Roman Empire

Question 1

What is a republic?

Answer 1

A form of government in which voters elect officials to run the state. Sort of democratic. In Rome, you had the Senate, Magistrates, and a variety of popular assembly.

Question 2

What is a Dictator?

Answer 2

An absolute ruler. Could be elected by the Senate in times of emergency. With only 1 leader, decisions could be made faster. Could serve up to 6 months. Had control over the army and courts.

Question 3

What were consuls?

Answer 3

Chief Executives. Force of the militia and the army. Enforced laws. Ran the government, and could appoint dictators. Could veto or approve the acts of other consuls.

Question 4

What is Veto?

Answer 4

Refuse to approve. Could be used by the consuls in regards to their legal ideas or plans.

Question 5

What are Checks and Balances

Answer 5

Division of power. Prevents any one part of the government from become too powerful. It is adopted by many of the nations of the modern world.

Question 6

What were Praetors?

Answer 6

Commanded the army in times of war. In peace, they oversaw the legal system. “Interpretations of legal questions” made by them. Made up most of the civil law in Rome.

Question 7

What were Censors?

Answer 7

They voted on laws, elected officials, voted to make war or peace, served as courts sometimes.

Question 8

What were Tribunes?

Answer 8

10 officials elected by consuls. Had some power over actions by the Senate + other public officials. Could refuse actions they believed were not in the publics interest.

Question 9

What were Patricians?

Answer 9

Powerful land owners who controlled the government. Only they could serve as judges.

Question 10

What were Plebeians?

Answer 10

The common people. Mainly farmers and workers. Made up most of the population. Had few rights. Could vote but most were barred from holding most public offices. Could not know Roman laws. The increased their power through demands and strikes. Eventually became a very powerful group.

Question 11

What were Equites?

Answer 11

A class of business people and land owners in Rome. Had great wealth and political power/influence.

Question 12

What were the Punic Wars?

Answer 12

Sparked by fear between the Romans and the Carthaginians. 1: 264-241 BC. Romans capture Carthiginian boat and copy it. Make and use boarding bridges for naval battles. Romans win and get money + Sicily. 2: Hannibal tries to invade and take Romes allies. But then Rome invades Carthage. Rome won and got money, Spain Colonies, and navy. 3: 149 BC. Rome declares war on Carthage, and totally destroys it in 146 BC. Also takes Macedon and defeats them in 197 BC.

Question 13

Who was Hannibal?

Answer 13

A Carthaginian General. One of the greatest generals of all time. Assembles a huge Carthaginian army that crossed the Alps into Italy. Runs out of supplies. Tries to win over Roman allies, but is unsuccessful.

Question 14

Who was Scipio?

Answer 14

A Roman General who defeated Hannibal and his army. Which they ended up winning over the Carthaginians.

Question 15

What was Spartacus?

Question 16

What is a Triumvirate?

Answer 16

Rule of three. The first of this were Julius Caesar, Gnaeus Pompey, and Licinius Crassus. The second of this were Octavian, Antony, and Lepidus.

Question 17

Who were the Gracchi?

Answer 17

Two Brothers. (Tiberius + Gaius Gracchus) Saw the need to reform in 133 BC. Tiberius was elected tribune in 133 BC. He wanted land reform. Became very popular, but the Senate were angry. They formed a mob, and clubbed him and his followers to death. Gaius was elected tribune in 123 BC. Use public funds to buy grain and sold it to the poor at a low price. Killed by Senators in a riot. After their deaths, violence replaced respect for the law as the primary tool of politics.

Question 18

Who was Gaius Marius?

Answer 18

A Roman General who was elected consul. Brought major change to the political scene. Bribed the army with money, land, and loot, and won the loyalty of the army.

Question 19

Who was Lucius Cornelius Sulla?

Answer 19

Elected Consul in 85 BC. Still wanted military command after his term expired, His enemies tried to prevent him, so he marched on Rome. He won and ruled as a Dictator. Enlargened the Senate. Created the idea that any military commander with loyal troops could control the government.

Question 20

Who was Julius Caesar?

Answer 20

Marius’s nephew. Popular General, public speaker, and won support by spending money. Made first triumvirate. Became consul in 59 BC. Needed loyal army and would not give it up. Marched on Rome against Pompey in 49 BC. Declared war on the Republic and Defeated Pompey. Made Cleopatra the ruler of Egypt as an ally. Made Dictator for life. Increased the number of the Senate but not the power. Killed by conspirators, who were his “friends”.

Question 21

Who was Gnaeus Pompey?

Answer 21

A “partner” of Caesars. Was in the first triumvirate. Became sole consul. But was jealous of Caesars rising fame. Wanted Caesar to give up his army, then was marched on. Fled to Greece, but was defeated by Caesar.

Question 22

Who was Cleopatra?

Answer 22

Elected quen to rule Egypt under Julius Caesar. Joined by Marc Antony. Committed suicide.

Question 23

Who was Marc Antony?

Answer 23

A Roman general and ally to Julius Caesar. Drove out the conspirators for Octavian. Was in the Second Triumvirate. Joined Cleopatra in Egypt. Divided the Roman Empire, and took the East. Committed Suicide.

Question 24

Who was Augustus (Octavian)?

