HI 207 NCSU Final (Paulette)

Gracchi

two brothers, Tiberius and Gaius Graccus, who saw the need for reform in the Roman Republic (tried to redistribute land to small farmers)

Sulla

Commander and dictator. Rival of Marius, He marches on Rome and takes control of the senate, he kills all who oppose him. Tries to reestablish senate as roman body of control. Is friends with pompey

Principate

A term used to characterize Roman government in the first three centuries CE, based on the ambiguous title princept ("first citizen") adopted by Augustus to conceal his military dictatorship

Vandals

One of a group of Germanic tribes who invaded and destroyed territory in the Roman empire.

Hannibal

Carthaginian military commander who, in the Second Punic War, attempted a surprise attack on Rome, crossing the Alps with a large group of soldiers, horses, and elephants.

Edict of Milan

issued by Constantine in 313, ended the "great persecution" and legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire

Dictator

A ruler who has complete power over a country

Social War

War fought from 91-88 BCE between Rome and her Italian allies (socii) over the citizenship rights of Rome's conquered peoples. Resulted, in 89 BCE, in the extension of citizenship to all Italians willing to lay down their arms.

Constantine

Emperor of Rome who adopted the Christian faith and stopped the persecution of Christians (280-337)

Alesia

Fortress in which Caesar beats the Gauls, one of greatest sieges in ancient warfare

Latium

A plain on the west coast of Italy on which the city of Rome was built

Spartacus

A Roman gladiator who led the most serious slave revolt in Roman history from 73 to 71 B.C.E.

Marius

A Roman general who was elected consul seven times- he is known for the big changes he made to the Roman army, making it easier for men to be Roman soldiers

Romulus

Legendary hero who founded Rome

First Civil War

fought between Marius (for the masses) and Sulla (for the Senate), Sulla wins

Julius Caesar

Made dictator for life in 45 BCE, after conquering Gaul, assassinated in 44 BCE by the Senate because they were afraid of his power

Carthage

City located in present-day Tunisia, founded by Phoenicians ca. 800 B.C.E. It became a major commercial center and naval power in the western Mediterranean until defeated by the expanding Roman Republic in the third century B.C.E.

Pax Romana

A period of peace and prosperity throughout the Roman Empire, lasting from 27 B.C. to A.D. 180.

Patrician

In ancient Rome, a member of the privileged upper class.

bacchanalian

pertaining to riotous or drunken festivity; pertaining to revelry

Gaul

An ancient region and Roman province that included most of present-day France

Lucretia

She represented Roman honor, virtue and everything good about Roman women. She was raped by Tarquin's son, and he threatened to kill her if she told anyone. She killed herself as a result, causing the Romans to rebel against the Etruscans, freeing themselves from their Etruscan overlords.

Diocletian

Roman emperor of 284 C.E. Attempted to deal with fall of Roman Empire by splitting the empire into two regions run by co-emperors. Also brought armies back under imperial control, and attempted to deal with the economic problems by strengthening the imperial currency, forcing a budget on the government, and capping prices to deal with inflation. Civil war erupted upon his retirement.

Augustus

First emperor of Rome (27 BCE - 14 CE) He restored order and prosperity to the Empire after nearly a century of turmoil. Grandnephew to Julius Caesar. (means majestic)

Visigoths

A member of the western Goths that invaded the Roman Empire in the fourth century A.D. and settled in France and Spain, establishing a monarchy that lasted until the early eighth century.

Mark Antony

Caesar's right-hand man, teamed with Octavian to punish Caesar's murders, fell in love with Cleopatra, went into civil war, at Battle of Actium, he and Cleopatra fled and committed suicide

Aeneid

Written by Virgil. Story of Aeneas, a trojan soldier who finds rome after war.

First Trumvirate

Created in 60 BC

Julius Caesar join forces with Pompey the military general and Crassus the rich patrician

Constantinople

City founded as the second capital of the Roman Empire; later became the capital of the Byzantine Empire. Located in modern day Turkey

Vibia Perpetua

Christian woman with child who was arrested and killed (203 AD) known as saint. (arrested because she was a christian and flaunting it), an important martyr in 201, woman important because we have her account of her life and eyewitness accounts as well

First Punic War

264 B.C. - 241 B.C., Rome and Carthage fought over island of Sicily, was a naval war, Rome was losing because they did not have a good navy, Romans figured out how to board the Carthage ships and fight them there, Romans gained control of Sicily, Corsica and Sardinia (Islands)

Second Triumvirate

Antony, Octavian, Lepidus

Asceticism

severe self-discipline and avoidance of all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons.

Conflict (Struggle) of the Orders

was a political struggle between the Plebeians (commoners) and Patricians (aristocrats) of the ancient Roman Republic, in which the Plebeians sought political equality with the Patricians.

Second Civil War

Julius Caesar vs. Pompey

Roman Republic: Origins and/or conquest of the Mediterranean (c. 509 - 150 BCE)

-The first major conflict was the First Punic War (264-241 BCE), fought against the powerful North African city-state of Carthage. Rome emerged victorious and gained control of Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica

-The Second Punic War (218-201 BCE): Carthage, led by the brilliant general Hannibal, waged war against Rome. Rome emerged victorious once again, and Carthage was forced to cede territory in Spain and pay a large indemnity to Rome.

