History 20 - Chapter 6e - The Roman World

St. Augustus (354-430 C.E.)

Augustine, Bishop of Hippo in North Africa, wrote "The City of God," a massive work covering history and legends of Rome from its beginnings to his day, in an attempt to show that Rome's previous successes were due not to adherence to the pagan gods, but instead always to the Christian God's mercy.

The Passion of the Saints Perpetua and Felicity

Christianity allowed women to serve in the church and remain unmarried, if they so chose, and even to become heroes of the faith by virtue of their lives or deaths, as in the case of the early martyrs. Indeed, the Passion of the Saints Perpetua and Felicity, which documents the two women's martyrdom in Carthage in 203 CE, shows all of these reversals of Roman tradition in practice.

Suetonius (69-120 C.E.)

He was Roman historian of the early second century C.E., best known for a multi=volume work giving biographies of the Roman emperors, The Lives of the Caesars.

Plutarch (46-120 C.E.)

He was a Greek biographer writing in the first century CE, paired for the sake of comparison biographies of famous Greeks and Romans. One exemplary such pairing is that of Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar.

Polybius (200-118 BC.E.)

He was a Greek politician who spent seventeen years as a hostage in Rome and became quite a fan of the Roman military and political machine, put it simply in the prologue to his Histories, in which he documented the meteoric conquest of the Mediterranean world by the Romans including their defeat of Carthage.

St. Paul (6-69 C.E.)

He was a Roman citizen who converted to Christianity and spread the new faith throughout the Roman Empire.

Diocletian (244-312 C.E.)

He was a Roman emperor attempted to deal with the weakening of the empire by splitting the empire into four regions run by co-emperors. This new system was known as the Tetrarchy.

Julius Caesar (100-44 B.C.E.)

He was a Roman general who who seized power became the republic's dictator in 45 B.C.E. He was assassinated by a group of Senators in 44 B.C.E. His actions helped destabilize the Roman Republic and led to the creation of the Imperial system.

Tacitus (56-120 C.E.)

He was a Roman historian who presented the facts accurately. He wrote about the good and the bad of imperial Rome in his Annals and Histories.

Livy (64 B.C.E.- 12 C.E.)

He was a Roman historian. He wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people -covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome before the traditional foundation in 753 BC through the reign of Augustus in Livy's own lifetime.

Cicero (106-43 B.C.E.)

He was a Roman politician during the turbulent 1st Century B.C.E. He is considered by many historians to be Rome's greatest public speaker. He argued against dictators and called for a representative government with limited powers. He was assassinated in 43 B.C.E.

Apuleius (c. 124-170 C.E.)

He was a Roman writer. He wrote arguably the single best source for everyday life in the Roman provinces under the Empire, the novel Metamorphoses, better known under the title Golden Ass. The novel is a fictional account of a man accidentally turned into a donkey, who tells the narrative of his travels through the Roman Empire in the late second century CE.

Eusebius (265-339 C.E.)

He was a bishop and historian of the church. He is most famous for his history of the church written in the 300s C.E.

Gaius Marius (157-86 B.C.E.)

He was a consul who revolutionized the military by making it a professional force (soldiers were paid for the first time). This opened the door for poor people to enter the military for the first time.

Vergil (70-19 B.C.E.)

He was a great Roman epic poet during the Golden Age of Latin literature. He was author of the Aeneid.

Ovid (43 B.C.E.-17 C.E.)

He was a poet who wrote about Roman mythology during the time of Augustus.(

Tiberius (42 B.C.E.-37 C.E.)

He was second emperor of Rome. He ruled during the time of Jesus' death and the birth of Christianity. (14-37 C.E.)

Numa Pompilius (753-673 B.C.E.)

He was the 2nd king of Rome started ruling at around 700 B.C.E.. He was a smart and religious man who invented the Roman calendar regulated Roman religion and created many of the priestly colleges and positions that continued to exist thereafter.