Answer 24

Julius Caesars grandnephew, chosen as heir. 19 when Caesar died, and he took power. Formed the second Triumvirate. Divided the Roman world, and took the West. Convinced the Senate to declare war on Antony and Cleopatra. Defeated them in a naval battle in Actium, Greece. Captured Alexandria. Was named by the government Princeps, because of how liked he was. Called himself the first emporer, or revered one. Greatly expanded the borders, and the Roman Republic became the Roman Empire under his rule.

Question 25

What is Pax Romana?

Answer 25

A period of time known as Roman Peace. Held under Augustus Caesar’s rule.

Question 26

Who were the Julio-Claudian Emporers?

Answer 26

Relatives of Julius Caesar. Tiberius (adequate but disliked), Caligula (brutal and insane), Cladius (intelligent and wise), and Nero (Fire and suicide) are some of them.

Question 27

Who were the Five Good Emporers?

Answer 27

Vespasian, Hadrian, and Marcus Aurelius were some of these.

Question 28

Who was Spartacus?

Answer 28

Was a slave and gladiator. Led a rebellion against the Roman Republic. Accounts of his life can be found from the writings of Plutarch and Appian.

Question 29

What were Gladiators?

Answer 29

These were men, usually slaves, who were trained to fight. Usually ended up in death for one or both of the men. Drew large crowds to entertain.

Question 30

What were Aqueducts?

Answer 30

Bridge-like structures that carried water from the mountains.

Question 31

Who was Galen?

Answer 31

A physician who wrote several volumes to summarize all of the medical knowledge of his day. Thought to be the greatest authority on medicine. Took inspiration from the Greeks.

Question 32

Who was Ptolemy?

Answer 32

An astronomer. Developed the Ptolemaic System, which is the belief that everything in the universe revoled around the Earth. This was widely believed for 1500 years. His study of geography contributed to the worlds understanding of physical earth today.

Question 33

Who was Virgil?

Answer 33

The Greatest Roman Poet. His epid, Aeneid, which tells the story of Aenaes, a Prince of Troy.

Question 34

Who was Horace?

Answer 34

A Roman poet. Wrote on human emotion in odes, satires, and epistles. (letters)

Question 35

Who was Ovid?

Answer 35

Wrote love lyrics, Metamorphoses, a collection of myths written in verse.

Question 36

Who was Tacitus?

Answer 36

Wrote Annals, a History of Rome under the Julio-Claudian government. Critized the government. Concerned of the growing gap between the rich and the poor, and the decline of Roman moral standards.

Question 37

Who was Plutarch?

Answer 37

A Greek. Wrote Parallel Lives, a collection of Greek and Roman biographies. Each was a description of a famous Greek followed by a description of a Roman whose life is similar to the Greek’s life in some important way.

Question 38

Who were Rabbis?

Answer 38

Jewish Scholars who interpreted Jewish scripture and were learned in Jewish law. Became the leaders of the Jewish congregations.

Question 39

What were Martyrs?

Answer 39

A person put to death for their beliefs. Many Christians became martyrs as Rome disliked them and tried to get rid of their religion.

Question 40

What were Bishops?

Answer 40

(Above the Priests) They were the ones who headed the church in each city. Traced their authority back to Jesus’ disciples.

Question 41

What is a Pope?

Answer 41

Claimed to be supreme over the other patriarchs, or the leader of the Christian church.

Question 42

Who was Jesus (of Nazareth)?

Answer 42

A Jewish teacher. Began teaching in AD 27. He wandered the countrysides with his disciples. He performed miracles and defended the poor. His teaching and life are written in the first four books of the New Testament. He was grounded in Jewish tradition. Taught that there is only 1 God, you should love God and your neighbor, promised forgiveness and eternal life. His teachings were for ALL people. He was crucified by Pilate, and it is believed he died for all sins. Arose from the death and remained on the Earth for 40 more days. His resurrection has become a central point of Christianity.

Question 43

What is inflation?

Answer 43

A rise in prices cause by a decrease in the value of money.

Question 44

Who was Diocletian?

Answer 44

A general in the Roman Army. He was made emporer in AD 284. Appointed a co-emporer, and their side workers, Caesars. Split the Empire in 2. He ruled in the East. Under his rule, government ruled almost every aspect of life. Tried to improve the economy by controlling prices and wages, but didn’t succeed. Focused on driving out the barbarian tribes. Rule broke down and the empire was racked with civil war.

Question 45

Who was Constantine?

Answer 45

A Caesar who won the civil war, and became emporer in AD 234. He supported Christianity was was actually baptized on his death bed. Created a new capital called Constantinople in the East. After his death in AD 337, the empire was only stable for 50 more years.

Question 46

Who were the Goths?

Answer 46

Invaders. Flooded in the Roman Empire to escape other invaders from the East. They were treated badly, so they revolted against the Romans in AD 378. They were heavily armed, and won, crushing the Roman army. They settled into the Empire. In AD 410 the Visigoth king, Alaric, sacked Rome, for the first time in 800 years.

Question 47

Who were the Vandals?

Answer 47

Invaders. Crossed the border with little opposition as the Visigoth army attacked Rome. Invaded and conquered Northern Africa in AD 429. In AD 455, they returned to Europe and sacked Rome.

Question 48

Who were the Huns?

Answer 48

Nomadic people from Asia who lived by raiding and plundering. Led by Attila in the Mid-400s.

Question 49

Who was Attila?

Answer 49

The fierce leader of the Huns in the Mid-400s. Launched an attack on Gaul in AD 451. Was defeated by the Roman and Visigoth armies.