Roman Empire Vocabulary

Aqueduct

Raised tunnels used to carry water from the mountains to the city.

Atilla the Hun

The leader of the Hun Empire who invaded the Roman Empire

Byzantine Empire

The Eastern Empire split of the Roman empire.

Caesar Octavian Augustus

Julius Caesar’s adopted son, who became the next emperor after Caesar’s death.

Check’s and balnces

A method of balancing power so that no one group becomes too powerful.

Consuls

The title of the upper class citizens elected from the magistrates

Constantine

The first Christian emperor of Rome.

Dictator

A ruler during the Roman Empire. This person had total power over the Roman Empire.

Gladiator

A slave or captive who was forced to fight to the death in a public arena against other people or animals.

Julius Caesar

A great general who fought for the plebeian’s rights and overthrew the Republic.

Patricians

Upper class citizens who ran the government.

Magistrates

Upper class citizens who were elected into power by the people

Pax Romana

The Roman golden age during the first 200 years of the Roman Empire

Plebeians

Rome’s lower class who rebelled when they weren’t being listened to.

Punic Wars

A series of wars between Rome and Carthage.

Republic

A style of government run by elected leaders chosen by the people to represent their views.

Roman assembly

A group that protected the rights of the plebeians.

Roman Empire

A time in Rome when the government was ruled by a dictator. (one person)

Roman senate

A group of upper-class Romans that advised the leaders.

Tiber River

The physical feature where Rome was built.

Veto

The action for stopping a law from being passed when one group want’s it to and the other doesn’t.