Unit 1 Flashcards
Patricians
Rome’s wealthy landowners
Marius
Used the army to seize power
Plebeians
craftspeople, merchants, small farmers
Twelve Tables
Roman’s first code of laws. Applied to only Roman citizens
Law of Nations
Natural laws are based on reason. Established justice that applied to all people
Dictator
1 ruler during times of crisis, served 6 months
Legions
5000 military soldiers
Paterfamilias
Father had absolute power, usually fair
Provinces
Areas outside of Rome, ruled by a governor
Battle of Actium
Octavian defeated Antony and Cleopatra
Julius Caesar
Roman dictator; 1st Triumvirate
Theodosius
Adopted Christianity as their official religion
Diocletian
Split Rome into 4 parts
Tiberius/Gaius Gracchus
Urged land reform, helping landless peasants; both assassinated
Pompey
Defeated by Caesar; First Triumvirate; Picked by the Senate
Octavian
Controlled the East; changed name to Augustus; 2nd Triumvirate
Trajan
Empire reached its greatest size
Marcus Aurelius
Began to have problems on the frontier
Virgil
Told story of an ideal Rome
Livy
Wrote a monumental history of Rome that wasn’t accurate
Nero
Probably insane; harrassed Christians; killed his mother, wife, and himself
Constantine
Became the first Christian emperor
Crassus
Killed in battle; First Triumvirate
Marc Antony
Controlled the West; Julius’s assistant
Cleopatra
Defeated by Octavian; lover of Caesar and Antony
Hadrian
Laws protecting women, children, and slaves; built a 74-mile-long wall
Commodus
Vain, violent emperor began to decline
Horace
Mocked human weakness
Spartacus
Led the most famous slave revolt in Italy; 6000 of his men got nailed to the cross; Gladiator
Jesus
Son of God
Latins
Leaders and farmers who spoke Latin
Etruscans
Located north of Rome in Etruria. They found Rome and turned it into a city. Dressed in Toga and a short cloak
Republic
A form of government in which the leader is not a monarch and certain citizens have the right to vote
Pas Romana
Roman peace
Procurator
Run provinces, similar to Governor
Pharisees
Had the responsibility of protecting the Jewish people from Roman influence
New Testament
The second division of the Christian bible
Clergy
The church leaders
Laity
The regular church members
Plague
wiped out 1/10th of the population; epidemic disease; stopped trading with other empires
Inflation
Increase in prices or the increase in the cost of living in a country
Latifundias
Large estates in provinces worked by slaves (plantations)
Imperator
Commander in Chief
Essay Questions
Who were the Etruscans and their impact on Rome?
The Etruscans were a group of people who helped find Rome and turn it into a city. Many Etruscan kings helped Rome become what it is today. Worked in the higher classes.
Who was in the two triumvirates?
First Triumvirate: Julius Caesar, Pompey, Cassius
Second Triumvirate: Octavian, Antony, Lepidus
What were the various problems that led to the fall of Rome?
Christianity began to weaken the Roman army, traditional Roman values declined as non-Italians began to go to the Empire, lead poisoning in the water pipes, plague wiping out 1/10th of the population, Rome failed to advance in their technology because they owned so many slaves, unable to form a stable political system
How was Julius Caesar as a dictator? What were the good and bad things about his time in control of Rome?
Good:
Made the Senate bigger
helped plebeians gain more land
building projects
citizenship to the people in the provinces
Bad:
Started Civil War
Wasn’t liked by the higher classes
Changed the Roman government from a Republic to a dictatorship
Why was the location of Rome significant to its success?
Provided access to trade routes on the Mediterranean Sea, natural crossing points from North and South, 7 hills making it easily defendable
Was the Roman Republic an example of a democracy? Why or why not?
No, because the people vote for the Senate which then makes the decisions
How were the Romans similar to the Greeks in the areas of art, literature, architecture, science, and technology?
They shared math, science, and literature through poetry
What were the outcomes of the Punic Wars and how did it change Rome’s history?
Rome gained land and began to expand trade with new countries and new cities that would aid in conflict and invasion-expand slavery operations
What did the generals of Rome fo to gain political power?
Recruited peasants while promising them land. Army members were loyal to leaders rather than Rome
What were the attitudes toward marriage in Rome? Also what changes in women’s roles were achieved?
They are similar to present marriages, but women are generally in the house while the man is out at work. Women could attend certain meetings but couldn’t participate in politics
What were the living conditions like in Rome once it reached its peak?
Overcrowded. Poor people would live in 6-story houses. Smell problems, the rich lived in villas and had many slaves. 1 million people lived there
Why did Christianity gain such a following in Rome? What was the result?
Jesus spread the word of God. Appealing to the plebeians. It offered them immortality, which their greek Gods didn’t do. It had a lot to offer.
