EXAM 2 WESTERN CIV-SHORT ANSWER

Punic Wars

1st Punic War- Started in Messana in 264 BC One side appealed to Rome One side appealed to Carthage Fought over the control of Sicily 2nd Punic War- Rome Declared War after Carthage sieged and captured the city of Saguntum Hannibal was recognized for his use of elephants in battle Rome suffered the two worst military defeats of its history. Hannibal was driven out of Spain and was defeated in Africa. 3rd Punic War- Carthage was pushed into fighting against the Masinissa Rome declared war 149 BC Siege for three years bore yielding. Senate called for the physical destruction of their city, plowed the land and salted it.

Muhammad

570-632. Islam's last and greatest prophet. Believed angel gabriel revealed to him the word of God or Allah. He wrote these words down in the Koran and they became the basis of the Islamic religion. Forced to retreat to Medina but he and his followers later took over mecca.

Mithraism

A Hellenistic mystery religion that appealed to soldiers and involved the worship of the god Mithra. A cult dedicated to the Persian god Mithras, who was identified with the sun and light. He was also associated with strength, courage and discipline. No women allowed.

Paul

A Jew from the Greek city of Tarsus in Anatolia, he initially persecuted the followers of Jesus but, after receiving a revelation on the road to Syrian Damasxua, became a Christian. Taking advantage of his Hellenized background and Roman citizenship, he traveled throughout Syria-Palestine, Anatolia, and Greece, preaching the new religion and establishing churches. Finding his greatest success among pagans

Vergil

Ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. Author of the Eclogues, Georgics, and most famously the epic Aeneid (29-19 BC). The Aeneid is argued to be propaganda for Augustus, with strong associations between Aeneas and Augustus as founders and re-founders of rome

Saint Augustine

Augustine of Hippo (/ɔːˈɡʌstɨn/[1][2] or /ˈɔːɡəstɪn/;[2] Latin: Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis;[3] 13 November 354 - 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine or Saint Austin,[4] was an early Christian theologian whose writings are considered very influential in the development of Western Christianity and Western philosophy. He was bishop of Hippo Regius (present-day Annaba, Algeria) located in the Roman province of Africa. Writing during the Patristic Era, he is viewed as one of the most important Church Fathers. Among his most important works are City of God and Confessions, which continue to be read widely today.

Octavian and Augustus

Augustus was born on September 23, 63 BC in the city of Rome. At the time, Rome was still a republic governed by elected officials. His birth name was Gaius Octavius Thurinus, but he was usually called Octavian until later in life. His father, also called Gaius Octavius, was the governor of Macedonia. His mother came from a famous family and was the niece of Julius Caesar. Octavian grew up in the village of Velletri, not too far from Rome. His father died when he was just four years old. His mother remarried, but Octavian was sent to be raised by his grandmother Julia Caesaris, Julius Caesar's sister. Early Career Once Octavian became a man, he began to get involved in the politics of Rome. Soon he wished to join his Uncle Caesar in battle. After a few false starts, he was able to join Caesar. Caesar was impressed with the young man and, as he had no son of his own, made Octavian the heir to his fortune and name. Julius Caesar is Killed Upon defeating Pompey the Great, Caesar became dictator of Rome. Many people worried that this would be the end of the Roman Republic. On March 15, 44 BC, Julius Caesar was assassinated. Octavian was away from Rome when Caesar was killed, but he immediately returned upon hearing the news. He found out that he had been adopted by Caesar as his heir. Octavian began to gather political support in the Roman Senate as well as military support in the form of Caesar's legions. He soon was a formidable power in the city and was elected to the position of consul. The Second Triumvirate At the same time, others were trying to fill the void of power left by Caesar's death. Marc Antony, a famous general and relative of Caesar, thought he should be dictator. He clashed with Octavian until they agreed to a truce. Together with a third powerful Roman named Lepidus, Octavian and Marc Antony formed the Second Triumvirate. This was an alliance where the three men shared supreme power in Rome. Battles Eventually, the Triumvirate began to battle each other for power. In many of these battles, Octavian's friend and general, Marcus Agrippa, led his troops into battle. First Lepidus was defeated and his troops came over to the side of Octavian. Marc Antony allied himself with Queen Cleopatra of Egypt. At the Battle of Actium, Octavian's troops defeated Antony and Cleopatra's armies. Upon their defeat, Antony and Cleopatra committed suicide. Ruler of Rome With Marc Antony dead Octavian was the most powerful man in Rome. In 27 BC the Senate gave him the title of Augustus and he would be known by this name for the rest of his life. He became the ruler and emperor of Rome. The basic government of the republic, such as the Senate and other officials, was still in place, but the emperor had the ultimate power. A Good Leader When Augustus became emperor, Rome had experienced many years of civil war. He brought peace to the land and began to rebuild much of the city and the empire. He built many roads, buildings, bridges, and government buildings. He also strengthened the army and conquered much of the land around the Mediterranean Sea. Under Augustus' rule, Rome once again experienced peace and prosperity. The next 200 years were years of peace for the Roman Empire. This period is often called the Pax Romana, which means "peace of Rome". Augustus is often given credit for establishing the infrastructure that led to such a long period of peace. Death Augustus ruled up until his death in 14 AD. His step-son, Tiberius, became the second emperor of Rome.

