Roman Empire Flashcards
Paterfamilias
It can be translated as “master of a house” or “head of a family,” and it always refers to the father of a family.
Patrician
In the class structure of the ancient Roman Empire, the patricians ranked just below the emperor and his family. The patricians, whose name came from the Latin word for “fathers,” were the nobles of Rome.
The Senate
The term senate has been used throughout history to refer to an assembly of citizens that meets to pass laws for a nation or society.
Plebians
In the class structure of ancient Rome, the plebians, also spelled plebeians, were common citizens and made up the working class.
Twelve Tables
The Law of the Twelve Tables was the earliest written expression of Roman law, dating from 451 to 450 BCE and allowed people to understand their rights.
Aqueduct
An aqueduct is an artificial waterway designed to carry water from one place to another
Inflation
Inflation is an economic term that generally means a rise in prices for most goods and services and can happen over the years slowly but surely.
Vault and arches
Forms of architectural roofs that Rome developed and influenced the world.
Latin
Was originally spoken in Rome and is the basis of a bunch of major languages today.
Emperor
An emperor is a male leader of an empire or a ruler who has total power in a country or region
Bribe
Persuade (someone) to act in one’s favor, typically illegally or dishonestly, by a gift of money or other inducement.
General Welfare
The general welfare, also sometimes referred to as the “public welfare” or the “public good” or the “common good”, is the concern of the government for the health, peace, and safety of its citizens.
Dicocletian
Introduced the idea that the emperor was given his power by the gods and demanded that all who approached him bow down to him. He also split Rome in half and over all restored order.
Barbarians
A group of people with no written language that attack using brute force to take over areas.
Visigoths
A member of the branch of the Goths who invaded the Roman Empire between the 3rd and 5th centuries AD and ruled much of Spain until overthrown by the Moors in 711.
Alaric
King of the Visigoths, Alaric wanted a peaceful coexistence with the Romans but when the Romans denied the Visigoths a place in the Empire, interactions between the two turned hostile.
The Huns
The Huns were a group of nomadic people from central Asia who invaded southeastern Europe around 370. By the middle of the 400s, they had built a huge empire in southeastern and central Europe.
Taxes
A tax is a required payment of money to the government at regular intervals.
Province
A province is a political or administrative division within a country; it has its own government, similar to a state.
Citizen
A citizen is a person who is a legal resident of a place and has certain rights and privileges that non-citizens do not have. In most cases, those rights have to do with participating in the government and electing leaders.
Gaul
Gaul was a region occupied by the ancient Gauls, a Celtic race. The Celts were an early Indo-European people. Gaul was made up of current-day France and parts of what are now Belgium, Germany, and Italy.
Spain
Spain is a nation in Europe that borders the Mediterranean Sea, Portugal, and France. Spanish explorers, including Juan Ponce de León and Christopher Columbus (among many others), played a large role in the exploration of North America
Balkan Provinces
Areas in Europe home to the Balkans.
Battle of Adrianople
The Battle of Adrianople, sometimes known as the Battle of Hadrianopolis, was fought between an Eastern Roman army led by the Eastern Roman Emperor Valens and Gothic rebels led by Fritigern. The battle took place in the vicinity of Adrianople, in the Roman province of Thracia. The Visogoths won with an upset.
