Ancient Rome Notes

Mare Nostrum

Latin term meaning 'our sea', used by Romans to refer to the Mediterranean, indicative of their dominance in trade and warfare in the region.

Geography of Italy

Italy is a boot-shaped peninsula, centrally located in the Mediterranean, with Rome at its center, facilitating unification compared to Greece.

Mare Nostrum

Latin term meaning 'our sea', used by Romans to refer to the Mediterranean, indicative of their dominance in trade and warfare in the region.

Geography of Italy

Italy is a boot-shaped peninsula, centrally located in the Mediterranean, with Rome at its center, facilitating unification compared to Greece.

Roman Patricians

Landholding elite in Rome, comprising 300 members of the Senate, possessing significant power, elected for life terms.

Roman Plebians

The common people of Rome, including farmers, merchants, artisans, and traders, who sought greater political power.

Roman Legion

A military unit consisting of about 5,000 soldiers who were citizen soldiers, generally unpaid and using their own weapons.

Patriarchal Society

A social structure in Ancient Rome where men held dominant roles and women primarily managed homes but gradually gained more freedoms.

Polytheistic Religion

The belief system in Ancient Rome, characterized by the worship of multiple gods and goddesses, heavily influenced by earlier cultures such as the Etruscans and Greeks.

Julius Caesar

A dominant political and military figure in Rome known for his conquests, centralization of power, and eventual assassination.

Pax Romana

A period of relative peace and stability across the Roman Empire, initiated under the rule of Augustus.

Edict of Milan

A proclamation that established religious toleration for Christianity in the Roman Empire.

Christianity's Rise

The spread of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire using established Roman roads, offering hope and salvation.

Byzantine Empire

The continuation of the Eastern Roman Empire after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, which flourished for a thousand years.