Clovis

Clovis, was the first king of the Franks to unite all of the Frankish tribes under one ruler, changing the form of leadership from a group of royal chieftains to rule by a single king and ensuring that the kingship was passed down to his heirs

Visigoths

Germanic people who migrated to Rome, originally came from Scandinavia and Russia. They adapted Roman cultures and provided troops for the Roman army. They created settlements around Rome, and stormed and sacked it in 410. The western part of the Roman Empire was in shambles by the mid fifth century CE.

Marc Antony

Marcus Antonius, commonly known in English as Mark Antony (Latin: M·ANTONIVS·M·F·M·N)[note 1] (January 14, 83 BC - August 1, 30 BC), was a Roman politician and general. As a military commander and administrator, he was an important supporter and loyal friend of his mother's cousin Julius Caesar. After Caesar's assassination, Antony formed an official political alliance with Octavian (the future Augustus) and Lepidus, known to historians today as the Second Triumvirate. The triumvirate broke up in 33 BC. Disagreement between Octavian and Antony erupted into civil war, the Final War of the Roman Republic, in 31 BC. Antony was defeated by Octavian at the naval Battle of Actium, and in a brief land battle at Alexandria. He and his lover Cleopatra committed suicide shortly thereafter. His career and defeat are significant in Rome's transformation from Republic to Empire.

Constantine

Roman emperor who legalized the outlawed religion Christianity after his great victory at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge (a great sign of the Cross had appeared to him in the sky with the words, "In Hoc Signo, Vinces"‑‑"In this sign you will conquer."). He reunited the two halves of the Empire, moved the capital from Rome to Constantinople (Byzantium), and later became a Christian. He was the first emperor to convert to Christianity. Eastern Orthodox churches regard Constantine as a saint. In shifting the Roman Empire's strength permanently away from Rome to the eastern provinces, he laid the foundations for the Eastern Roman Empire, more commonly called the Byzantine Empire - an empire that would last until 1453.

Council of Nicaea/Creed

The First Council of Nicaea was the first ecumenical council of the Church. Most significantly, it resulted in the first, uniform Christian doctrine, called the Creed of Nicaea. With the creation of the creed, a precedent was established for subsequent local and regional councils of Bishops (Synods) to create statements of belief and canons of doctrinal orthodoxy—the intent being to define unity of beliefs for the whole of Christendom. The council settled, to some degree, the debate within the Early Christian communities regarding the divinity of Christ. This idea of the divinity of Christ, along with the idea of Christ as a messenger from God (The Father), had long existed in various parts of the Roman empire. The divinity of Christ had also been widely endorsed by the Christian community in the otherwise pagan city of Rome.[10] The council affirmed and defined what it believed to be the teachings of the Apostles regarding who Christ is: that Christ is the one true God in deity with the Father.

First Triumvirate

The First Triumvirate was the political alliance of Gaius Julius Caesar, Marcus Licinius Crassus, and Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus.[1] Unlike the Second Triumvirate, the First Triumvirate had no official status whatsoever; its overwhelming power in the Roman Republic was strictly unofficial influence, and was in fact kept secret for some time as part of the political machinations of the Triumvirs themselves. It was formed in 60 BC and lasted until Crassus' death in 53 BC.

Julius Casear

The Senate feared that Caesar would use his army to overthrow the republican government. In an attempt to prevent this from happening, the Senate ordered Julius Caesar to return to Rome, but to leave his armies North of the Rubicon River. Julius Caesar refused to do as he had been ordered. By crossing the Rubicon with his armies, he committed treason against the Senate and, in effect, declared civil war. Caesar eventually defeated opposing forces, and by 45 B.C. had taken over control of the entire Roman Empire. Caesar had himself declared dictator for life, giving him absolute power over the empire. He then proceeded to reform the nation, giving jobs and land to the poor. Caesar's rule in Rome would be brief. The following year in 44 B.C., Julius Caesar was murdered by members of the Senate led by Marcus Brutus and Gaius Cassius, who were worried that Caesar was destroying the republic

Gracchi Brothers

Two brothers who led Rome politically. Tiberius wanted to give land to farmers to increase agriculture, but the problem was solved when the Romans got land from a king in Asia Minor. He was killed by a mob of senators. Gaius wanted to sell cheap grain to the poor and make all Italians citizens of Rome (important for voting and the like). Gaius committed suicide from shame when his plan didn't work.

Conflict of the Orders

political struggle between the Plebeians (commoners) and Patricians (aristocrats) of the ancient Roman Republic, in which the Plebeians sought political equality with the Patricians. It played a major role in the development of the Constitution of the Roman Republic. It began in 494 BC

Marcus Arelius

was a roman emperor from 161-180. He ruled with Lucius Versus as co-emperor from 161 until Versus/ death in 169. He was the last of the five good emperors and is also considered one of the most important stoic philosophers. He wrote the meditations.