Latin Roman History Test (11/13)

Who was Vesta?

Vesta was a goddess worshiped by Romans, symbolizing fire in a family's home. She was the goddess of the fireplace and the hearth. The family worshipped her at the fireplace.

What were 3 reasons fire was important in ancient times?

1. Kept wild animals away
2. Kept the family warm
3. To cook food

What happened when Romans moved to a new location?

A person was given the job of taking good care of the coals while moving.

Who was Numa Pompilius?

The second King of Rome, known for establishing the Vestal Virgins.

What was the job of the Vestal Virgins?

To keep the fire in the Temple of Vesta in downtown Rome burning. The Romans believed if the Temple's fire went out, bad things would happen.

Describe the Vestal Virgins.

• Always wore white colored clothing
• There were 6 Vestal Virgins; it was an honor to be chosen as one
• They worked for 30 years in total
• At age 10, they were taken from home to learn rituals (10 years)
• The next 10 years were spent working in the Temple
• The final 10 years they taught the new Vestals
• After 30 years they could retire, but most stayed at the temple
• They took an Oath of Chastity

What is closest to the Vestal Virgins in 2025?

Nuns in the Catholic Church.

What happened if a Vestal Virgin broke the Oath of Chastity?

They were punished, often by being put in a pit.

Who was the Pontifex Maximus?

The chief of the Vestal Virgins. He disciplined Vestals if they broke their Oath and ensured they did not let the fire in the Temple go out.

What was the Ceremony related to the Temple's fire?

Once a year, they let the fire go out intentionally to clean the Temple.

Who were the Lares?

Spirits of family ancestors who had died but still watched over and protected the family from harm.

What was a Lararium?

A shrine each house had, used to worship the Lares.

Who was the leader of devotional time for the Lares?

The father led the devotional time.

Who were the Penates?

Spirits that watched over the pantry to ensure there was food for the family and that the family never went hungry.

How did the Romans remember the Penates?

They kept a plate of fruit or salt to remember them.

What is the legend of the Penates?

Aeneas brought the Lares and Penates when he came from Troy after the war.

Who was associated with the protection of the family?

Lares and Penates.

What were the two original classes of old Roman society?

Patricians and Plebians.

Describe the original classes of Roman society.

Both Patricians and Plebians were considered citizens but had different privileges according to their class. During the Time of Kings, Patricians were wealthy landowners, while Plebians were small farm landowners.

What happened to the classes after the kings were kicked out?

Patricians (wealthy) controlled the government, the Senate House, religion, power, influence, and government offices. Plebians had no representation or voice.

How did Patricians maintain their power?

They controlled voting, even though there was a larger population of Plebians. Patricians changed the system so that their vote held more power, influencing laws that changed the class structure.

What was the Ogulnian Law (300 B.C.)?

This law allowed Plebians to become priests (a change in religious roles).

What was the Canuleian Law (445 B.C.)?

This law permitted Patricians and Plebians to intermarry.

What was the Secession of the Plebians (466 or 471 B.C.)?

The Plebians, who had to serve in wars, refused to do so and moved to the mountains as a sign of revolt. One Plebian organized this among them.

What significant change occurred with the Writing of the Twelve Tables (451-450 B.C.)?

A new official, the Tribune, had to be a Plebian. Plebians voted for the Tribune, who then received veto power, giving Plebians representation.

What does 'Veto' mean?

Latin for 'I forbid'; it meant Plebians could now deny the passing of a law.

What were the Licinian-Sexton Laws (367 B.C.)?

These laws stated that a Plebian could be elected consul (the highest official in the land), marking a big change for the structure of the Plebians.

Who were the Nobiles?

The descendants of the Patricians, who held beliefs and traditions that they were more important. They believed in serving for the good of the people in office.

What were the Nobiles' beliefs regarding public office and property?

If serving in public office, they believed they were serving for the good of the people and should not be paid a salary. They could own property and earn money from products like grapes.

Who were the Equites (middle class knights)?

Bankers, traders, and merchants who owned big farms, property, and estates. They all served in the military at one point before becoming merchants. Unlike nobles, they worked for money.

What was the rule for Roman politicians regarding salary?

Politicians could not accept a salary for completing their job.

Who mainly campaigned to become politicians in Rome?

The rich, as it was very expensive to campaign.

What issues arose with Roman officials?

People became greedy, accepted bribes, and kept some money for themselves when collecting taxes.

Describe the Legal profession in ancient Rome.

Lawyers could be given gifts by clients but could not charge a client direct money for services. Lawyers had to prepare to be either a defense attorney or a prosecuting attorney, as the judge decided their role, unlike modern times where one chooses their specialty.

Who was the First King of Rome and what was his goal?

Romulus was the first king. His goal was to make Rome a city that was better and bigger than it needed to be.

What were Romulus' early accomplishments for Rome?

1. Built walls around the city.
2. Dedicated the city to the gods (believing people would serve him if they believed in gods).
3. Established a government with 100 Senators (an advisory body, also called Patres).

What were the two neighboring tribes to Rome?

Latins and Sabines.

How did Rome open its city (Asylum)?

Romulus sent a message that Rome was an asylum (refuge). People with financial struggles or even criminals could come to Rome for a fresh start or to forget their troubles.

What problem did Romulus face regarding population growth?

There was a lack of women to increase the city's population, partly because too many criminals were in the city, making women unwilling to get married to the men there.

How did Romulus initially try to solve the lack of women problem?

Rome sent ambassadors to other towns, asking for unmarried women to marry their unmarried men, but these efforts were unsuccessful.

What was Romulus' plan to get women for Rome?

He staged Games in Honor of Neptune, an 'open house' with wine and games. Women from neighboring towns attended, thinking the games sounded fun, but were aware the Roman men might be trouble.

What happened during the Games in Honor of Neptune?

Romulus gave a signal, and the Roman men kidnapped young Sabine women, taking them to their homes. The kidnapped women started crying, realizing they had been tricked by the games.

How did Romulus try to reassure the kidnapped women?

Romulus visited each woman, asked their names, and told them they would be happy in the town with the man who chose them. Roman husbands cared for their wives, and families began to form.

What was the Sabine response to the kidnapping?

In the Sabine town, the men planned to attack the Romans to get their women back, led by the Sabine King, Titus Tatius.

Who was Spurius Tarpeia and what did she do?

She was the daughter of a Roman king. Titus Tatius (Sabine King) talked to her, offering her something to enter Rome. She asked for everything on the soldiers' left arm (jewelry), but the soldiers only had shields and armor on their left arm. They ran her over with their shields, killing her, which allowed the Sabines to break into the city.

How did the Sabine Women stop the battle?

The Roman wives (who were once the kidnapped Sabine women) intervened, pleading with both sides. They declared their care for the Roman men and expressed that they did not want their husbands to kill their fathers, nor their fathers to kill their husbands.

What was the outcome of the conflict with the Sabines?

The Sabines and Romans formed one nation.