CL322 Final Exam Review

These flashcards cover major figures, events, and concepts from the final exam review in CL322, focusing on the history of Ancient Rome.

Pompey

first triumvirate member, allied with the senate against caesar, fought against caesar in civil war (49-48 bc), defeated at pharsalus (48), murdered in egypt

Crassus

super rich, first triumvirate, crushed spartacus, failed in parthia, died in carrhae 53 bc

First Triumvirate

An informal political alliance between Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus because the senate was blocking them. broke up when crassus died, pompey helped the senate again, led to civil war against caesar.

Cicero

Roman statesman, orator, and author known for his speeches against Catiline. New man, consul in 63, clashed with caesar and antony, executed in 43 bc through proscriptions

Rubicon

River in italy, caesar crossed in 49 bc, committed treason and resulted in civil war

Ides of March

Date of Julius Caesar's assassination in 44 BCE, march 15th

Proscriptions

Political purges that resulted in executions and confiscation of property, led by second triumvirate

Vergil

Roman poet known for the Aeneid, died in 19 bc, bug augustus fan

Augustus

First Roman emperor, originally named Octavian.

Aeneas

A mythical hero of Troy and the protagonist of Vergil's Aeneid.

Dido

Queen of Carthage; lover of Aeneas in the Aeneid.

Forum of Augustus

Started in 42 bc, finished in 2 bc, featured temple of mars, large courtyard with statues of famous romans,

Mark Antony

Ally to caesar, second triumvirate (43 bc), relationship with cleopatra, lost battle of actium, died in alexandria in 30 bc

Cleopatra

Relantionship with caesar and antony, lost actium, died in alexandria

Saecular games

Religious festivals celebrated in ancient Rome to symbolize a new era, held by augustus in 17 bc to celebrate peace and divine favor

Tiberius

stepson of augustus, emperor from 17 to 37, known as resclusive

Treason trials

Trials during Tiberius's reign, used to eliminate political rivals.

Claudius

Nephew of Tiberius, uncle of Caligula, emperor in 41 ad, conquered britian, improved legal system, built aquaducts, generally good ruler, died in 54,

Fire of 64

Devastating fire in Rome during Nero's reign, Nero was not there and instead played his fiddle, nero accused christians

Christians in Rome in the 1st Century

small minority, mistrusted by Romans, persecuted by Nero

Nero

54-68, murdered his mother, senate declared him a public enemy, committed suicide

Burrus

key advisor to Nero, died in 62, Nero went wild after

Seneca

A Roman philosopher, statesman, and playwright who served as an advisor to Emperor Nero, often advocating for Stoic philosophy, 4-65, died by forced suicide

Colosseum

Large amphitheater, started by vespasian in 70 and finished by titus in 80

Vespasian

69-79 bc, first of the flavian dynasty, taxed luxury goods to refill romes treasury

Domitian

son of vespasian, 81-96, paranoid and authoritarian, hated by senate, assasinated, used taxes to fund the palace of domitian

Trajan

98-117, one of the five good emperors, expanded roman empire to include dacia, improved romes infrastructure

Forum of Trajan

107-113, celebrating Trajans Dacian victory, includes market, temple, library, and monumental column detailing the battles.

Dacian Wars

Military campaigns fought by Trajan against the Dacians, 101-106, resulting in the Roman conquest of Dacia and expanded territory and extra resources.

Tacitus

56-120 ad, roman historian, often wrote critically of the emprerors (nero and domitian)

Hadrian

117-138, adopted by Trajan, consolidated empire strength, built hadrian’s wall in 122 to mark nothern limit to empire, traveled around the empire

Marcus Aurelius

161-180, joint ruled with verus, stoic philosopher, plague during his reign took out tons of people

Column of Marus Aurelius

A triumphal column in Rome commemorating the victories of Marcus Aurelius in the Marcomannic Wars, adorned with reliefs depicting scenes from his military campaigns. 180-193

Commodus

180-192, son of marcus aurelius, become co ruler in 177, thought he was a living god, paranoid, cruel, assasinted

Severans

A Roman imperial dynasty that ruled from 193 to 235 AD, known for military expansion and consolidating power, including notable emperors like Septimius Severus and Caracalla.

Crisis of the third century

235–284, started with severus alexander was assasinated by his own troops, 26 emperors in 50 years, usually chosen by army, external invasions, economic collapse, recovered under diocletin

Decius

A Roman emperor who ruled from 249 to 251 AD, known for initiating the first empire-wide persecution of Christians.

Christian persecutions in the 3rd Century

A series of campaigns against Christians in the Roman Empire, especially during Decius in 250. Required public sacrifice to roman gods, christians who refused were imprisoned or executed.

Diocletian

284–305, ended crisis of the third century, established tetrarchy, professionalized administration, persecuted christians, and restructured the provinces of the Roman Empire to improve governance and stability.

Tetrarchy

Division of the Roman Empire into four regions, each ruled by a co-emperor. 2 augustus and 2 caesars, 293

Constantine

306–337, first christian emperor, legalized christianity and gave freedom of religion.wins battle of milvian bridge in 312.

Council at Nicea/Arianism

led by constantine, meant to unify church, talk about the body of christ, decided that they have the same body, opposed arianism

Constantinople

constantine’s new city, estalished in 330, where he put his giant arch. It became the capital of the Byzantine Empire. very christian.

Battle of Philippi

A battle in which Mark Antony and Octavian defeated Brutus and Cassius.

Battle of Actium

31 bc, naval battle between cleo and antony vs octavian, cleo and antony flee

Parthia/Persia

Crassus defeated in 53, Trajan, Severus, and Carcalla launched campaigns, augustus diplomatic victory in 20 bc

Second Triumvirate

The political alliance formed in 43 BC between Octavian, Mark Antony, and Lepidus to defeat the assassins of Julius Caesar and control the Roman Republic.

Praetorian Guard

started by augustus, elite bodyguards, gained power and influence, murdered caligula :(, disbanded by constantine

First Jewish revolt

66-73 ad, jewish people expelled romans from judea, nero sent vespasian, killed a lot of people

Pliny the Younger

A Roman author and lawyer, known for his letters that provide insight into Roman life and governance, and for his account of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. 61-113 ad

Pompeii

An ancient Roman city that was destroyed and buried under volcanic ash during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.

Antonine constitution

carcalla, 212, all free inhabitants become citizens

Sacks of Rome

Refers to a series of invasions and pillaging of Rome by various groups, including the Visigoths in 410 AD and the Vandals in 455 AD, ostrogoths in 476 AD, which marked the decline of the Roman Empire.

Romulus Augustus

475-476, basically quits being emperor and ends his section of the roman empire

Law codes of the Roman Empire

Theodosian code 438, organized and compiled laws, justinian code, 529-534 added new laws

The secret was out: emperors could be made outside of Rome

Tacitus about 69 bc year of four emperors, saying that they could be chosen by not just rome but province outsie also

Suetonius

d.122, wrote about the emperors