Western Civ. Unit 6 Flashcards
born in Bethlehem in Judea sometime around 6 to 4BC, raised in Nazareth, baptized by John the Baptist, was a carpenter-founder of Christianity
Jesus
12 men who were Jesus’ disciples or pupils; thought to have written the first four books of New Testament of the Bible
Apostle
apostle of Christ, never met Jesus, used Greek and Latin to spread teaching, included Jews and Gentiles–taught throughout Roman empire–wrote letters which became the Epistles
Paul
Jewish people driven from their homeland into exile because of rebelling against the Romans
Diaspora
emperor of Rome in 312 AD; credited his success in battle to the Christian God; accepted Christianity–ended persecution–approved Christianity as a Roman religion
Constantine
a level of church hierarchy; each city would have its own bishop
Bishop
first bishop of Rome; the ‘rock’ on which Christianity would be built
Peter
the head of the Christian Church; Peter was first pope
Pope
What event do you think had the biggest impact? Explain.
Jesus of Nazareth (biggest impact), Jesus’
death, Paul’s mission, Constantine.
What did Jesus emphasize in his early teachings?
Personal relationships with God, importance of people’s love to God, neighbors and enemies. Also, offered eternal life if you repented for your sins
Why did the early Christians face persecution from the
Romans?
Because they refused to worship the Roman gods
What was the importance of the Nicene Creed?
It defined the Church basic beliefs
Drastic drop in the value of money coupled with a rise in prices
Inflation
Soldier who is paid to fight in a foreign army to defend against the increasing threats in the empire
Mercenary
Strong willed army leader who became the new emperor
Diocletian
New capital in Rome
Constantinople
Germanic assault on the empire, became a direct threat
Attila
How did these problems open the empire to invading people?
Inflation, political instability, and untrustworthy army
What were the main internal causes of the empires decline?
The political instability, social decline, economic deterioration, and military collapse
How did Diocletian succeed in preserving the empire?
He split the empire into a Eastern and Western side, and had a person rule the western half while he ruled the eastern half. he ruled with an iron fist and limited personal freedoms
Why did so many Germanic tribes begin invading the Roman Empire?
The Huns pushed into there land so they tried to flee from the Huns, and ended up pushing into Roman lands
Culture developed from the blending of Greek, Hellenistic, and Roman cultures
Greco-Roman Culture
Roman town destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius
Pompeii
Roman poet who wrote the Aeneid
Virgil
Roman historian who recorded the good and bad of imperial Rome
Tacitus
Pipeline or channel built to carry water
Aqueduct
Which accomplishment do you consider most important?Why?
Fine Arts—Sculpture, mosaics;
Law—Fair laws applied equally to all people;
Literature—Virgil, Ovid, Tacitus;
Engineering—Arch, dome, concrete.
(laws and engineering because of long-term effects.)
What is Greco-Roman culture?
The mixing of elements of Greek, Hellenistic, and Roman
cultures.
In what way did Roman art differ from Greek art?
The Greeks were known for beautiful but idealized sculpture; Roman sculptors created more realistic
works.
What influence did Latin have
on the development of
Western languages?
It forms the basis for Western languages
such as French, Spanish, Portuguese,
Italian, and Romanian; more than half of
English words have a basis in Latin.
A conflict between two political groups within the same country
Civil War
A Roman general, statesman, consul; played a critical role in the events that led to the demise of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire
Julius Caesar
Group of three leaders sharing control of the government
Triumvirate
First Roman emperor (Octavian) who gained power after defeating the combined forces of Cleopatra and Mark Antony
Augustus
Period of peace and prosperity throughout the Roman Empire
Pax Romana
What changes in Rome do you consider negative?
The Roman’s republic turning into an empire is a negative because the empire doesn’t represent the people
What factors contributed to the fall of the Roman republic?
The growing discontent among the lower classes of society and a breakdown in military order
What were the main reasons for the Romans success in controlling such a large empire?
Efficient government and adequate rulers
What measures did the government take to distract and control the masses of Rome?
The government provided free games, events, races, and, most importantly, gladiator battles
Form of government in which power is in the hands of representatives and leaders are elected by citizens who have the right to vote
Republic
A member of the wealthy, privileged upper class
Patrician
One of the common farmers, artisans, and merchants who made up most of the population
Plebeian
An official elected by the plebeians to protect their rights
Tribune
One of the two powerful officials elected each year to command the army and direct the government
Consul
The supreme governing body, originally made up only of aristocrats
Senate
A political leader given absolute power to make laws and command the army for a limited time
Dictator
Military unit of the ancient Roman army, made up of about 5,000 foot soldiers and a group of soldiers on Horseback
Legion
Series of three wars between Rome and Carthage (264-146 b.c.); resulted in the destruction of Carthage and Rome’s dominance over the western Mediterranean
Punic Wars
A military strategist who wanted to avenge Carthage’s earlier defeat
Hannibal
What do you consider to be the key characteristic of the Roman Republic?
Their strong military and powerful government
What limits were there on the power of Roman consul?
They could only serve for one year, the same person could not be elected for ten years, and one consul could always overrule the others decision
What was the significance of the Twelve Tables?
To ensure that all free citizens had protection under the law, all laws were carved on twelve tablets and hung in a forum
How was Hannibal’s attack on Rome daring and different?
Instead of a head on attack, he used a surprise attack
