Roman Empire

Pantheon

Domed temple

Built of concrete with stone facing

Forum

Rome's public meeting place

Colosseum

A large stadium in ancient Rome where athletic events took place

Pax Romana

"Roman peace"

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

Paul

* Saul, persecutor of early Christians

* Follower of Jesus who helped spread Christianity throughout the Roman world.

Constantine the Great

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

Diocletian's Reforms

* Split the empire into two regions (and then 4 -- the tetrarchy) run by co-emperors.

* Brought armies back under imperial control

* Strengthened the imperial currency, capped prices

Ptolemy

Alexandrian astronomer who proposed a geocentric system of astronomy that was undisputed until Copernicus.

Virgil

Classical Roman poet, author of the Aenied; tried to show that Rome's past was as heroic as Greece's.

Bishop

A church official who leads a large group of Christians in a particular region

Church Council

a gathering of the Church's leaders and scholars to decide major beliefs and/or actions for the Church

Council of Nicaea

A council called by Constantine to agree upon correct Christian doctrine and settle some disputes of the time.

Pope

Bishop of Rome, head of the Roman Catholic Church

Christian teachings

* One God

* Suffering for others is divine.

* Love one's enemies

* God's kingdom is coming

* Humility was good

Persecution of Christians

Because they were seen as bad citizens for refusing to worship the emperor and state gods.

Constantinople

City founded as the second capital of the Roman Empire; later became the capital of the Byzantine Empire

Odoacer

Germanic barbarian leader who ended the western Roman Empire in 476 and became the first barbarian ruler of Italy (434-493).

Edict of Milan

Issued by Constantine in 313, it legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire.

Peter

One of the 12 apostles of Jesus; Roman Catholics consider him to be the first pope, bishop of Rome

Jesus

A Jew from Galilee who sought to reform Jewish beliefs and practices. He was executed as a revolutionary by the Romans.

Octavian

Grandnephew and adopted son of Julius Caesar. Following Julius Caesar's death, part of the second triumvirate. Assumed the name Augustus Caesar, and became first emperor.

Diaspora

the dispersion of the Jews outside Israel

Augustine of Hippo

Author of City of God; early Christian church father and philosopher; his writings helped shape Christian doctrine for centuries.

Mercenaries

Foreign soldiers who fought for money

Principles of Roman Law

Innocent till proven guilty; all citizens have right to equal treatment under the law; burden of proof rests with the accuser, not the accused; a person should be punished only for actions, not thoughts; any law deemed unreasonable or unfair can be set aside.

Roman building accomplishments

* Aqueducts

* Roads and bridges

* Roman architectural style

* Concrete (Pantheon)

Silk Road

An ancient trade route between China and the Mediterranean Sea linking China with the eastern edges of the Roman Empire.

Boudicca

Queen of the Iceni (eastern England), tribal leader who fought against Romans in 60 A.D.

Nicaean Creed

A Christian statement of faith which explains the doctrine of the Trinity.