Ancient Rome Test

ideal geographic features of ancient rome:

• its a peninsula located near the Mediterranean

• it is central in helping the romans unify the empire

• it is in the center of roman trade + expansion

• located in the center of Italy

What are ideas that came from Rome?

• republican gov

• aqueducts

What are ideas that Rome took from other civilizations?

• latin

• religion

  • Christianity

• alphabet

• Greek art + architecture

  • columns and sculptures

myth

• main character has supernatural powers or is a god/goddess

• explains how/why something exists w/ no physical evidence

legend

• main character is human

• teaches a lesson

• rooted with some truth but are probably distorted

Rome’s founding legend:

Romulus and Remus

roman republic

• gov where people choose their officials

• lasted 500 yrs

• prevents one person from having too much power

3 branches of gov

senate, assembly, consuls

senate

• controlled by patricians

• land owning upperclass

• made laws and controlled military + money

assembly

• made of representatives elected by plebians

  • common people such as farmers and merchants

• protected civilian rights

consuls

• served for one year

• elected by the assembly

• military leaders and highest judges

at what time does a dictator come into power

in times of war

the twelve tables

• earliest written laws of Rome

• standardized sys of laws that addressed the issues of the individual and the state

• created order for society

  most significant contribution to Europe

what three continents did the roman empire stretch over?

europe, asia, africa

imperialism

establishing control over foreign lands and people

how were the defeated enemies treated?

• with justice

  • kept traditions and local gov

• had to pay taxes and become soldiers in return

golden age of rome

pax roma

pax roma

roman peace, prosperity and wealth

julius caesar

• 46-44 BC

• dictator of rome

• military commander

caesar augustus

• 27 BC-14 AD

• used absolute power

• marked the ending of republic

• beginning of the roman empire

end of pax romana

• 180 AD

• no effective way for one emperor to exceed another after his death

• chaos ensued

  • civil war

  • economy collapse

results of the fall of rome

• corruption

• disorder- weak central gov

• law and order declined

civil war

• generals fought to the death for control over the throne

• 26 emperors from 234-284 AD

economic plummet

• disruption in commerce (buying + selling)

• businesses and cities lost money rapidly

• coin was devalued-thin layer of gold + made too much of it

• prices + wages rose

what made rome become a target to other civilizations?

• economy growing weaker

• too much to handle (size)

• seen as a prize b/c of how advanced and big it was

diocletian

divided the empire in to eastern + western

constantine

• reunited the empire

• created Constantinoble (capital ideal for trade)

• created the ediet of milan

ediet of milan

a letter that proclaimed religious tolerance in rome

Did Christianity become the official religion in rome?

yes, in 395 AD

germanic tribes

• originated from N. Europe

• pushed into Rome by the Huns

  • nomadic group from central asia

  • led by Attila

  • admired the Roman culture + asked them for peaceful safety and partake in their empire

• Rome declined them

• decline cause the collapse of rome

Battle of Adrianople

• major battle between the romans and the goths

• resulted in the goths crushing the roman fleet

What happened to the Western Empire?

• fell in 476 AD

• went into the Dark/Middle Ages

What happened to the Eastern Empire?

• continued to thrive

• became the Byzantine Empire

Roman Famous Advances/Innovations:

• aqueducts

• roads

• art

• architecture

  • arch

scapegoat

people unfairly blamed for something that isn’t their fault

martyr

a person that is killed for their beliefs

who spread christianity

paul