Roman Empire Flashcards
When did the building of Rome begin?
753 BC
When did Rome become a republic?
510 BC
Where did Rome conquer in 130 BC?
Greece and most of Spain
When was Jesus born?
1 AD
When did the Romans invade Britain?
43 AD
When was BOUDICCA’s rebellion?
61 AD
When did Romans conquer Northern England?
71 AD
When did the Romans being building Hadrian’s Wall?
122 AD
Who attacked the Roman Empire in 200AD?
Barbarians
between 235-285 AD how many Roman Emperors were killed?
OVER 20!
When did Roman rule in Britain end?
410 AD
When did Vandals destroy Rome?
455 AD
When did the Eastern Empire fall to the Turks?
1453 AD
Who established the Roman empire in 27 BC?
AUGUSTUS
Who conquered Britain in AD 43?
CLAUDIUS
Were the Romans able to conquer Scotland?
No! They had to pull back behind Hadrian’s Wall in the 120s.
At its height, the Roman Empire stretched from Portugal to ______ and from Scotland to the ________ desert
Persia (modern day Iran)
Sahara Desert
When was the Roman Empire at it hugest?
AD 101
At its height, roughy how many inhabitants were in the Roman Empire?
Under Emperor Trajan it may have had up to 100 million inhabitants.
What does Pax Romana mean?
Peace of Rome
The Pax Romana allowed merchants to trade across all of the known world. Can you name 3 things that were traded?
lead mining
watermills
slaves
T or F. Rome was incredibly wealthy as a result of all the free trade in the Roman Empire.
True.
When did the Roman Empire collapse?
AD 476
King Numitor ruled Alba Longa. He was the descendant of Aeneas. His brother was jealous of him and did what?
Drove out his brother the king, and ruled instead, and made the King’s daughter never marry so she wouldn’t have any children.
Who married Rhea Silvia, the daughter of King Numitor, whose brother kicked him out of Alba Longa to take over?
Mars, the god of war…
What twin boys were born to Rhea Silvia, who were later to found Rome?
Romulus and Remus
How did Amulius, the brother of the banished king Numitor, decide to get rid of the twin babies?
He planned to drown them but they were saved by a servant and brought up by a she-wolf
Where did Romulus and Remus’ cradle come to rest i?
Near the seven hills of Rome.
What did Romulus and Remus do when they found out about their nasty uncle?
Attacked Alba Longa, their uncle was killed in the fighting and they put their Dad back on the throne, and got their Mum out of prison.
How were Romulus and Remus going to decide which hill they should build the new city on?
Whoever saw a vulture would have his choice of site.
Which twin brother stamped off angrily with oxen and a plough and cut a furrow around the palatine hill? He told his brother he would kill him if he crossed the line.
Romulus
Which brother killed which
Romulus killed Remus!
Which brother founded Rome?
Romulus
What is the main river in Rome?
the Tiber
Rome was a republic until what date?
27 BC
What is an absolute ruler?
A ruler whose decisions may not be questioned
T or F The Emperor was Head of the Senate
T
T of F the Emperor was the Head of the Army
T
Who was the head of the Roman Religion, the Priest or the Emperor?
The Emperor! Pontifex Maximus
Senators were supposed to be elected but they always came from what kind of families?
aristocratic ones
Provinces were run by a ___________
Governor, who was usually a Senator
Along the borders of the Empire though, Provinces were not run by a Senator, but by ____________
an army general
Roughly how many men were in the Roman army?
Half a million
Who was Emperor when Rome was at its largest?
Trajan
Why did the Romans often manage to conquer other lands?
More money, more resources and a more effective army
Who invaded Britain in AD43 with 4 legions and elephants?
Claudius
Did most British tribal chiefs fight the Romans?
No, most surrendered without a fight.
What was the Roman name for what we call France today?
Gaul
Caratacus tried to fight the Romans and what did they do when they captured him?
They paraded him in chains through the streets of Rome
When did the Romans invade Wales?
