occured in the reign of Titus?
Eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD A fire in Rome that destroyed the Pantheon in 80 AD
78
What was the relationship between Titus and his successor Domitian?
Domitian was Titus’s younger brother who may have poisoned him to become emperor
79
What is Domitian’s reputation as emperor ?
A power mad autocrat, hated by all
80
Dates of emperor Domitian reign
81-96 AD
81
Example of Domitian’s paranoia ?
He lined the walls of his palace with reflective surfaces so assassins couldn’t creep up on him
82
Which dynasty happened after the death of Domitian in 86 AD?
Age of the five good emperors
83
Who were the five good emperors?
Nerva Trajan Hadrian Antoninus Paius Marcus Aurelius

Italia (2 decks)

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