Greece and Rome: Vocab

Monotheistic Religion

A religion with one god.

Polytheistic Religion

A religion with many gods.

Representative Democracy

A form of government where the public participates in government decisions.

Direct Democracy

A government where the public votes on laws and decisions directly.

Theocracy

A form of government that gets its power from religion.

Monarchy

A government having a single ruler, such as a king.

Aristocracy

A government of a small group of noble, landowning families.

Oligarchy

A government ruled by a few powerful people.

City-States

A city and its surrounding region controlled by a central government.

Polis

A Greek city-state.

“Golden Age of Athens”

A period of flourishing culture, art, and philosophy in Athens.

Pericles

Athenian soldier and leader, in power from 461-429 B.C.

Aristocrat

A member of the upper class.

Classical Art

An art form that portrays an ideal sense of beauty.

Drama

A written work intended for performance on stage.

Comedy

A lighthearted drama with humor, often making fun of situations.

Tragedy

A serious drama that explores themes of love, hate, war, and betrayal.

Philosopher

A lover of wisdom, a thinker who questions big ideas in search of truth.

Socrates

A Greek philosopher who questioned moral character and sought the meaning of truth and justice.

Plato

A philosopher and student of Socrates who questioned the perfect order for society.

Aristotle

A philosopher and student of Plato who explored knowledge, belief, and the nature of the world.

Peloponnesian War

A war between Athens and Sparta.

Phalanx

A foot soldier-fighting formation.

Persian War

A conflict between allied Greek city-states and the Persian Empire from 499 to 449 BC.

Alexander the Great

Conqueror who expanded the Roman Empire and was a student of Aristotle.

Hellenistic

A hybrid culture that developed from the conquests of Alexander the Great.

Ptolemy

An astronomer who incorrectly placed the Earth at the center of the solar system.

Euclid

A mathematician known for his work in geometry and proofs.

Archimedes

A Greek mathematician and inventor known for contributions in various sciences.

Roman Republic

A government where power rests with the populace capable of electing rulers.

Romulus and Remus

The legendary founders of Rome, associated with a she-wolf.

753 BC

The year when Rome was founded.

509 BC

The year the Roman Republic was established.

Patrician

Wealthy landowners who held most of the power in Rome.

Plebeian

Common farmers, artisans, and merchants, making up the majority of the population.

Tribunes

Government officials that protect the rights of plebeians from patrician abuse.

The Twelve Tables

A set of written laws created in 451 BC.

Consuls

Leaders who commanded the army and directed the government, serving for one year.

Senate

A legislative body in Rome made up of aristocrats and plebeians.

Dictator

An official elected in times of crisis who held absolute power.

Roman Legions

Military units of 5,000 soldiers, used in the Punic Wars.

Julius Caesar

Key leader in the Roman Republic who was assassinated by his friends.

Triumvirate

A group of three rulers.

“The Ides of March”

The date of Julius Caesar's assassination associated with misfortune.

Pax Romana

A period of peace in the Roman Empire.

The 5 Good Emperors

Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antonius Pius, and Marcus Aurelius.

Augustus

The title of Octavian, the founder of the Roman Empire.

Civil Service

Employment in the public sector by a government department.

Jesus

Son of God, who came to save humanity from sin.

Christos

The Greek word for savior.

Jewish Rebellion

The first rebellion within the Roman Empire between 66-70 AD.

Diaspora

The dispersal of Jews from their homeland.

Formation of Israel

Establishment of a Jewish state post-World War II for Holocaust survivors.

Constantine

Roman emperor who converted to Christianity and ruled from AD 306 to 337.

Diocletian

Roman emperor who ruled from 284 until his abdication in 305.

The Causes of the Fall of the Roman Empire

Factors including economic weakness, trade disruption, military decline, and outside invasions.

476 AD

The year marking the fall of the Western Roman Empire.

Germanic Invaders

Tribes such as Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Vandals, and Huns that contributed to the fall of Rome.

Principles of the Roman System of Law

Focus on equality and justice for all citizens.

Constantinople-Istanbul

Capitals of the split Roman Empire, eastern and western, from 330 AD to 2025.

Byzantine Empire

The eastern half of the Roman Empire under Constantinople until 1453.