Rome: The Empire Flashcards
What is an aqueduct?
An artificial channel for transporting water over large distances
What was the structure in which the State conducted their work?
The Forum
What is the Colosseum?
- A famous Roman building
- Circuses were held there
- They were bloody affairs where Gladiators fought to the death and Christians were persecuted
Who was Cicero?
- A great Roman orator and statesman
- Strong believer of the old Republic and made speeches about it
Who was Virgil?
The greatest Roman poet who wrote Aenead
Who was Plutarch?
A biographer that wrote about the lives of many famous Greeks and Romans
Who was Tacitus?
The greatest Roman Historian who wrote about the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70
Who was Flavius Josephus?
A Roman historian who also wrote about the fall of Jerusalem
Who was Philo?
An Alexandrian Jew that wrote about philosophy that combined Platonic thought and Judaism
For how many years did Octavian and Mark Antony rule Rome?
14 years
What happened between Octavian and Mark Antony that resulted in Rome changing from a Republic to an Empire?
- The two conspired against each other
- Octavian defeated Mark and Cleopatra
- In 29 B.C. the Senate gave Octavian the title of ‘Augustus Caesar’
What was the Pax Romana?
- A two hundred year period of peace between 30 B.C. to 235 A.D.
- Marked by the beginning of Augustus’ rule
In which period was Jesus Christ born and Christianity spread?
During the Pax Romana
When did Augustus die? What happened after that?
- A.D. 14
- Tiberius, his stepson, became ruler
What caused the drastic change in the Roman Empire from Augustus’ death to the fall of the empire?
- Variety of Rulers
- Political and economic conditions
- The beliefs of people
From the beginning of the empire until 180 A.D., how many rulers did Rome have?
16 rulers
Which four emperors came after Augustus?
(known as the Julio-Claudians)
- Tiberius
- Claudius
- Caligula
- Nero
What were the characteristics of three of the four rulers that came after Augustus?
- Tiberius and Claudius were efficient
- Caligula was almost certainly insane
Why was Nero well-known?
- Murdered many people including his wife and mother
- Was blamed for starting the fire that burned half of Rome in 64 A.D.
- Persecuted many Christians
What was the state of the Empire after Nero’s death?
The empire was precarious
Who are the four emperors that ruled in the same year (69 A.D.) after Nero’s death?
- Galba
- Otho
- Vitellius
- Vespasian
Who were Antonines (five good emperors)?
(came after the ‘same-year’ emperors in 96 A.D.)
- Titus
- Domitian
- Nerva
- Trajan
- Hadrian
Who was Trajan?
- One of the Antonines
- Concentrated his efforts in military gain and extended the empire, resulting in the largest area the Roman Empire would occupy
Who was Hadrian?
- One of the Antonines
- strengthened the borders and frontier areas of the Empire
- built the famous Hadrian wall (80 miles/117 km) which runs from coast to coast in north of England
- It was built to prevent attacks from the north
Who was Marcus Aurelius?
- Spent many years as a soldier away from Rome defending the frontiers
- Scholar and writer
- wrote a cook called ‘Meditations’
- Stoic Philosopher that taught high idealism and lived a simple life
What happened to the Empire after Marcus Aurelius’ death?
The Empire Declined
At the height of trade in the Empire, materials were imported from where?
China and India
