Empires: Roman and Nomadic

These flashcards cover vocabulary related to the growth, administration, and social structures of the Roman and Mongol Empires as described in the lecture notes.

Hellenised

The process by which the region conquered by Alexander became influenced by Greek culture, language, and traditions.

Principate

The regime established by Augustus in 27 BCE, where the emperor was considered the leading citizen (Princeps) rather than an absolute ruler, out of respect for the Senate.

Senate

A political body in Rome representing the aristocracy, primarily composed of the wealthiest families and landowners, which controlled Rome during the Republic.

Conscripted army

An army which is forcibly recruited, where military service is compulsory for certain groups of the population, such as the army of the Persian empire.

Civil war

Armed struggles for power occurring within the same country, as opposed to conflicts between different countries.

Denarius

A Roman silver coin containing approximately $4\frac{1}{2}$ gm of pure silver.

Papyrus

A reed-like plant that grew along the banks of the Nile in Egypt, processed to produce a widely used writing material for contracts, letters, and official documents.

Amphorae

Terracotta containers used in the Roman Empire to transport and store liquids such as wine and olive oil.

Dressel 20

A specific type of amphora used primarily for carrying Spanish olive oil during its commercial peak between 140-160 CE.

Transhumance

The regular annual movement of herdsmen between higher mountain regions and low-lying ground in search of pasture for sheep and other flocks.

Slave breeding

The practice of encouraging female slaves and their partners to have children who would also be born into slavery.

Plebs sordida

The 'unkempt lower class' of Roman society who were described by Tacitus as being addicted to the circus and theatrical displays.

Equites

A social class of 'knights' or 'horsemen' who were traditionally the second most powerful and wealthy group in Rome, often involved in shipping, trading, and banking.

Humiliores

A collective term for the lower classes of the Roman Empire, including rural laborers, industrial workers, migrant workers, and slaves.

Late antiquity

The term used to describe the final period of the Roman Empire, spanning broadly from the fourth to the seventh centuries.

Solidus

A gold coin introduced by Constantine weighing $4\frac{1}{2}$ gm of pure gold, which eventually outlasted the Roman Empire itself.

Gers

Tents used by Mongol nomads as they traveled with their herds between winter and summer pasture lands.

Quriltai

An assembly of Mongol chieftains where collective decisions regarding military campaigns, distribution of plunder, and succession were made.

Tuman

The largest unit in the Mongol military organization, consisting of approximately $10,000$ soldiers.

Ulus

A term that originally meant the four territorial dominions assigned by Genghis Khan to his four sons.

Yam

A rapid courier system established by Genghis Khan that used outposts at regular distances to maintain communication across the empire.

Pax Mongolica

A period of peace and stability ushered in by Mongol conquest that facilitated matured trade and travel along the Silk Route.

Yasa

The legal code of Genghis Khan, which evolved from administrative regulations into a general body of shared beliefs and laws for the Mongol people.

Barbarian

A term derived from the Greek 'barbaros' meaning a non-Greek, often characterized as someone whose language sounded like random noise.