History of the Classical World
Call Kai
Learn
Practice Test
Spaced Repetition
Match
Flashcards
Knowt Play1/197
There's no tags or description
Looks like no tags are added yet.
Name | Mastery | Learn | Test | Matching | Spaced | Call with Kai | Chat |
|---|
No analytics yet
Send a link to your students to track their progress
198 Terms
Heroic Age date
1600-1200 BCE
The Trojan War date
1200 BCE
The Iron Age date
1200-800 BCE
What were the Homeric poems
The Iliad, Odyssey, and the Epic Cycle
Was Homer a Greek poet
No one really knows
What is Livy’s main purpose in writing Roman history
To preserve Rome’s past and provide moral examples
What does Livy say readers should learn from history?
Which customs and actions built or weakened Rome
Why does Livy acknowledge Rome’s legendary origins
He presents traditions without insisting they are all factual
What is Livy’s attitude toward Rome’s early myths
He recognizes their legendary character but uses them meaningfully
What major theme appears in Livy’s Preface
Moral decline and the contrast with Rome’s virtuous past
What virtue is emphasized in Rome’s earliest traditions
Pietas: duty toward gods, family, and community
Who are Romulus and Remus
Twin founders of Rome, raised by a she-wolf
Who is the mother of Romulus and Remus
Rhea Silvia, a Vestal Virgin
Who is the father of Romulus and Remus
Mars, according to Roman tradition
Why are Romulus and Remus exposed as infants
Amulius fears they will threaten his rule
Who orders Romulus and Remus to be exposed
Amulius, king of Alba Longa
Who rescues and raises Romulus and Remus
A she-wolf nurses them; Faustus and his wife raise them
Who is Numitor
The rightful king of Alba Longa and the twins’ grandfather
Who is Amulius
Numitor’s brother who seizes the throne of Alba Longa
How do Romulus and Remus restore Numitor
They defeat Amulius and return the throne to Numitor
Why do Romulus and Remus found their own city
They want their own kingdom and disagree over its location
How is Rome’s founder chosen
The twins use omens from birds to determine divine approval
How does Romulus become Rome’s sole founder
A conflict between the brothers ends with Remus’s death
What does Romulus do after founding Rome
He establishes institutions and expands the new city
Why does Romulus create an asylum
To attract outsiders and increase Rome’s population
What happened during the Iron Age in Greece
Collapse of Mycenaean palace centers and decentralization; no evidence of writing, “Greek Dark ages”
When did synoikism start to begin
800 BCE
What is synoikism
The process by which smaller villages, towns, or communities merged to form a single, unified city-state
Defintion of polis
Unified city-state
What year was Rome founded
753 BCE
Who was Livy
Livy (Titus Livius) was a famous Roman historian
What was the massive book that Livy wrote
Ab Urbe Condita, a massive 142-book history of Rome
Archaic period date
800-500 BCE
What two major things happened in the Archaic period
Development of the Greek alphabet and the development of the polis
What was the Delphic Oracle
The most famous and influential fortune-telling priestess in ancient Greece, believed to deliver divine prophecies directly from the god Apollo
Where was Apollo born
Delos
What was the purpose of writing Herodotus Book 1
To preserve the deeds of the Greeks and barbarians so they are not forgotten in time
Who is Croesus
King of Lydia, famous for wealth and his encounter with Solon
What people does Croesus rule
The Lydians
How does Croesus become king
he succeeds his father Alyattes
Who is Solon
An Athenian lawgiver who visits Croesus
Why does Croesus ask Solon who is happiest
He wants Solon to confirm that his wealth makes him happiest
Who does Solon name among the happiest
Tellus of Athens, because he lives well and died honorably
What lesson does Solon give Croesus
A person cannot be called fortunate until their life is complete
What happens to Croesus’ son Atys
He is accidentally killed during a boar hunt
Who kills Atys
Adrastus, an exiled man whom Croesus had sheltered
What does Croesus do after Atys’ death
He sends an offering to Apollo and seeks an oracle about Persia
What does the oracle tell Croesus
If he attacks Persia, he will destroy a great empire
Why is the oracle’s message misleading
Croesus assumes it means Persia, but it refers to his own empire
Who is Cyrus
King of Persia who defeats Croesus and conquers Lydia
How does Cyrus defeat Croesus
He defeats the Lydians and captures Sardis
What happens to Croesus after Sardis falls
He is captured by Cyrus and placed on a funeral pyre
What does Croesus call out on the pyre
Solon’s name, remembering his warning about fortune
How does Cyrus respond to Croesus’ story
