Ancient Rome Vocabulary Botten World History

Republic

A. form of government in which the leader is not a king and certain citizens have the right to vote

Plebeian

in the Roman Republic, a social class made up of minor landholders, craftspeople, merchants and small farmers.

Patrician

A social class of wealthy, powerful landowners, they formed the ruling class in the Roman Republic.

Consul

A cheif executive officer of the Roman republic; two were elected each year to run the government and to lead the army into battle.

Dictator

an absolute ruler

Praetor

an official of the roman republic in charge of enforcing civil law.

triumvirate

a government by three people with equal power

imperator

commander in chief, the Latin origin of the word emperor

paterfamilias

in the Roman social structure, the dominant male head of the household, which also included his wife, sons and their wives and children, unmarried daughters, and slaves

insulae

Roman apartment blocks constructed of concrete with wooden-beam floors

guaranteed

assured the fufillment of a condition

primary

most important

financial

relating to the management of funds

instability

the quality or state of being liable to change or alteration

virtually

almost entirely; nearly

institution

an organization for the promotion of a cause