Caligula (12-41 C.E.)

He was the 3rd Roman Emperor. He was mentally disturbed and was assassinated after short brutal reign.

Claudius (10 B.C.E.-54 C.E.)

He was the 4th Roman Emperor. He became emperor upon the .murder of Caligula and reigned from 41-54 C.E.)

Nero (37-68 C.E.)

He was the 5th Roman Emperor. He ruled from 54-68 C.E. He was the first Roman emperor to persecute Christians.

Constantine (274-337)

He was the Roman Emperor between 306 CE and 337 CE. He issued the Edict of Milan which outlawed the persecution of Christians. He also founded the city of Constantinople, the future capital of the Byzantine Empire and reunited the entire empire under his rule.

Cato the Elder (234-149 B.C.E.)

He was the Roman statesman wrote the first history of ancient Rome in Latin in 149 B.C.E. called Origins.

Theodosius (347-395 C.E.)

He was the emperor of the Roman Empire who made Christianity the official religion of the empire.

Caesar Augustus (Octavian)

He was the first ruler of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from January 27 B.C.E. until his death in 14 C.E.

pontifex maximus

He was the high priest of Rome, the head of Roman state religion.

Julian the Apostate (331-363 C.E.)

He was the last Roman emperor that was not Christian.

Romulus Augustulus (460-507 C.E.)

He was the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire deposed in 476 C.E.

Tarquin the Proud (535-509 B.C.E.)

He was the last of the Roman kings who was known for his abusive rule. He was finally driven from the throne in 510 B.C., and led the Romans to declare they would never again be ruled by a king.

Horace (65-8 B.C.E.)

He was the leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus.

Lucius Sergius Catilina (109-62 B.C.E.)

He was the originator and leader of the conspiracy against the Roman government during Cicero's consulship in 62 B.C.E.. Catilina died fighting at the head of his troops in Etruria

Ara Pacis

In Lain it means "Altar of Peace." It was built by Augustus in honor of Pax, the Roman goddess of peace.

dictator perpetuo

In Latin this term means "Dictator for Life". This was the title claimed by Julius Caesar.

princeps

In Latin, this term means "first citizen." Caesar Augustus used this term to describe himself..

cursus honorum

In Latin, this term means "path of honor." This tradition created a sequence that office holders had to follow to rise in the ancient Roman Republican government.

Pater Patriae

In Latin, this term means father of the fatherland. Caesar Augustus used this term to describe himself.

Samnite Wars (343-290 B.C.E.)

In a series of wars, Rome defeated Samnites and Etruscans and became dominant in central .

Nicene Creed

It is the formal statement or profession of faith commonly recited during the Eucharist. It was agreed upon at the Council of Nicaea in 325 C.E.

Res Gestae Divi Augusti

It is the funerary inscription of the first Roman emperor, Augustus, giving a first-person record of his life and accomplishments.

New Testament

It is the second part of the Christian Bible, containing descriptions of the life and teachings of Jesus and of his early followers.

Romulus and Remus

It is the traditional story of how Rome began. Twins were abandoned and rescued by a wolf, and raised by a shepherd . They grew to build Rome. Romulus later killed Remus

Pagan

It refers to a follower of a polytheistic religion in ancient times.

Third-century Crisis in Rome

It refers to the political, military, and economic turmoil that beset the Roman Empire during much of the third century C.E. This crisis involved frequent changes of rulers, civil wars, barbarian invasions, decline of urban centers, and near-destruction of long-distance commerce.

Carthage

It was a ciity located in present-day Tunisia, founded by Phoenicians ca. 800 B.C.E. It became a major commercial center and naval power in the western Mediterranean until defeated by the expanding Roman Republic 146 B.C.E.

Council of Nicaea (325 C.E.)

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

Punic Wars (264-146 B.C.E.)

It was a series of three wars between Rome and Carthage. These wars resulted in the destruction of Carthage and helped to establish Rome's dominance over the western Mediterranean.

