Ancient Roman Vocab

Republic

an era of ancient Roman civilization from 509 BC to 27 BC when the government was run as a public matter rather than ruled by a king

Patrician

a member of the elite, ruling upper class who claimed descent from the city’s earliest founding families

Plebian

a general free citizen who belonged to the common non-aristocratic social class

Consul

one of the two highest elected chief magistrates who jointly led the Roman Republic

Senate

the governing and advisory assembly of politicians in ancient Rome, representing the elite aristocracy

Dictator

a temporary, emergency leade3r given absolute power by the state to handle a sudden crisis

Legion

the largest military unit of the ancient Roman army made up of heavily armed infantrymen who were Roman citizen’s

Punic Wars

a series of three major conflict fought between the Roman Republic and Carthaginian Empire from 264 to 146 BC for dominance over the western Mediterranean

Hannibal

a general who commanded the Carthaginian army in the second Punic War; crossed the Alps and defeated the Romans but was recalled to defend Carthage and was defeated (247-182BC)

Civil War

a conflict between groups within a single country, like the American Civil War between the north and south

Julius Caesar

conqueror of Gaul and master of Italy from 100 - 44 BC

Triumvirate

a group of three people who share power

Augustus

a Roman statesman who established the Roman Empire and became emperor in 27 BC; defeated both Mark Antony and Cleopatra in 31 BC at Actium (63 BC - 14 AD)

Pax Romana

the Roman peace; the long period of peace enforced on the states in the Roman Empire

Jesus

a teacher and prophet born in Bethlehem and active in Nazareth; his life and sermons from the basis for Christianity (4 BC - 29 AD)

Paul

a Christian missionary to the Gentiles; author of several Epistles in the New Testament; even though Paul was not present at the Last Supper he is considered an Apostle

Apostle

1.) one of the original 12 disciples chosen by Christ to preach his gospel

2.) any important early teacher of Christianity or a Christian missionary to a people

Diaspora

the dispersion of the Jews outside Israel; from the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in 587-86 BC when they were exiled by Babylonia up to the present time

Constantine

an Emperor of Rome who stopped the persecution of Christians and in 324 made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire; in 330 he moved his capital from Rome to Byzantium and renamed it Constantinople (280-337)

Bishop

a bishop is a religious authority figure in some Christians churches. In many churches, a bishop ordains, or appoints, ministers, and priests

Peter

a disciple of Jesus and leader of the Apostles; regarded by Catholics as the vicar of Christ on earth and first Pope

Pope

an English poet and satirist

inflation

a general and progressive increase in price

Mercenary

a person hired to fight for another country than their own

Diocletian

a Roman