Week 1 Flashcards
Intro to Roman History and Italy in the (Late) Bronze Age
What characterized the Bronze Age in prehistoric Italy, particularly regarding technological advancements and societal structures?
Bronze (a combination of tin and copper) as a “new tech.” Societal structures began to centralize, wealth accumulated, and monumental architecture emerged.
What were the major Mediterranean civilizations that influenced early Italian culture, and what were the three major proto-Greek civilizations in the Aegean Sea?
Influenced by Mediterranean civilizations such as the Egyptians, Hittites, and Proto-Greeks. The Aegean Sea was home to: the Minoans, Mycenaeans, and Cycladics
How did the transition from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age contribute to urbanization and the formation of city-states in Italy?
Urbanization emerge in the 9th-7th centuries BCE. Also led to the development of city-states in Italy, such as Etruria, Latium, and Campania.
Describe the significance of the founding of Rome in 753 BCE, including the monarchy and the development of political institutions
Romulus as its first king. The monarchy established the foundation for political institutions, and the emergence of a Senate and the delineation of public, private, and sacred spaces.
What were the key features of the Roman Republic? What was the defining characteristic of this period?
Creation of a Senate, legislative bodies, and the emergence of magistracies. The struggle between patricians (elites) and plebeians (lower social class)
Who were Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus, and what land reforms did they attempt in the 2nd century BCE?
Attempted land reform and sought to redistribute public land owned by the aristocracy to the lower classes, their efforts were unsuccessfu and Tiberius beaten to death.
Discuss Julius Caesar, and the events leading to Caesar’s dictatorship and assassination.
Dictator perpetuo (“dictator for life”) from victory in civil wars. Opposition from the Senate and resulted in his assassination.
What characterized the Principate period under Augustus, including his title, achievements, and efforts to stabilize Rome?
Marked a shift from the Republic to imperial rule. Augustus (Octavian), granted title “princeps” (first man) and focused on stabilizing Rome after years of civil unrest.
What is the difference between endogenous and exogenous city development in the Late Bronze Age?
Endogenous - people inhabiting an area and urbanizing it.
Exogenous - when migrants arrived at a city with a blank canvas for development.
According to the Copenhagen Polis Centre, what qualities define a city-state?
A population of 1000+, shared ethnic identity with other states, focus of territory in the urban center, specialization in the economy, military protection, and autonomous governance
What were the stages of state development and what characterized each stage?
Transition from pre-state society to definitive urban systematization. Nucleation, synoecism, proto-urban centers, hierarchical settlement systems, and organized ritual activities
What geographical features characterized Bronze Age Rome?
Seven hills, the Tiber River, and areas like the Campus Martius (Field of Mars)
What evidence of increased activity and urbanization is found in Iron Age Rome?
Increased ceramic evidence, presence of huts, relocation of adult burials, and the emergence of proto-urban centers such as the settlement of Palatine
Where was Rome founded, according to myth?
The place where Romulus and Remus washed up from the Tiber
List the names and time spans of the periods of Rome.
- Monarchy (753-509 BCE)
- Republic (509-31 BCE)
- Principate (31BCE-14 CE)
- Empire (14-476 CE)
