Roman History Unit 2

Philip V

The King of Macedon defeated by Rome in the Second Macedonian War.

Antiochus IV (Epiphanes)

Seleucid king whose actions contributed to unrest including the Maccabean Revolt.

Flamininus

Roman general who defeated Philip V and proclaimed the 'Freedom of the Greeks'.

Cynoscephalae (197 BC)

Battle proving Roman legion superiority over the Macedonian phalanx.

Scipio Aemilianus

Roman general who destroyed Carthage in 146 BC.

Equites (Equestrian Order)

Wealthy Roman class involved in business and tax collection.

Provinces

Territories outside Italy governed by Roman officials.

Proconsuls

Former consuls appointed to govern provinces.

Legates

Assistants or deputies to Roman governors or generals.

Tithe

Tax equal to one-tenth of agricultural production.

Tributum

Direct tax on Roman citizens, mainly during wartime.

Publicani

Private tax collectors who often exploited provinces.

Quaestio de Repetundis

Court prosecuting governors for extortion.

Tiberius Gracchus

Tribune who proposed land redistribution reforms.

Gaius Gracchus

Tribune who expanded reforms including grain subsidies.

Ager Publicus

Public land owned by the Roman state.

Optimates

Conservative senatorial faction

Populares

Politicians who sought support from the people.

Senatus Consultum Ultimum

Emergency decree granting extraordinary powers.

Jugurtha

King of Numidia whose war exposed Roman corruption.

Gaius Marius

General who reformed the army by recruiting poor citizens

Capite Censi

Poor citizens eligible for military service after Marius' reforms.

Social War

War between Rome and Italian allies seeking citizenship.

Lucius Cornelius Sulla

General who marched on Rome and became dictator.

Proscriptions

Lists of enemies who could legally be killed.

Mithridates VI

King of Pontus who fought several wars against Rome.

Pompey the Great

Powerful Roman general and rival of Caesar.

Lex Gabinia

Law giving Pompey command to defeat pirates.

Marcus Licinius Crassus

Wealthy Roman who helped defeat Spartacus.

Spartacus

Leader of a major slave revolt against Rome.

Catiline

Senator who attempted to overthrow the Roman government.

Cicero

Consul who exposed the Catiline conspiracy.

Julius Caesar

Roman general who conquered Gaul and became dictator

Alesia (52 BC)

Battle where Caesar defeated Vercingetorix.

Brutus

Conspirator involved in Caesar’s assassination.

Cassius

Leading organizer of the plot against Caesar.

Mark Antony

Ally of Caesar who fought for power after his death

Battle of Pharsalus

Caesar defeated Pompey in 48 BC

Battle of Philippi

Antony and Octavian defeated Brutus and Cassius.

Octavian

Adopted son of Caesar who later became Augustus

Lex Titia

Law that created the Second Triumvirate

Second Triumvirate

Alliance between Octavian, Antony, and Lepidus.

Why was the first triumvirate made?

The First Triumvirate (60 BCE) was a private alliance made by Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus to bypass Senate resistance and consolidate power, wealth, and military commands

Why was the Second Triumvirate made?

(43 BCE) was a legally established, five-year political alliance among Octavian, Antony, and Lepidus to officially secure power, avenge Caesar's assassination, and restore order

What was the Catiline conspiracy? (63 BCE)

a plot led by Roman senator Lucius Sergius Catilina (Catiline) to overthrow the Roman Republic, specifically the consulship of Marcus Tullius Cicero

Why did Lucius Sergius Catilina (Catiline) start the Catiline Conspiracy?

out of intense personal desperation, political ambition, and extreme financial ruin. After repeatedly failing to win the consulship—the highest office in the Roman Republic—Catiline decided to seize power by force, aiming to cancel debts and overthrow the governing aristocracy, including his rival, Marcus Tullius Cicero. 

Why was Tiberius Gracchus given his name?

Roman naming conventions, where the eldest son was traditionally named after his father. He was named after his father, Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus.

Who was Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus (Tiberius Gracchus the Elder)?

The father of Tiberius Gracchus, renowned for his command against the Spaniards and for establishing peace with the Numantines

Why did Alesia (52 BC) start?

it was the climax of a widespread Gallic revolt led by Vercingetorix against Julius Caesar’s Roman occupation.

What was the Gallic revolt?

