Roman Empire

Battle of Actium

battle between Marc Antony and Octavian. Antony is defeated and Octavian renames himself Augustus and sole ruler of Rome

corruption

decay of people's values

arches

design created by the Romans, round in shape, can support more weight than other shapes

Diocletian

emperor who felt the empire was too big so he split it ruling the eastern half, appointing a co ruler for the western half

Constantine

emperor who made Christianity the official religion of Rome

Attila

fearsome Hun leader who raided Roman territory in the east

Pax Romana

first 200 years of the Roman Empire that was a time of peace and prosperity

civil law

legal system based on a written code of laws

Messiah

means "God's anointed one" in Hebrew

currency

money Romans used to pay for their trade goods

Paul of Tarsus

most important figure in the spread of Christianity after Jesus's death

Julius Caesar

most powerful Roman general.

Cicero

philosopher and orator who tried to stop the chaos in Roman government

Pompey

powerful and influential man of Rome who made an alliance to rule Rome with Julius Caesar and Crassus

aqueducts

raised channel used to carry water from mountains into cities

Christianity

religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth

Justinian

ruled from 527-565 who organized all laws into a new legal system. Eastern Empire declined after his death

Theodora

smart and powerful wife of Justinian who encouraged him to fight and put down riots

Byzantine Empire

the society that developed in the Eastern Roman Empire

Augustus

took the title 'princeps', adopted son of Caesar; first emperor of Rome; name means "revered one"

fresco

type of painting done on plaster

Roman Accomplishments

written laws, rights and duties for citizens, large and strong buildings, durable roads, aqueducts, realistic statues, lifelike portraits, columns, created cement, created a calendar

Ovid

wrote poems about Roman mythology

Marc Antony

Caesar's former assistant. Married Cleopatra

Galen

Greek surgeon whose work on the heart was used for centuries by doctors

Romance languages

Italian, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Romanian

Resurrection

Jesus's rise from the dead

Apostles

12 disciples whom Jesus chose to receive special training

crucifixion

a type of execution in which a person was nailed to a cross

Colosseum

a huge building constructed for gladiator fights