Roman Empire Flashcards
Where was Rome built?
Rome was built on the edge of the Tiber River and on the Seven Rolling Hills.
Who founded Rome? Who were they?
Romulus and Remus
They were the son of Mars and a Latin Princess. They survived an attempted drowning and were raised by a she wolf.
Who inhabited the area around Rome? What were they?
The Latins, Greeks, and the Etruscans inhabited the area. They were farmers and shepherds. They settled on Latium. They built on Palatine Hill.
Who were the Etruscans?
They were skilled metal workers and engineers. They had a system of writing and they influenced roman architecture.
What was Roman religion like?
They adopted Etruscan rituals for worship. They adopted many Greek myths and just changed their names.
Who was the last king of Rome?
His name was Tarqin the Proud and he was a harsh tyrant.
What is a Republic?
It is a form of government in which power rests with citizens who have the right to vote to select their leaders
Who was Hannibal?
He was a brilliant military strategist. He was a general from Carthage.
Who were the Patricians?
They were the aristocratic landowners who held the most power.
Who were the Plebeians?
They were the common farmers, artisans, and the merchants who made up the majority of the population.
Who were the Tribunes?
They were representatives elected to protect the rights of the Plebeians.
What were the Twelve Tablets?
They were the written down laws of Rome.
Who were the Consuls?
They commanded the army and directed the government. There were two of them.
Who were the Senate?
They were the aristocratic branch of Rome’s government and it originally contained 300 members.
What is a Dictator?
A dictator is someone who is elected to rule during an emergency.
What is a Legion?
It is a large military unit
Who were the Guals?
They were the people who sacked Rome (destroyed the city and took all its treasure).
Why did Carthage and Rome fight?
They wanted control over the Mediterranean Sea.
Who was Scipio?
He was a Roman general who fought against Hannibal an won.
What was the geography of the area surrounding Rome?
The geography had the Italian Peninsula, arable land, and Rome was the major city.
What was the government of Rome like?
It was a Republic.
What was Rome’s government in 753 BCE to 509 BCE?
Early Rome was a Monarchy.
What happened in 625 BCE?
The Roman Forum was created.
What happened in 575 BCE?
The Appian Way was built.
Where does power come from?
The Paterfamilias had the power
Who had the most political power?
Patricians
How did children get their social classes?
The children inherited their parent’s social class.
Who were the poor people with no rights or political
voice?
Plebeians/Plebes
What happened in 494 BCE?
An executive office for Plebes called Tribunes.
What was created in 471 BCE?
The tribal assembly was created.
What was written in 450 BCE?
The twelve tablets were written.
What happened in 445 BCE?
The right to intermarry between classes was given.
What happened in 367 BCE?
People were given the right to elect a Consul.
What happened in 300 BCE?
Plebes can hold office.
What happened in 287 BCE?
Laws were passed by the Tribal Assembly that applied to all citizens.
What is a Latifundia?
It is the huge estates were rich landowners lived.
Who was in the first triumvirate?
Pompey, Crassus, and Caesar
What did Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus do?
- The problem in Rome was the wealth gap.
- Violence gives you a political advantage.
- Use the masses to control Rome.
Who was in the second triumvirate?
Marc Anthony, Octavian, and Lepidus
What does Pax Romana mean?
Roman Peace
What does Gravitas mean?
It means a person with strength, loyalty, and discipline.
Who were the Consuls?
There were 2 consuls
They lead the army; Chief administrators
They had a 1 year term
Possessed Imperium
Who were the Praetors?
They controlled Rome when the Consuls were away
They carried out the laws
They were elected to govern new provinces that were conquered
Who was the Senate?
It contained 300 people
They had life long jobs
Members were Patricians
They advised the Magistrates
Who was the Centuriate Assembly?
It was comprised of Citizen-Soldiers
They elected the Chief and Magistrates that passed laws
It was dominated by the wealthiest
What was the Tribal Assembly?
It was comprised of Plebeians
It gave poorer citizens more representation
What happened in 493 BCE?
The Latins, Etruscans, and Greeks said that all Romans were Equal.
What happened in 396 BCE?
Veii was conquered
What happened in 387 BCE?
The Gauls invaded Rome
What happened in 340 BCE?
The Latins rebelled
What happened in 338 BCE?
The rebellion was crushed and new classes were formed.
The conquered territories couldn’t vote
The allies of Rome had no rights
What happened from 281 - 267 BCE?
The Pyrrhic War occured
What battle did Hannibal win?
The Battle of Cannae in 216 BCE
Who were the Gracchus brothers?
They were Tiberius and Gaius
They tried to limit the size of the Latifundia
Who was Marius?
He was elected to consul in 107 BCE.
He recruits the urban landless proletariat to the army.
What were Caesar’s reforms?
He added 600 members to the Senate
He extends citizenship to Roman Provinces
Establishes more colonies
At what battle did Caesar kill Pompey?
The Battle of Pharsalus in 48 BCE.
Why did people like Christianity?
It embraced all people Gave hope to powerless Promised eternal life after death Offered a personal relationship with God Appealed to non-Romans
What is a Bishop?
It is a priest.
Who was Constantine?
He was a Roman emperor who prayed for divine help and saw a symbol in the sky. After this, he ended the persecution of all Christians.
What was a Hearsay?
It was a belief that appeared to contradict the basic teachings.
Who was Augastine?
He wrote the City Of God.
Who was Diocletian?
He was a strong willed army leader who doubled the size of the Roman Armies. He persecuted Christians.
What did Octavian change his name to?
Augustus
Who took the Eastern side of the Roman Empire?
Marc Antony took the East and teamed up with Cleopatra of Egypt.
Who took the Western side of the Roman Empire?
Octavian
At what battle did Octavian defeat Marc Antony and Cleopatra?
The Battle of Actium
What does Augustus do to the Senate during his rule?
He makes the Senate his personal advisory group.
Who controls the military: the Senate or Augustus?
Augustus
What two positions was Augustus elected to in 23 BCE?
He was elected to Consul and Tribune
What was Augustus elected to in 12 BCE?
He was elected to Chief Pontiff
What was Meritocracy?
It was the type of government in which people moved up in position based on skill or talent.
It assisted in closing the wealth gap.
What did the Julio-Claudians do?
They used Bureaucracy and linked it to the military.
What did the Five Good Emperors do?
They expanded the territory of Rome
They solidified the frontier
They gave the illusion of a Republic
What was the Religious Text of Christianity?
It was the Bible- Old and New Testament.
What became the unifying force in Europe?
The Church
What were the First Four Books of the Bible called?
They were called Gospels.
What were the books in the New Testament called?
They were called Acts
What were the letters in the Bible called?
They were called Epistles.
What was the early church Hierarchy?
Pope
Bishop
Priest
Congregation
What were the problems during the Decline of the Roman Empire?
- Attacks by Barbarians
- Internal Instability
- Economic Meltdown
What was the Internal Instability?
It was over who would rule
The citizens wanted a ruler from adoption
The army wanted hereditary succession
The senate wanted to elect the new ruler
How did Diocletian rule?
He ruled as a Autocrat.
He created a Tetrarchy
What was written in 313 BCE?
The Edict of Milan
Made Christianity legal
What was the Council of Nicaea?
It was where the Nicene Creed was written.
What brought water to cities in Rome?
Aqueducts
