History of Roman Republic - Midterm

Aeneas

Founder of Roman people

Augur

Religious official who interpreted omens, particularly birds

Battle of Caudine Forks

decisive event of second samnites war

Battle of Zama

Final battle of Scipio Africanus and Hannibal

When was the Battle of Zama?

202 BC

Boustrephedonic

written from right to left and from left to right in alternate lines

Census

how much money you make, official count (only men who owned land)

Centuries

Latin: hundred

Way to organize soldiers

Cincinnatus

famous model for Roman virtue (George Washington)

Citizen soldier

class determined by your wealth, armour you could afford

Consul

2 elected annually, assists in citizens abroad

Curia

senate house

Decemviri

Latin: ten men

Demanded laws to be written down

Dedito in fidem

exchange made by conquered citizens incorporated into Rome

Dictator

Latin: to speak

have final say (elected only in times of need)

Equites

Those able to afford horses

Etruscan culture

known for vibrant art and distinctive pottery

Hannibal leads army through Alps to Italy

218 BC

Imperium

Latin: control

Supreme command

Lars Porsenna

Etruscan king

Libertas

Latin: freedom

Livy

Roman historian

Lucretia

her suicide started rebellion against Roman monarchy

Lupa

she-wolf

Mamertines

Mercenaries hired by tyrant of syracuse

Numa Pompilius

second king of Rome (after Romulus)

Palatine, Aventine, Capitoline Hills

Three of the seven hills of Rome

Palestine chosen by Romulus, Aventine chosen by Remus

Patrician

higher class (was determined by familial, not necessarily wealth)

Plebeian

of the people, majority of common people

Pyrrhic victory

success at higher cost to victor that it is almost equal to a defeat

Pyrrus

Greek king, strongest opponent of early Rome

Rape of the Sabines

Romulus throws festival and abducts Sabine women to add to his numbers

Regal period

753-509 BC

Res publica

the public thing

Sack of Corinth

146 BC

Sack of Rome

390 BC

Samnites

most power in the east

Senate

governing and advisory council

Servian constitution

creation of military and political organization

Struggle of the orders

conflict between patricians and plebeians

several plebeian sucessions

Tarquinius Superbus

Seventh and last king of Rome

Thucydides’ trap

two growing powers will inevidably meet in conflict

Tribal system

geographic division of people

Tribune of the plebs

Plebeians could vote

1. Person was sacrosanct (couldn’t lay hands)

2. Held veto power (I forbid!)

Tumulus

Burial mounds

Twelve tables

Law/code written on 12 tablets for all to see

Vestal virgins

priestesses dedicated to Vesta

Rhea Silvia one of them

Via appia

road built in 338 BC

Villanovan culture

known for urn burials

foundation of Etruria

Xanthippus

Spartan mercenary employed by Carthage