Roman History Study Guide - Vocabulary

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering essential terms, social classes, citizen assemblies, and political offices from the Roman History study guide.

Mos maiorum

The custom of the ancestors or tradition in Roman society.

Imperium

The right to command an army.

Auctoritas

Unofficial but powerful political and moral influence.

Tribus

A constituent voting unit and administrative division based on residence; originally 3 tribes, which expanded to 35 tribes (4 urban, 31 rural) by 241 BCE.

Curia

The most ancient division of Roman people existing under the kings, consisting of probably 30 curiae headed by a curio over age 50 elected for life.

Optimates

Conservative political force in the late republic representing the traditional oligarchy at Rome.

Populares

Political leaders of the late republic who worked through the people (especially using the tribunate) rather than the Senate to challenge the Optimates' political monopoly.

Knights (equites)

Social class of great wealth (minimum property requirement of 400,000 sesterces) who dominated commerce, trade, and banking.

Novus homo

A 'New Man', defined as a first-generation senator.

Curiate Assembly

Earliest form of Roman assembly from the age of kings, chaired by the Pontifex Maximus, which witnessed priest appointments, adoptions, and wills.

Centuriate Assembly

Assembly of 193 total centuries instituted by Servius Tullius that met in Campus Martius to elect officials with imperium and censors, enact laws, declare war/peace, and hear capital appeal cases.

Plebeian Assembly

Assembly restricted to plebeians that voted by tribe to elect plebeian tribunes and plebeian aediles, pass plebiscites, and hold trials for non-capital offenses.

Tribal Assembly

Assembly convened by consuls or praetors including all citizens; elected magistrates without imperium and became the primary legislative assembly by the Late Republic.

Quaestors

Twenty public treasurers (minimum age 31) elected by the Tribal Assembly whose office served as the entrance to the Senate.

Aediles

Four officials (2 plebeian, 2 curule) in charge of public games and works who held no imperium.

Plebeian Tribunes

Ten champions of the plebs who possessed sacrosanctity and veto power, elected in and presiding over the Plebeian Assembly.

Praetors

Eight judicial officials (minimum age 40, ex-quaestor) elected by the Centuriate Assembly who possessed imperium.

Consuls

Two chief legislative and military officials (minimum age 43, ex-praetor) elected by the Centuriate Assembly who possessed imperium and veto power over each other.

Censors

Two ex-consuls elected every five years for an 18-month term to control the census, public morals, government contracts, and Senate rolls.

Dictator

An official appointed by consuls at the Senate's request for 6 months of absolute power during extreme external threats, assisted by a Master of the Horse.

Senatus consultum ultimum (SCU)

The 'Last Decree' of the Senate, first used in 121 BCE, which declared a state of emergency and granted named magistrates dictatorial power during civil crises.

Proconsuls and Propraetors

Consuls and praetors whose imperium was prorogued beyond their one-year term to command armies and govern provinces.

Cursus Honorum

The mandatory sequence of public offices running from Quaestor to Praetor to Consul.

Pontifex Maximus

The chief priest at Rome, elected for life, who served as spokesman for the college of pontifices and supervised state cults.