Ancient Rome Flashcards

1
Q

Etruscans

A

non-Indo-Europeans of obscure origins, probably an indigenous Italian people strongly influenced by the Near East and adopted the Greek alphabet

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2
Q

Romulus

A

supposed founder of Rome

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3
Q

Titus Manlius

A
  • politician and general of the Roman Republic

- consul three times

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4
Q

Plebeians

A

2nd class citizens

  • mostly peasants, some artisans/merchants
  • prohibited from holding public office
  • excluded from the Senate
  • forbidden to intermarry with patricians (1st class citizens)
  • obligated for military service
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5
Q

Patricians

A
1st class citizens
- landed aristocracy
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6
Q

Consul

A

one of two chief executive magistrates

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7
Q

Comitia Centuriata

A

Roman army meeting for political purpose: organized by centuries and heavily weighted towards wealth - declared war, ratified treaties, and elected all magistrates

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8
Q

Tribune

A

“protector of plebeians”

could veto legislation

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9
Q

Secessio

A

forced patricians to compromise (plebeians would march up a hill and sit, withholding their military service during a critical time)

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10
Q

XII Tables

A

written codification of Roman law

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11
Q

Latin League

A

ancient confederation of villages and tribes near Rome - organized for mutual defense

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12
Q

Pyrrhus

A

king of Epirus - Greek city-states sought help from him - “Pyrrhic victories” = winning with huge losses

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13
Q

Samnite Wars

A

Rome defeated the Samnites and Etruscans and became dominant in central Italy

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14
Q

Carthage

A

Phoenician city-state and empire - powerful navy

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15
Q

Corvus

A

Roman weapon aboard ships - a crane-like structure used to board nearby Carthaginian ships (First Punic War)

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16
Q

Hannibal

A

Carthaginian general in the Second Punic War

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17
Q

Scipio Africanus

A

Roman general who conquered Spain and invaded Africa

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18
Q

Battle of Zama

A

marked the end of the Second Punic War - Hannibal is defeated

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19
Q

Latifundia

A

huge agricultural estates

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20
Q

Equites

A

former horsemen of the Roman army - commercial class, 2nd tier of Roman elite - businessmen, bankers, contractors, and tax-farmers

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21
Q

Publicani

A

tax-farmers

22
Q

Tiberius Gracchus

A
  • member of the senatorial aristocracy
  • elected tribune
  • concerned by the decline in land-owning citizens
  • proposed a land reform law (distribute publicly-owned land in small plots to landless citizens)
  • land reform bill passed despite fierce senatorial opposition
  • the Senate organized a mob that killed Tiberius and 300 followers (beat to death by chairs)
  • younger brother Gaius was also elected tribune, pushed an even more radical land reform bill opposed by the Senate, and was forced to commit suicide (then 3,000 of his supporters were killed in summary trials and mob violence)
23
Q

Marius

A
  • consul that enlisted many landless Romans into the army
  • re-elected 6 consecutive years
  • created a “personal army”
24
Q

Sulla

A

first Roman general to lead his “personal army” on Rome - seized the city, massacred thousands of political opponents - proclaimed dictator, served 3 years until voluntary retirement

25
Q

Crassus

A

member of the First Triumvirate

  • wealthiest man in Rome
  • wanted consulship and a military reputation
26
Q

Pompey

A

member of the First Triumvirate

  • greatest general of the day
  • wanted land for his discharged veterans
27
Q

Julius Caesar

A

member of the First Triumvirate
- pontifex maximus and brilliant orator
- wanted consulship and a military reputation

First Triumvirate controlled Rome, Crassus was killed and Pompey stayed in Rome - Caesar allied with Cleopatra and invaded Italy - Caesar killed Pompey - Caesar was elected “dictator perpetuus” (dictator for life) - reformed the calendar and planned major reorganization of Roman state - assassinated on the Ides of March 44 B.C. by senators who hated monarchy and wanted to “restore the Republic”

28
Q

Mark Antony

A

member of the Second Triumvirate

  • Caesar’s top subordinate commander
  • allied with Cleopatra
29
Q

Cleopatra VII

A

at war with her brother Ptolemy XIII (who killed Crassus in Egypt), sought Caesar’s help - defeated Ptolemy XIII with Caesar’s help

30
Q

Battle of Actium

A

Octavian vs. Antony & Cleopatra - Octavian won, Antony & Cleopatra committed suicide - Octavian annexed Egypt and was thus the sole ruler of the Roman world

31
Q

Princeps Senatus

A

“first citizen of the Senate”

- given to the leading/most distinguished senator - Octavian

32
Q

Tribunicia Potestas

A
  • annually renewed by vote

- provided Octavian authority in Rome

33
Q

Imperium Proconsulare

A
  • voted at 5-10 year intervals
  • gave Octavian authority over half of the provinces while the other half was left to the Senate (imperial vs. senatorial)
34
Q

Pontifex Maximus

A
  • chief priest of Roman state religion
  • authority over official religious establishment in Rome
  • power also given to Octavian
35
Q

Praefectus Praetorio

A
  • extensive legal and administrative functions
  • Octavian’s chief aides
  • offered office to Equites
36
Q

Praefectus Aegypti

A
  • prefect/governor of Egypt

- offered office to Equites

37
Q

Auxilia

A
  • light infantry/cavalry/archers of non-citizens
38
Q

Limes

A

frontier/boundaries of the Roman empire

39
Q

Mithra

A

Iranian mystery religion (god Mithras)

40
Q

Mithra

A

Iranian mystery religion (god Mithras)

41
Q

Dionysus

A

Greek mystery religion

42
Q

Parousia

A

“second coming” of Jesus

43
Q

Synoptic Gospels

A

Mark - focus on “passion”
Matthew and Luke - possibly used Mark as a “sayings source” and some unique material
all three focus on Jesus as “Messiah” (“the anointed one”)

44
Q

Paul of Tarsus

A
  • apostle

- known as Saint Paul

45
Q

Marcus Aurelius

A

Roman emperor

- “Thoughts”: philosophical diary written on campaign

46
Q

Septimus Severus

A
  • senator and provincial governor of African origin
  • victor of civil war that was a result of the assassination of Marcus Aurelius’ son Commodus
  • relied on army for support
  • favored Equites
47
Q

Diocletian

A
  • Roman emperor who saved the empire from collapse (“Crisis of the Third Century”)
  • reformed Rome: implemented the tetrarchy, reduced the Senate’s power, implemented hereditary military obligation, taxation paid in kind, key jobs also made hereditary, emperor worship, “Great Persecution” of the Christians, etc.
48
Q

Edict on Prices

A

to combat inflation, Diocletian set maximum prices for thousands of goods and services - all violations were punishable by death

49
Q

Tetrarchy

A
  • dealt with the issue of throne succession and internal revolts
  • 2 Augusti (senior emperors) and 2 Caesars (junior emperors)
50
Q

Battle of the Milvian Bridge

A

battle of civil war - Constantine became the sole ruler of Rome - credited his victory to the Christian god (he had a vision of a cross) and converted to Christianity

51
Q

Constantine

A
  • Christian ruler of Rome
  • ended persecution of Christianity and supported it
  • founded Constantinople as the new capital of the empire on the site of the old Greek city Byzantium
  • all but one of the subsequent emperors of Rome were Christians and used resources of government to support the church (paganism was assimilated and pagans were persecuted)
52
Q

Constantinople

A
  • new capital of the Roman empire
  • founded by Constantine
  • on the site of the old Greek city of Byzantium
  • after the death of Constantine, the empire split, and Constantinople became the capital of the Eastern (Byzantine) Empire and survived for 1,000 years