Lecture on Ancient to Medieval Civilizations

These flashcards cover key concepts from the lecture notes, including ancient civilizations, significant historical events, and important figures from the Paleolithic era through the Renaissance.

What does the term Paleolithic refer to?

The period characterized by the development of early human tools and hunter-gatherer societies.

What was a key feature of Neolithic societies?

Small settlements and the beginnings of agriculture.

What significant law code was established in Mesopotamia?

Hammurabi's Code, which set out laws and punishments.

What is a mastaba?

An ancient Egyptian tomb with a flat roof and sloping sides.

What was the importance of the Rosetta Stone?

It enabled the translation of Egyptian hieroglyphics.

What characteristics define Hebrew society as discussed in the notes?

It was classless and monotheistic.

Who were the Phoenicians?

An ancient civilization known for developing the alphabet and establishing colonies such as Carthage.

What were the three main pre-Atlantic civilizations?

Cycladic, Minoan (sea), and Mycenaean (land).

What battle marked a significant event in the Greco-Persian Wars?

The Battle of Marathon.

Who was Alexander III, known as 'the Great'?

Son of Philip II and student of Aristotle, he created a vast empire.

What were the three Roman social classes?

Patricians, plebeians, and slaves.

What was the significance of the Battle of Zama?

It ended the Punic Wars and marked the downfall of the Carthaginian kingdom.

Who were Octavian and Tiberius?

Octavian was the first Roman emperor, who appointed Tiberius as his successor.

Who was St. Paul?

The first Christian who organized early Christianity and was a Roman citizen.

What was Diocletian known for?

He introduced the tetrarchy, a system of four rulers.

What did Constantine the Great achieve regarding Christianity?

He made Christianity legal and moved the capital to Constantinople.

What was the Iconoclastic Controversy?

A conflict in Byzantium over the use of religious images that divided the empire.

What marked the beginning of the Byzantine Empire?

The Fourth Crusade's capture of Constantinople in 1204.

What was the Magna Carta?

A charter that limited the powers of the king and laid the foundation for modern democracy.

What movement did Thomas Aquinas represent before the Renaissance?

Scholasticism.

What was the Black Death?

A devastating plague that resulted in the loss of about 50% of Europe's population.

What was the 100 Years' War?

A series of conflicts between France and England that contributed to the end of feudalism.

What was a key consequence of the Avignon Papacy?

A controversy between the French king and the pope that affected the power of the church.

What are the three forms of Renaissance discussed?

Rebirth of Greco-Roman culture, truth, faith, and law.

Who authored 'The Prince'?

Machiavelli.

What sparked the Protestant Reformation?

Martin Luther's 95 Theses against church practices.

What was the Peace of Augsburg?

A treaty that ended religious civil wars in the Holy Roman Empire.