Medieval History Rome

Roman Empire

A vast empire that grew too large to govern, leading to a series of problems and ultimately its downfall.

Eastern and Western Roman Empire

The empire was divided into two parts, the Eastern and Western Roman Empire, in an attempt to manage its size.

Barbarians

The Romans hired barbarians to fight for them as a solution to the problem of Roman men no longer wanting to serve in the army.

Civil wars

Civil wars broke out in Rome between different factions, contributing to the problems faced by the Western Roman Empire.

Diocletian

The emperor who split the Roman Empire into the Eastern and Western Roman Empire in 285 CE.

Patricians and Plebeians

The division of people in the Roman Republic, with Patricians being aristocrats who made decisions for the public good and Plebeians being common people who could vote but not hold public office.

Twelve Tables

Roman laws that were codified in 450 BC, forming the basis of Roman Law.

Pax Romana

A period of peace and growth in the Roman Empire, lasting for the first 200 years of the Empire.

Constantinople

The capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, established by Emperor Constantine and later renamed Istanbul.

Byzantine Empire

The Eastern Roman Empire, which continued for another 1000 years after the fall of the Western Roman Empire.

Roman Law

The legal system of the Roman Empire, which evolved and became more complex over time, and formed the foundation of many legal systems in Europe.

Dark Ages

The period of decline and disintegration of the Western Roman Empire, leading to a lack of unity and the rise of Germanic invaders.

Legacy of the Romans

The Romans left a basis for legal codes, infrastructure such as roads, and architectural developments like the arch.

Middle Ages

The period between the fall of Rome and the Renaissance, characterized by the decline of the Western Roman Empire and the rise of feudalism.

Peloponnesian Wars

Wars primarily between Athens and Sparta, which led to the decline of Greece.

Golden Age of Greece

A period of cultural and intellectual flourishing in Greece, characterized by the contributions of philosophers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.

Hellenism

The blend of Greek and Middle Eastern cultures.

Hippocratic Oath

An oath taken by doctors, attributed to Hippocrates, a Greek philosopher.

Leonidas I

The leader of Sparta during the Persian Wars.

Pericles

The famous leader and builder of Athens during its Golden Age.

Olympic Games

The most important games in Greece, held every four years in Olympia.

Greek Classical Age

A period characterized by religious revival, racial diversity, social equality, and a questioning spirit.

Code of Justinian

The chief source and authority on Roman Law, authorized by Emperor Justinian in 529 AD.

Arch

A structural element developed by the Romans and used in bridges, temples, basilicas, and aqueducts.

Christianity

A religion that threatened the rule of the Roman emperors and eventually gained acceptance under Emperor Constantine.

Pope

The bishop of Rome who claimed to be the divinely ordained head of the Church.

Israel

The land promised to Abraham if he believed in the One God, which is Israel.

Constantine

The Roman Emperor who converted to Christianity, ending the persecution of Christians by the Romans.

Hadrian’s Wall

The greatest military barrier in the western world

Francis

The current Pope, the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church.