Iron Age Europe and Rome

Question 1

what was the ecological difference between Gaul and the Mediterranean?

Answer 1

Gaul had heavy soil, plenty of rain, and forests, unlike the Mediterranean

Question 2

what were the characteristics of Gaulish society during the Iron Age?

Answer 2

tribal societies with increasing populations, dispersed rural settlements, villages, hillforts, and proto-urbanism

Question 3

what technologies were present in Gaul during the Iron Age?

Answer 3

iron, coins, weapons, writing

Question 4

what were amphorae used for, and how do they indicate links between Gaul and the Mediterranean?

Answer 4

storage vessels for wine and olive oil, appearing in Gaul and Britain from the 3rd century BC onwards, found along rivers as evidence of trade

Question 5

how did Mediterranean culture influence social interactions in Gaul?

Answer 5

shift from beer consumption to wine drinking in elite settings, adopting and adapting Mediterranean practices

Question 6

how were wine amphorae sometimes repurposed in Gaul?

Answer 6

they were used as proxies for (human?) sacrifice

Question 7

where did the concept of coinage in Gaul originate, and how was it adapted?

Answer 7

originated from the Mediterranean; Gallic mercenaries paid in gold coins by Alexander the Great. Adapted to suit Iron Age societies with more abstract designs

Question 8

how did the purpose of coins in Gaul differ from their use in the Mediterranean?

Answer 8

In Gaul, coins were status objects and symbols of power, rather than functional money

Question 9

when did southern Gaul become a Roman province?

Answer 9

121 BC

Question 10

what were Julius Caesar’s conquests in Gaul and Britain?

Answer 10

conquered Gaul from 58-52 BC, and had incursions into Britain in 55 and 54 BC

Question 11

when was Southern Britain formally conquered by Rome?

Answer 11

under Emperor Claudius in AD 43-44

Question 12

how were Roman conquests of Gaul and Britain tied to the Roman political context?

Answer 12

they were tied to the transition from Republic to Empire and the legitimisation of the early emperors, such as the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Conquest of Gaul part of a broader power struggle between rival generals at the end of the republic

Question 13

what was a significant reaction to Caesar’s conquest of Gaul?

Answer 13

Caesar’s genocide in gaul caused tremendous violence and shock

Question 14

what was the Imperial Cult?

Answer 14

religious veneration of the Roman Emperor

Question 15

how was the Imperial Cult imposed in Gaul and Britain?

Answer 15

as a mechanism for integration, leading to resentment and rebellion

Question 16

what was the outcome of the major uprising in AD 9?

Answer 16

German tribes rebelled against Roman power, with the priest of Rome and Augustus at Cologne joining the revolt

Question 17

who led a major revolt in Britain in AD 60?

Answer 17

Boudicca, after the Roman conquest of Britain under Claudius

Question 18

how did the Imperial Cult serve as a mechanism for integration in Gaul?

Answer 18

the Altar to Rome and Augustus at Lyon became a provincial-level cult and a sign of social status

Question 19

what changes occurred in urbanism in Britain and Northern Gaul with Roman expansion?

Answer 19

rapid growth of towns and cities, such as Colchester (a legionary fortress) and London (a trader’s settlement), following different paths to urbanism

Question 20

what long standing connections did Iron Age societies in Britain and Gaul have before Roman conquest?

Answer 20

links with the Mediterranean, with goods and practices spreading and transforming to suit local contexts

Question 21

how did Roman conquest affect Iron Age societies?

Answer 21

it caused traumatic events and resentment but also led to significant transformations, varying by region