A major uprising by the united Gallic tribes against Roman occupation during Julius Caesar’s campaigns (58–50 BC). Led by Vercingetorix

what did the Gauls fight for in the Gallic Revolt (52 BC)?

fought to regain independence from rome, climaxing at the siege of Alesia, where Caesar's victory finalized the conquest of Gaul

What ended the era of Celtic dominance in Gaul and finalized its conquest by Julius Caesar?

the Roman victory at the Battle of Alesia.

what was vercingetorix problem with cesar?

the rapid Roman subjugation of Gaul, which threatened Gallic liberty, culture, and power structures, leading him to unite disparate tribes to revolt in 52 BC.   Vercingetorix aimed to expel the Romans through a scorched-earth policy,

how does lucius cornelius sulla feel about Caesar

A significant future threat to the Republic, a dangerous potential rival due to his familial connection to Gaius Marius.

why did lucius cornelius sulla march on rome?

(88 BCE) to regain command of the war against Mithridates VI, which his political rival, Gaius Marius, had seized through illegal maneuvers with a tribune, Sulpicius.

who was Sulpicius(Publius Sulpicius Rufus)?

a Roman politician whose controversial reforms (laws) sparked violence and aided Sulla's march on Rome.

philip v what was threat to rome?

sought to dominate Greece and expand into Illyria, threatening Roman interests in the Adriatic.

why was Senatus Consultum Ultimum given?

"Final Decree of the Senate" given by the Roman Senate to address extreme internal threats to the state

why was thr romen civil war(49-45 BC)  stared?

to an intense power struggle between Julius Caesar and the Roman Senate, which was headed by Pompey the Great. The conflict was triggered when the Senate, fearing Caesar's immense popularity and military power, ordered him to disband his army and return to Rome as a private citizen, which Caesar refused, deciding instead to cross the Rubicon River and march on Rome

what did lex titia allow

It legalized their supreme power, allowing them to make laws, appoint magistrates, and execute proscriptions without Senate approval, marking the end of the Roman Republic.

What was the Maccabean Revolt?

A successful Jewish rebellion against the Seleucid Empire and its ruler, Antiochus IV Epiphanes

The senatus consultum ultimum authorized a consul

  To ensure that the state suffered no harm.

When Gaius Gracchus returned from founding a colony at Carthage, he found that his popular following was not as large or as secure as before.

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When Pompey landed in Italy in 62 BCE, it soon became apparent that his sole concerns were

The ratification of his arrangements in the East by the Senate and the securing of land for the settlement of his veterans.

What fundamental problem did Tiberius Gracchus identify in Roman society

He believed a major problem in Roman society was that wealthy elites had taken control of large amounts of public land (ager publicus), while many small farmers had lost their land and become poor. This also weakened Rome’s army because soldiers were traditionally required to own property

What did Tiberius Gracchus propose to address the roman society issue?

Tiberius proposed a land reform law that would limit how much public land wealthy citizens could hold and redistribute the excess land to poor Roman citizens.

Why did Tiberius Gracchus’ proposal arouse such fierce opposition?

it threatened their wealth and political power. Many senators either owned large amounts of this land or benefited from the existing system. The conflict eventually led to political violence, and Tiberius Gracchus was killed, marking one of the first major outbreaks of violence in Roman politics.

How did Gaius Marius become the first man in Rome?

during the Jugurthine War and later gained great popularity after successfully defeating invading Germanic tribes such as the Cimbri and Teutones. Because of his military success and strong support from the Roman people, he was elected consul an unprecedented seven times, which helped make him the “first man in Rome.”

What changes did Gaius Marius make in the Roman military?

He allowed the capite censi (the poorest Roman citizens who owned little or no property) to enlist in the army. Previously, soldiers had to own land to serve. Marius also reorganized the army, standardized equipment, and arranged for the state to provide weapons. In addition, he promised land to veterans after their service.These reforms created a more professional army but also had long-term consequences because soldiers began to develop greater loyalty to their generals rather than to the Roman state, which contributed to political instability in the late Republic.

What brought the social war to an end?

Rome decided to grant citizenship to many of the Italian allies in order to weaken the rebellion. Laws such as the Lex Julia and Lex Plautia Papiria allowed loyal Italian communities—and later most allies—to become Roman citizens. By extending citizenship, Rome reduced support for the revolt and eventually ended the