History of Empires and Ancient Civilizations

Vocabulary flashcards covering the history of empires, prehistoric periods, Ancient Greece, the Roman Republic, the Roman Empire, and the spread of Christianity.

Histoire

The study of the human past, used to explain the present, understand the functioning of societies, learn about other cultures, and develop judgment and critical thinking.

Imperium

The Latin term meaning power and authority, from which the word 'empire' originates.

Empire

A type of state characterized by significant power, an extended territory, rule over multiple peoples, centralized authority, and a sense of intrinsic superiority.

Préhistoire

The period of human history between 3,000,000 BC and 300 BC, characterized by a lack of writing.

Homo Sapiens

The human species that appeared 300,000 years ago.

Cité-état

An autonomous city functioning as an independent country, characteristic of Ancient Greece before any unification.

Citoyenneté (Grèce antique)

Citizenship in Ancient Greece requiring three conditions: being male, at least 30 years old, and the son of a citizen.

Polythéisme

A religious belief system with multiple gods who possess human appearance and behaviors, each assigned a specific domain or function.

Zeus

The ancient Greek god of the sky and father of men and gods.

Poséidon

The ancient Greek god of the sea.

Apollon

The ancient Greek god of the sun.

Arès

The ancient Greek god of war.

Aphrodite

The ancient Greek goddess of beauty and love.

Hadès

The ancient Greek god of the dead and the underworld.

Déméter

The ancient Greek goddess of wheat.

Alexandre le Grand

The King of Macedonia who conquered territories across Africa and Asia up to India between -334 and -323 BC, spreading Greek culture.

Alexandrie

The name given to cities founded by Alexandre le Grand across his short-lived empire to propagate Greek culture.

Rémus et Romulus

The two legendary brothers who founded the city of Rome.

Sénat (République romaine)

The governing body of senators in Republican Rome that controlled the budget and voted on laws.

Légion romaine

The highly trained and powerful army of Rome.

Étrusques

An ancient city-state people in central Italy, older than the Romans, who were conquered by Rome in the 5th century BC.

Guerres puniques

The military conflicts in the 2nd century BC in which Rome defeated Carthage.

Pax romana

A Roman peace agreement offering five main advantages: protection, resources, trade, tolerance, and infrastructure.

Jules César

The Roman general who conquered Gaul, initiated a civil war to gain full powers as dictator, and was assassinated in 44 BC.

Auguste

The heir to Jules César's wealth and influence who founded the Roman Empire in 27 BC.

Pater Familias

The male head of the Roman household who held absolute authority over his family and had the power to sell family members into slavery.

Saint-Sépulcre

An important site in Jerusalem associated with the execution of Jesus around the year 30 AD.

Saint Pierre

An apostle who founded the Church and the Papacy, and was later captured and crucified.

Édit de Milan

A law of religious freedom enacted under Emperor Constantin that allowed tolerance and growth for Christianity in the Roman Empire.

Théodose

The Roman emperor who made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire.

Romulus Augustule

The last Roman emperor, deposed in 476 AD when the Western Roman Empire collapsed.

Peuples germaniques

Non-unified tribes originating from Germania, pejoratively termed 'barbares', whose invasions contributed to the fall of the Western Roman Empire.