Chapter 6: Ancient Rome & monotheism

republic

An indirect democracy, in which citizens vote to elect representatives who make laws and run the government.

patrician

Upper class, wealthy and powerful Roman citizens.

plebeians

The largest group of Roman citizens, who ranged from wealthy to middle class to poor. They had less power in influence than the upper-class group.

Twelve Tables

The first written set of laws in the Roman Republic, created around 450 BC. They were posted in the forum and made all groups accountable to the law.

Punic Wars

The wars between Rome and Carthage in the third and second century BC. Rome eventually defeated its rival superpower and gained control of the western Mediterranean Sea.

Imperialism

When political power is extended over weaker nations or kingdoms, sometimes through conquest. Wealth of conquered lands are used not for their own benefit but to benefit the conqueror.

Pax Romana

The "Roman peace," a time of relative stability for the first two centuries the Roman Empire. It was enforced through violence.

Bread and circuses

The strategy used by the Roman government to keep the poor from rebelling. They provided free food and cheap entertainment to distract people from injustices.

Pharisees

A Jewish group active around the time of Jesus. They were rabbis, leaders in synagogues who studied the Torah and taught people to understand Jewish law.

Sadducees

And up for class Jewish group at the time of Jesus, associated with the priests who ran the Temple in Jerusalem. They did not believe in an afterlife.

Essenes

A Jewish group of the time of Jesus known for being especially spiritual. Upset with the worldly leaders in Jerusalem, they left the city to form a commune in the desert near the Dead Sea. They lived a very simple life devoted to prayer and study. Their library was preserved as the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Zealots

A Jewish group at the time of Jesus that wanted to gain political freedom from the Roman empire.

rabbi

In Judaism, a teacher, a worship leader, someone who studies and teaches Jewish law.

synagogue

In Judaism, a local worship and community center, in both the ancient world and today.

Temple

In ancient Judaism, the one center of worship in Jerusalem, the holiest place in the world to Jews, a place for priests to lead animal sacrifice.

Timeline: the founding of the Roman Republic

c. 500 BC/BCE (actually 509 BC/BCE)

Timeline: the Twelve Tables are written

450 BC/BCE

Timeline: the beginning of the Roman empire

27 BC/BCE

Timeline: the crucifixion of Jesus

c. 30 AD/CE

Timeline: the Romans destroy the Jewish Temple

70 AD/CE

Timeline: Constantine, the Roman emperor, converts to Christianity and makes Christianity legal.

313 AD/CE

Timeline: the last emperor in Rome is defeated, considered by many the "fall" of the Roman Empire in the west.

476 AD/CE

Timeline: Year 1 of Islam.

622 AD/CE

Qur'an

The holy scripture of Islam, which Muslims believe was given to the prophet Muhammad by an angel.

Allah

It means "God" in Arabic.

Muhammad

The founder of Islam, considered by Muslims to be a holy prophet, not a God who is worship.

Muslim

It means one who submits to the will of God.

heresy

A belief that conflicts with official teaching, especially of a religion.

Julius Caesar

He was a Roman political and military leader who conquered call and ended up fighting a civil war, which he won. Event declared himself dictator for life and was assassinated.

Timeline: Julius Caesar is assassinated.

44 BC/BCE

Caesar Augustus

Born Octavian, and adopted by Julius Caesar as his son, he emerges from a power struggle to become the first Roman emperor.

Hannibal

A great general from Carthage, the arch-enemy of the Romans during the republic era. He invaded Italy by surprise, bringing an army and elephants over the Alps, and attacked the Roman military successfully for more than a decade.

Peter

He was chosen by Jesus to be the first leader of the Christian church. His name means the rock. Roman Catholics consider him the first pope.

Paul

He initially attacked Christians but later became a follower of Jesus and wrote many letters to early churches which became books in the New Testament. He is seen as the most influential voice in spreading the message of Jesus to non-Jews.

clergy

Official church leaders (pastors, priests, bishops, etc.) who have been trained and approved by church leadership.

consul

The highest-ranking official position in the Roman Republic. There were two consuls at a time, each elected for one-year terms. A consul supervised government and commanded the military.

Senate

The most powerful government body in the Roman Republic. With an upper-class membership, it made laws. Later, the Senate still had much influence and advised the emperor.

Constantine

The Roman emperor who converted to Christianity. In AD 313, after almost three centuries of persecution, Rome ended its attacks on Christians.