Roman History Study Guide

• People

• Julius Caesar: A brilliant Roman general and statesman who played a critical role in the demise of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. He conquered Gaul, won a civil war, and became dictator for life before his assassination.

• Nero: The infamous fifth Roman emperor, known for his tyranny, extravagance, and the persecution of early Christians. Legend says he "fiddled while Rome burned" during the Great Fire of Rome.

• Pompey: A major military and political leader of the late Roman Republic. He was an ally turned rival of Julius Caesar and a key member of the First Triumvirate before being defeated by Caesar in a civil war.

• Octavian / Augustus: The first official Emperor of the Roman Empire and the adopted son/heir of Julius Caesar. His reign initiated the Pax Romana, a long period of relative peace across the Mediterranean.

• Marc Antony: A powerful Roman general and politician who was a loyal ally to Julius Caesar. He later formed the Second Triumvirate, fell in love with Cleopatra, and fought a losing civil war against Octavian.

• Cleopatra: The last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt. Renowned for her political intellect, she formed strategic romantic and political alliances with both Julius Caesar and Marc Antony.

• Caesarian: Also known as Caesarion (Ptolemy XV), he was the eldest son of Cleopatra and the only biological son of Julius Caesar. He was executed on Octavian's orders after Egypt fell.

• Dido: The legendary founder and first queen of Carthage in North Africa. In Roman mythology (specifically Virgil's Aeneid), she falls tragically in love with the Trojan hero Aeneas.

• Crassus: One of the wealthiest men in Roman history. He acquired his massive fortune through real estate and fire brigades, defeated the slave revolt led by Spartacus, and formed the First Triumvirate with Caesar and Pompey.

• Aeneas: A mythical Trojan hero who survived the fall of Troy and traveled to Italy, where he became the ancestral father of the Roman people (the protagonist of Virgil's epic poem, the Aeneid).

• Romulus: The legendary co-founder and very first king of Rome. According to myth, he and his twin brother were raised by a she-wolf, and Romulus later built the city's first walls.

• Remus: The twin brother of Romulus. In Roman foundation myths, he mocked the height of Rome's initial city walls and was killed by Romulus during a bitter argument.

• Claudius: The fourth Roman emperor, who was initially overlooked due to physical disabilities but proved to be an efficient administrator. His reign saw the successful Roman conquest of Britain.

• Tiberius: The second Roman emperor and the stepson of Augustus. He was a highly talented military general but grew reclusive and paranoid later in life, moving away from Rome to rule from Capri.

• Livia: The influential wife of Emperor Augustus and mother of Emperor Tiberius. She wielded immense behind-the-scenes political power during the foundational years of the Empire.

• Lepidus: A powerful Roman patrician and general who served as Julius Caesar’s close deputy. He became the third, lesser-known member of the Second Triumvirate alongside Octavian and Marc Antony.

• Gaius / Caligula (lil boot's): The third Roman emperor, whose childhood nickname "Caligula" translates to "Little Boots." His short reign became infamous for extreme cruelty, madness, and erratic behavior.

• Agrippina the Younger: A highly ambitious Roman empress who was the sister of Caligula, wife of Claudius, and mother of Nero. She was central to securing Nero's ascension to the throne before he had her killed.

• Pliny the Elder: A famous Roman author, naturalist, and naval commander. He wrote the massive encyclopedia Naturalis Historia and died while trying to rescue citizens during the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.

• Pliny the Younger: The nephew of Pliny the Elder. He was a Roman lawyer and author whose surviving private letters provide historians with priceless details about life under the Roman Empire, including an eyewitness account of Vesuvius.

• 1st Triumvirate (members): An informal political alliance formed in 60 B.C.E. by Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus to bypass the authority of the Roman Senate and consolidate absolute political control.

• 2nd Triumvirate: An official, legally recognized political alliance formed in 43 B.C.E. by Octavian, Marc Antony, and Lepidus to stabilize Rome and avenge Julius Caesar's assassination.

• Peoples

• Trojans: The citizens of the ancient city of Troy (in modern-day Turkey) who fought against the Greeks in the legendary Trojan War.

• Greeks: The ancient civilization composed of independent city-states (like Athens and Sparta) that deeply influenced Roman culture, religion, architecture, and philosophy.

• Etruscans: An advanced, ancient civilization based in northern/central Italy that ruled Rome during its early monarchic period and deeply influenced early Roman cultural traditions.

• Latin: Originally an Italic tribe inhabiting the region of Latium. Their language (Latin) and culture formed the core foundation of Roman civilization.

• Concepts

• Date J.C. Assassinated (Ides of March, 44 B.C.E.): On March 15, 44 B.C.E., Julius Caesar was stabbed to death by a conspiracy of Roman senators (led by Brutus and Cassius) inside the Theatre of Pompey.

• Pater Familias: The absolute male head of a Roman household. Under Roman law, he held supreme legal authority over his wife, children, slaves, and property.

• Princeps (1st citizen): A title adopted by Augustus Caesar meaning "First Citizen." He used this modest term to mask his monarchical dictatorial power and respect the old republican traditions.

• Places

• Carthage: A powerful ancient Phoenician city-state in North Africa (modern-day Tunisia). It was Rome’s bitter superpower rival during the three historic Punic Wars before being completely destroyed by Roman forces.

• Troy: A legendary, fortified ancient city located in northwest Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), famous as the setting for Homer's epic poem, the Iliad.

• Mt. Vesuvius: An active stratovolcano near the Bay of Naples, Italy. Its catastrophic eruption in 79 C.E. buried several nearby cities under thick layers of volcanic ash.

• Herculaneum: An ancient, wealthy Roman resort town that was buried and perfectly preserved by pyroclastic flows during the 79 C.E. eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.

• Pompeii: A bustling Roman city that was buried under volcanic ash and pumice during the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, freezing its buildings, artwork, and daily life in time for modern archaeologists.

• Capri: A picturesque island located in the southern Bay of Naples. Emperor Tiberius infamously abandoned the city of Rome to rule the vast empire from his secluded luxury villas here.

• Gaul: A historic region of western Europe encompassing modern-day France, Belgium, and parts of Italy. Julius Caesar achieved immense fame and power by conquering its independent tribes.

• Rubicon River: A small river in northern Italy that served as a strict border for Roman armies. Julius Caesar famously crossed it with his legions in 49 B.E.C., uttering "the die is cast" and sparking an irreversible civil war against the Senate.