Classics Exam Prep - Roman Culture

Roman Rise and Fall

Urbs Aeterna

eternal city

Monarchy

753 - 509 BCE - ruled by a single king

Republic

509 - 27 BCE - ruled by a Senate and Consuls

Empire

27 BCE - 476 CE - ruled by an emperor

Aeneid

the origin story of Rome - by Virgil - ancient source

First line of the Aeneid

“I sing about the arms and the man, who, driven from the coast of Troy by Fate, came to the shore of Italy …” 

Aeneas

a man who fled the city of Troy when it was attacked with his son, father, and wife

Roman Values

family, religion, connection to the state, and fate

Penates

the ancestral gods that Aeneas carried away from the burning of troy

Ab Urbe Condita

written by Livy - the beginning of the city of Rome - also the dating system

1 AUC

753 BCE

Lupa

Prostitute - wolf - sign of roman agression (Larentia was her name)

When / who was Rome Founded

753 BCE - by Romulus

Important Symbols to Romans

Wolf, Woodpecker, Birds

Senate

old man (patricians)

100 wealthy men appointed by Romulus that advised the king and elects new one

Plebs

citizens

Sabines

the women that the Roman men captured, married, raped, etc

Lucius Tarquinius Superbus

last Roman King

Etruscan

elected from the senate being corrupted

Superbus

Haughty, arrogant

Lucretia

raped by Superbus’s son

son wasn’t punished so she killed herself

Roman’s were outraged and overtook the king

Brutus

the man who lead the revolt against Superbus

Rex

the pledge to get rid of kings in Rome

Tullia

she killed her dad (Servius Tullius) to have her husband elected as king (Superbus)

Constantine

Emperor that brought Christianity in Rome

Cursus Honorum

the order of military positions that lead up to Consul

to be in politics, you must first fight for Rome