AD 60
How long was Hadrian’s Wall
73 miles
What language was spoken throughout the Roman Empire that helped to unify all the conquered lands?
Latin
The Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Vandals and Huns did what
Invaded and conquered the Roman empire.
T or F Britain was invaded for its wheat crop
T
Name 3 fruits that Romans brought to Britain
Apples
Pears
Grapes
Name 4 Vegetables Romans brought to Britain
Turnips
Carrots
Cabbages
Peas
Name some useful things Romans brought to Britain that help make towns work more efficiently
Architecture Sanitation Roads parks Aqueducts Paved streets Blocks of buildings Irrigation Public Heated Baths Public Notices Benefits for Poor Citizens Education Literature Latin Coins
within 4 years of invading Britain, the Romans had build over ____ miles of roads.
1000
Why were good roads useful for Romans in terms of soldiers etc?
Transporting food and weapons to soldiers.
How did good roads help in times of peace?
Important for more trade, so more taxes for the Emperor.
How did the Romans build such straight roads? What special instrument did they use?
A Groma= a pair of boards fastened together in a cross shape. Then they were lined up with another pole a hundred metres away.
What did the Romans dig either side of a new road for drainage?
Ditches.
What shape of the surface of the roads meant that rainwater ran off into ditches?
The roads were shaped into a camber.
T or F Trees and bushes were cut back 100m each side of Roman roads to stop ambush
T
How was a Roman soldier’s facial hair different to a Celt?
Romans were always clean shaven. Celts had long moustaches.
Why were Roman soldiers’ tunics dyed red?
So blood wouldn’t show through
How was a Roman soldier’s hair different to a Celt?
Roman- short. Dark. Celt: brushed back like a mane. Smeared with sticky lime and water to make it stand up on end, red or fair hair.
Who had more weapons, a Roman soldier or a Celt?
A Roman Solider: long sword, short sword, shield, javelin, .a Celt only had a sword, and a spear, and a shield
Who had socks, Romans or Celts?
Romans for cold countries!
When was the Pont du Gard aqueduct built in Nimes?
1st century AD
how many aqueducts served Rome itself?
10
T of F the water supply reached the upper floors of the houses in Rome.
F- it didn’t, so they used to dump dirty water, and waste- straight from the windows into the streets
what does duct (ductus) mean from Aqueduct?
leading (as in leading water somewhere)
How many feet did the Aqueduct drop in every mile?
- So it was very nearly level, just enough for the water to flow
Were there many Aqueducts in Roman Britain?
Not so many because water could be found almost anywhere in rivers and wells.
What two things did visitors to Roman towns admire?
the water supply, and the drains
How many Romans were in a Legion?
4-6000 legionaires (soldiers) in each legion
What resources in Britain attracted the attention of Rome and made it worth invading?
Cattle
Gold
Iron
Tin
How did Julius Caesar get on with his invasion of Britain in about 55 and 54 BC?
He failed and went home.
Why did Claudius want a military victory?
To impress people back home- Claudius wanted to prestige of having conquered Britain when no other Roman emperor had managed it.
Who ruled the locals in the towns once Britain had been conquered and Romanised?
The local gentry- who were grateful for having their power and standing preserved. It worked better than trying to get the towns run by outsiders.
What are the 2 types of soldiers in the Roman Army?
Legionaires
Auxiliaries
How long did legionaires serve in the Roman Army?
25 YEARS
What was an Auxiliary soldier?
A non Roman citizen. Paid only 1/3 wage and often a guard, also fought on the front lines.
What was a group of 80 men in the Roman Army called? Hint- you might think it should be 100 men called this!
A Century
What was the man in charge of a century called?
A Centurion. Carried a rod to show his importance, and to beat anyone who didnt’ do what he said.
What was the Roman weapon called which fired giant catapults of burning tar or rocks?
onagers
What punishment might you have if you fell asleep on duty?
You might be sentenced to death!
If you weren’t in battle, what kind of tasks might you have as a Roman solider?
Construction of forts, roads, and aqueducts
