The Roman Empire and Early Middle Ages

Flashcards covering key concepts, definitions, and significance from the lecture on the Roman Empire and early Middle Ages.

Consul

Highest elected political office in the Roman Republic (two served yearly).

Tribune

Official who protected the rights of the plebeians and could veto laws.

Julius Caesar

Roman general who became dictator for life.

2nd Triumvirate

Political alliance of Octavian, Antony, and Lepidus.

Augustus (Octavian)

First Roman emperor who established the Principate.

Pompeii

Roman city buried by volcanic eruption, preserving a snapshot of Roman life.

Documentary Hypothesis

Theory that the Hebrew Bible was written by multiple sources.

Essenes

Jewish sect focused on purity and communal living.

Dead Sea Scrolls

Ancient Jewish texts providing insight into early Judaism and Christianity.

Tetrarchy

System of rule by four emperors in the Roman Empire.

Constantine I

Roman emperor who legalized Christianity and shifted the empire towards it.

Edict of Milan

Law granting religious tolerance and ending persecution of Christians.

Arianism

Belief that Jesus was not equal to God the Father, a major early Christian controversy.

Council of Nicaea / Nicene Creed

Church council defining Christian doctrine and rejecting Arianism.

Simeon Stylites

Monk who lived atop a pillar, symbolizing extreme asceticism.

Anthony the Great

Early desert monk known as the Father of monasticism.

Benedict of Nursia / Benedictine Rule

Founder of Western monasticism who standardised monastic life.

Wergild

Payment for injury or death in Germanic societies.

Romulus Augustulus

Last emperor of the Western Roman Empire, symbolizing the fall of Rome.

Augustine of Canterbury

Missionary to England who helped convert Anglo-Saxons.

Pallium

Garment symbolizing papal authority.

Clovis I

First Christian king of the Franks, linking the Frankish kingdom with the Church.

Charlemagne

King of the Franks who revived the empire in Western Europe.

Capitularies

Royal laws issued by Charlemagne that strengthened centralized rule.

Charles Martel

Frankish leader who stopped Muslim expansion into Europe.

Battle of Tours

Battle that halted Islamic expansion into Western Europe.

Battle of Hastings

Norman conquest of England that changed English culture and leadership.

Magna Carta

Document limiting the king’s power and laying the foundation for constitutional government.

Council of Sutri

Church council resolving papal disputes, strengthening the imperial role in church reform.

Simony

Buying or selling church offices, a major abuse targeted by reformers.

Pope Gregory VII

Reforming pope and central figure in the Investiture Conflict.

Investiture Conflict

Struggle over who appoints bishops, defining power between church and state.

Canossa

Event where emperor sought papal forgiveness, showing papal authority over rulers.

Concordat of Worms

Agreement ending the Investiture Conflict, a compromise between pope and emperor.

First Crusade

Military campaign to reclaim the Holy Land that expanded Christian influence.