Roman republic lesson

Patricians

Wealthy, land-holding, upper-class, group of powerful Romans. They were basically the rich people of Rome.

Plebeians

The common, regular people of Rome, that were made up of farmers, artisans, and merchants who had little wealth or power. They elected tribunes to represent them in government. They were basically the poor people of Rome.

Senate

The law-makers of Rome that were made up of 300 members from the Patricians and they served for life.

Consuls

Two officials who headed the Roman Republic government. They were elected by the Senate. One managed the government and the other commanded the army.

Tribunes

People who represented the Plebeians in government.

veto

"I forbid" - to forbid/prevent a law from going into effect. Consuls could veto each other's laws.

dictator

A person who was given total power in times of crisis, but the power was temporary.

triumvirate

It is a government by three (tri-) people with equal power, specifically referring to Caesar, Pompey and Crassus.

Julius Caesar

He was made dictator (absolute ruler) in 45BCE. He realized Rome needed reforms, so he gave land to the poor and increased the Senate to 900 members. By increasing the number of Senators, he weakened the Senate's power. He was assassinated by some senators in 44BCE.

gladiator

A prisoner, criminal, or slave who served as a professional fighter in Rome. The most famous place they fought at was the Colosseum.

Tiber River

The river where Rome was founded.

Twelve Tables

The earliest written collection of Roman laws, drawn up by patricians. These twelve codes became the foundation of Roman law. The laws talked about property, crime, family, theft, marriage and inheritance. They were engraved on tablets of metal and put on display at the Forum in the city of Rome, so that everyone could see them.

The Etruscans

Lived in a region just north of Rome called Etruria. Conquered the Romans in 616BC. Introduced the arch and army structure to the Romans.

Republic

A government where some citizens have the right to elect their leaders.

Punic Wars

A series of three wars between Rome and Carthage (264-146 B.C.); Rome won all 3 wars and Carthage was destroyed. Rome became the dominant power in the western Mediterranean.

Hannibal

Carthaginian military commander in the 2nd Punic War. Attempted a surprise attack on Rome by crossing the Alps with a large group of soldiers, horses, and elephants.

peninsula

Land surrounded by water on three sides. Greece and Italy are both peninsulas.

Pax Romana

207 year period of peace in Rome.

Constantine

Emperor of Rome (280-337 CE) who adopted the Christian faith in 313 CE and stopped the persecution of Christians.

emperor

The ruler of an empire.

caesar

The title given to a Roman ruler.

barbarians

A word that Romans used to refer to anyone outside the empire who did not share in the Greek or Roman cultures. Some barbarian tribes were the Vandals, the Visogoths, the Ostrogoths, the Huns.

polytheism

The belief in or worship of many gods and goddesses.

persecute

To punish people for their religious beliefs.

Jesus

A Jewish leader who taught God's law, who spoke of one true God and died upon a crucifix.

Christianity

A religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.

Augustus Caesar

The first emperor of the Roman Empire after Julius Caesar was assassinated, who brought peace and order to Rome and started Pax Romana.

Diocletian

He divided the Roman Empire into 2 parts because it had gotten too big to manage

Constantinople

the name given to Byzantium after it was made the new capital of the Roman Empire; it was the capital of the Eastern Empire

Latin

The official language of Rome; named for the people who settled the city.

aqueduct

A Roman engineering feat that brought fresh water from up to a hundred miles away to Roman cities.

Colosseum

An amphitheater that was used for gladiator fights and other types of entertainment.

Pantheon

A Roman temple dedicated to all the Roman gods.

Forum

An open area near government buildings where Romans would go to express their ideas and discuss politics.

concrete

A Roman invention that enabled buildings to be built quickly while still remaining strong.

Rome

Capital of the Roman Empire.

Tyrrhenian Sea

Protected Rome from the West

Alps Mountains

Protected Rome from the North

Adriatic Sea

Protected Rome from the East

Ionian Sea

Protected Rome from the South

Britain

Farthest northern area conquered by Rome.

Israel/Palestine

This is where Christianity was founded during the Pax Romana.

Carthage

Phoenician city-state that went to war with Rome in the Punic Wars.

Clovis

5th century Frankish leader of a large kingdom who converted to Christianity.

Byzantine Empire

(330-1453) The eastern half of the Roman Empire, which survived after the fall of the Western Empire at the end of the 5th century C.E. Its capital was Constantinople, named after the Emperor Constantine.

Justinian I

Byzantine emperor from 527 to 565; he reunited the parts of the Roman empire, simplified Roman laws with Justinian's Code, and ordered Hagia Sophia built.

Justinian Code

The body of Roman law collected by order of the Byzantine emperor, Justinian around A.D. 534 and lasted about 900 years.

schism

(n.) a formal split within a religious organization; any division or separation of a group or organization into hostile factions

Roman Catholic Church

A branch of Christianity based in Rome. The original Christian church.

Orthodox Church

Eastern church which was created in 1053 after the schism from the western Roman church; its head is the patriarch of Constantinople, also called the Byzantine Church.

mosaic

A picture or pattern produced by arranging together small colored pieces of hard material, such as stone, tile, or glass.