-Period of the Roman Republic, not the Roman Empire. The Roman Republic was characterized by a system of government in which two consuls were elected annually to govern the state, and the Senate served as the advisory body to the consuls.

Roman Republic: Collapse (c. 150 - 31 BCE)

-The Battle of Actium: In 31 BCE, Octavian's forces defeated those of Mark Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium, securing Octavian's position as the sole ruler of Rome and the first emperor of the Roman Empire.

-The First Triumvirate: In 60 BCE, three of Rome's most powerful men, Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus, formed a political alliance known as the First Triumvirate. Together, they dominated Roman politics and made decisions that undermined the Republic's institutions.

-The Gracchi Brothers: In the 2nd century BCE, the Gracchi Brothers, Tiberius and Gaius, attempted to address the social and economic problems facing Rome by implementing land reforms and other measures to benefit the lower classes. However, their reforms were fiercely opposed by the wealthy elite, and both brothers were eventually assassinated.

Roman Empire: Formation and/or Roman Peace (c. 31 BCE - 192 CE)

- The formation of the Roman Empire: The Roman Empire was established by Augustus, the first emperor of Rome, in 27 BCE. Augustus reformed the Roman government and established the principate, a new system of government that gave him broad authority over the Roman state. The Roman Empire would go on to last for centuries, becoming one of the greatest empires in world history.

- The Pax Romana: The Pax Romana, or Roman Peace, was a period of relative stability and prosperity that lasted from the reign of Augustus until the death of Marcus Aurelius in 180 CE. During this period, the Roman Empire was at the height of its power, and the economy and society flourished. The Pax Romana was characterized by peace, security, and a relatively high standard of living for the empire's citizens.

- Roman expansion and conquest: During the Roman Empire period, the Roman Empire continued to expand its territory through military conquest and colonization. Some of the most significant conquests during this period include the annexation of Egypt, the conquest of Britain, and the expansion of the empire into Germany and central Europe.

Roman Empire: Crisis and/or recovery (c. 192 - 337 CE)

- Religious and cultural changes: The Roman Empire underwent significant changes in religion and culture during this period, with the rise of Christianity as a major force in the empire. Christianity was eventually made the official religion of the empire under the rule of Constantine the Great in the early 4th century.

- Economic challenges: The Roman economy faced significant challenges during this period, including inflation and declining agricultural productivity. The cost of maintaining the empire's vast bureaucracy and military apparatus put a strain on the economy, leading to increased taxation and other economic hardships.

-Marcus Aurelius was a Roman emperor who ruled from 161-180 CE, and is considered one of the "Five Good Emperors" of Rome. His reign was marked by stability, prosperity, and significant military victories against the Germanic tribes on Rome's northern frontier. He was also a philosopher-king who espoused the principles of Stoicism, and his writings on philosophy, collected in the Meditations, remain influential to this day.

Roman Empire: Decline, collapse, and/or transformation (c. 337 - 476 CE)

- The sack of Rome by the Visigoths in 410 CE, which was the first time in nearly 800 years that Rome had been sacked by a foreign enemy. The event is seen as a symbolic turning point in the decline of the Western Roman Empire.

- The fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 CE is often attributed to the deposition of the last Western Roman emperor, Romulus Augustus, by the Germanic chieftain Odoacer. However, the causes of the collapse were complex and multifaceted, and included economic decline, political instability, military weakness, and the pressure of external invasions.

- The division of the empire: In the late 3rd century, the Roman Empire was divided into two parts: the Western Roman Empire and the Eastern Roman Empire (also known as the Byzantine Empire). This division was made in an attempt to make the empire easier to govern, but it also reflected the growing political and cultural differences between the eastern and western regions of the empire.

write a brief essay (at least 12 sentences) that traces one theme across the entire ancient Mediterranean world (i.e. ancient Near East, ancient Greece, and ancient Rome

- One theme that runs through the entire ancient Mediterranean world is the idea of empire and its impact on political and cultural structures. From the ancient Near East to ancient Greece and Rome, empires rose and fell, leaving a lasting impact on the societies that came after them.

- The ancient Near East saw the rise of empires such as the Akkadian Empire and the Babylonian Empire. These empires exerted significant influence over neighboring territories, spreading their language, religion, and culture. The Babylonian Empire, for example, is known for its law code, the Code of Hammurabi, which established a set of laws and punishments that became a template for future legal systems.

- In ancient Greece, the idea of empire was embodied in the city-state of Athens. Athens, through its military and economic power, established a vast network of colonies and territories, known as the Athenian Empire. This empire allowed Athens to exert significant cultural influence, spreading Greek language, art, and philosophy throughout the Mediterranean world.

- In ancient Rome, the concept of empire reached new heights. The Roman Empire became one of the largest and most powerful empires in world history, stretching from Britain to Egypt. The Roman Empire was known for its military might, its engineering achievements, and its cultural and religious syncretism.

Plebeian

A person of the common people in ancient Rome. A social class distinct from the elite patricians (common citizens, including farmers, laborers, and artisans)

The First Triumvirate

In 60 BCE, three of Rome's most powerful men, Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus, formed a political alliance known as the First Triumvirate. Together, they dominated Roman politics and made decisions that undermined the Republic's institutions.