rome #1 - #3 Flashcards
republic
a form of government in which power rests with citizens who have the right to vote for their leaders`
patricians
wealthy landowners who had most of the power
plebeians
common, farmers, artisans, and merchants
tribunes
protected the rights of the plebeians from unfair acts of patricians, representatives are elected by an assembly formed by the plebeians
dictator
a leader who has absolute power to make laws + command army, the republic can appoint one in times of crisis
legion
large military units in rome
punic wars
the three wars between rome and carthage
hannibal
military strategist who wanted to destroy rome, helped and led carthage in one of the punic wars
twelve tables
roman laws written on bronze tablets that were displayed publicly
consuls
executive: one-year terms, chief executives of the government, commander in chief of army, pass laws, can veto each other
senate
legislative: representative body for patricians, 300 members, made up of patricians, chosen to serve for life, advise consuls, controls foreign and financial policies
tribal assembly
legislative: citizens grouped according to where they live, members for life, elect (10) tribunes, representative body for plebeians
centuriate assembly
legislative: members for life, make laws, select consuls
praetors
judicial: eight judges, one year term, elected by centuriate assembly
first punic war
rome had a strong army, carthage had a strong navy, and fought over sicily and sardinia, the war was out at sea, rome gained islands and their treasury
civil war
conflict between groups within the same country
julius caeser
a strong military leader who served as a consul and was later governed as an absolute ruler
triumvirate
a group of three leaders
augustus
“exalted one,” a title given to octavian as a powerful leader
pax romana
a period of peace and prosperity under the rule of augustus
economy
slavery was common, common currency, trading among the silk road
government
civil service senate, dictator, taxes, postal routes
value
disipline, stregnth, loyalty
social class
born into the social class, men are the leaders of the family
religion
they worshiped powerful spirits, and honored them through rituals, polytheistic
entertainment
races, mock battles, gladiator contests, watched at the colosseum
second punic war
carthage army was led by hannibal, scipio’s counter-attack at the battle of zama
third punic war
rome destroyed carthage
gracchus brothers
tiberius gracchus, gaicus gacchus, reform leaders, tribune members, moved the poor back to the countryside, wanted to limit the amount of land someone could own, killed by senators because they were helping plebeians
gaius marius
a military hero, the first lower-class consul
lucius sulla
powerful military commander, became dictator, weakened the tribunes
first civil war
sulla won against marius
first triumvirate
julius caesar, marcus crassus, gaius pompey
beware the ides of march
march 15th, 44bce, wife and fortune teller warned him, 22 senators took turns stabbing caesar
octavian augustus
caesar’s grand nephew
marc antony
general
marcus lepidus
general
second triumvirate
augustus, antony, lepidus
what was a key characteristic of the early roman republic?
the citizens had the power
what were the rules of the consuls?
one year term, and cannot be elected for another ten years, two consuls and one could always veto the other
why were the twelve tables significant?
it prevented patrician officials from interpreting the laws in favor of themselves
what was hannibal’s strategy in the second punic war?
hannibal’s strategy was daring and different, he led his army on a long trek across the alps to rome. during the trek, he lost more than half his men and elephants
what was rome’s geography like?
fertile soil, forest, peninsula, hills, alps, had access to the mediterranean, and could move by land and sea.
how did the etruscans influence the development of rome?
influenced rome’s alphabet and architecture (the arch)
how did the greeks influence rome?
coins/currency, religion, pottery, theater
what tactic did scipio use to defeat hannibal?
scipio attacked carthage while hannibal was in rome, forcing him to return to carthage.
why is it important to have written laws that are accessible to the people?
so the people know what their laws are and what they have
what are some of caesar’s accomplishments?
- governor of roman province
- ruler of the first triumvirate
- victorious over spain, gaul, invaded britian, started colonies
- dictator of rome
- gave land/work to rome created jobs
- limited slave use
- gave citizenship
- adopted julian calender
what were the results of the civil war between caesar and pompey?
pompey loses to caesar, caesar becomes dictator
who was rome’s first emperor?
octavian agustus
what are some of augustus’s accomplishments
- part of the second triumvirate
- glorified the republic
- started the pax romana
- set up the civil service system, postal system, grain supply
- census - tax collectors
- increased emphasis on learning and arts
- built libraries
- increased trades, no tax on goods
- strict laws