He spares Croesus and treats him as a wise adviser
Who are the Medes and Persians
Major eastern peoples whose history leads to Persian imperial power
What causes conflict between Lydia and Persia
Croesus seeks revenge and expansion against Cyrus
What role do oracles play in Book 1
They influence decisions but often require careful interpretation
What recurring theme does Croesus’ story illustrate
Human fortune is unstable and cannot be judged too early
What does Herodotus suggest about wealth
Wealth alone does not guarantee happiness or security
Why is Cyrus important to Book 1
His rise marks the expansion of Persian power under a major ruler
What is Polybius’ chief cause of success or failure
The form of a state’s constitution
What are the six forms of government
Kingship, Aristocracy, Democracy, Monarchy, Oligarchy, Mob-Rule
What is Polybius’ cycle of political revolution
Monarchy, kingship, tyranny, aristocracy, oligarchy, democracy, mob-rule, monarchy
Why does Polybius favor a mixed constitution
It combines different forms of government and prevents one from dominating
What three elements make up Rome’s constitution
Consuls, Senate, and people
What does each Roman element represent
Consuls = monarchy; Senate = aristocracy; people = democracy
What is the main power of the consuls
Administration and military command
What is the main power of the Senate
Finance, justice, and foreign affairs
What is the main power of the people
Honors, punishments, elections, laws, war, peace, and treaties
How do the three parts check each other
Each depends on and can obstruct the others
Why is this especially effective during external danger
The three parts cooperate, making Rome exceptionally powerful
How does the constitution prevent domination during prosperity
Each part can restrain the others when one becomes too powerful
Who were the Kings of Rome
Romulus (753-715 BCE); Numa Pompilius (715-673 BCE); Lucius Tarquinius Superbus (534-509 BCE)
When was the end of monarchy
509 BCE
Who was Lucretia
Wife of Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus
What happened to Lucretia
She was raped by Sextus Tarquinius, the son of Rome’s tyrannical Etruscan king, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus
How did Lucretia die
She confessed that she has not been virtuous and stabbed herself to death
When was the Expulsion of the Kings
509 BCE
What and when was the struggle of the orders
(500s-490s BCE): A political and social war between the Patricians and the Plebians
What were the three core principles
All Roman Citizens can vote (men of age w/ Roman citizenship)
Elect two guys that have veto of each other
Every one of them has a one year term
Did the Roman Republic work
No, it failed because individual leaders decided to go against it
Why does Xenophon wonder about Sparta
It was thinly populated yet the most powerful and celebrated city in Greece
What does Xenophon wonder about Sparta
The institutions established by Lycurgus
How did Lycurgus create Sparta’s system
By devising a system utterly different from most other states
Why did Lycurgus require physical training for women
He believed strong parents would produce more vigorous offspring
What did Lycurgus believe was the most important function of freeborn women
Motherhood
Who controlled Spartan boys under Lycurgus
The Warden, a member of the class from which the highest offices were filled
What effect did Spartan discipline aim to produce
Modesty and obedience
Why did Spartan boys go without shoes
To harden their feet and improve physical abilities
Why did boys wear one garment year-round
To prepare them to face changes of heat and cold
How much food were Spartan boys given
A moderate amount, so they would know what it was to remain hungry
Why were Spartan boys allowed to steal food
To alleviate hunger and train resourcefulness
Why was a boy beaten if caught stealing
Because he had carried out the training badly by getting caught
Why did Lycurgus impose constant work on the lads
He feared self-will, insolence, and growing appetites for pleasure
Why did Lycurgus create rivalry among young men
He believed competition in valor would produce greater manly excellence
Why did Lycurgus establish public messes
To reduce misconduct and disregard of orders
Why were Spartan messes made up of mixed ages
So elders could contribute to the education of juniors
How did Lycurgus reduce the attraction of wealth
He required equal food contributions and the same standard of living
How did Spartan coinage discourage wealth
Evem ten minae required much space and a wagon to transport
Why were the Ephors given great power
Their power was thought to make citizens more obedient