Pompeii

It was aRoman city near Naples, Italy, which was buried during an eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79.

Plebeian Council

It was an assembly of male plebeians that passed laws for plebeians in Republican Rome. The senate had control to veto them.

Battle of Actium

It was battle between Marcus Antony and Octavian for control of the empire. Octavian won in 31 B.C.E. and became the first Roman Emperor.

Veii

It was the Etruscan city that clashed with Rome over the right to control the lower Tiber Valley as an access to the sea. It was eventually crushed by Rome in 396 B.C.E.

Centuriate Assembly

It was the chief popular assembly of the Roman Republic. It passed laws and elected the chief magistrates.

Roman Republic

It was the period from 507 to 31 B.C.E., during which Rome was largely governed by the aristocratic Roman Senate. During this time Rome had no monarchy.

Conflict of the Orders

It wwas a political struggle between the Plebeians (commoners) and Patricians (aristocrats) of the ancient Roman Republic, in which the Plebeians sought political equality with the Patricians.

Pliny the Younger

Roman aristocrat who ruled the province of Bithynia-Pontus in the early second century C.E., and whose correspondence with the emperor Trajan contains the earliest reference to Christ in a pagan source

Cleopatra VII (69-30 B.C.E.)

She was the Egyptian Queen who became involved with Roman politics in the 40s and 30s B.C.E.

Sulla (138-178 B.C.E.)

Sulla was a Roman general who became a rival of Gaius Marius. He led a Roman army into to the city of Rome to make himself consul. This caused Rome to enter a long period of turmoil and marked the beginning of the end of the Roman Republic.

Etruscans

The Etruscan civilization flourished in central Italy between the 8th and 3rd century B.C.E.

Second Triumvirate

The Second Triumvirate is the name historians have given to the official political alliance of three Roman Generals, Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus, Marcus Antonius, and Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, formed in November 43 B.C.E. amid the turmoil of the last days of the Roman Republic.

Latins

The are people from the ancient country of Latium, an area in what is now the country of Italy.

Roman religion

The religion of ancient Rome was heavily influenced by the religion of ancient Greece. It was polytheistic and worshiped the same gods with different names. For example, the Romans referred to Zeus as Jupiter.

Proscriptions of Sulla

The were edicts which authorized a program of executing those whom he perceived as enemies of the state and confiscating their property.

Year of Four Emperors

The year was 69 C.E. In that year 4 emperors ruled Rome amid turmoil after the death of Nero.

Aediles

These ere officials in ancient Rome who were in charge of public building projects and often also sponsored public entertainment including gladitorial games.

praetors

These officials were elected to help consuls. They commanded armies in times of war and oversaw legal system in times of peace.

auctoritas, dignitas, gravitas,

These were 3 key values of ancient Rome. Authority, dignity, and seriousness.

quaestors

These were ancient Roman officials responsible for the administration of financial affairs. This was the first office ancient Romans could run for.

Five Good Emperors

These were five consecutive Roman emperors (Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antonius Pius, and Marcus Aurelius) distinguished by their benevolence and moderation. This period lasted from 96-180 C.E.

Gracchi Brothers (100s B.C.E.)

These were two brothers who led Rome politically in the 100s B.C.E. 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. Gaius committed suicide from shame when his plan didn't work.

consuls

These were two officials from the patrician class were appointed each year of the Roman Republic to supervise the government and command the armies. They were the two most powerful officials in the ancient Roman Republic.

censors

They were Roman officials who conducted a census by registering citizens according to their wealth.

plebeian tribunes

They were government officials elected each year in ancient Rome. They were supposed to advocate for the benefit of the plebeians during Senatorial debates.

plebeians

They were the common people of ancient Rome.

patricians

They were the wealthy, hereditary aristocrats during the Roman era.

pax deorum

This concept means maintaining peace with the gods to ensure the continuation and prosperity of Rome. This was purpose of Roman religion.

Tiber River

This is The river where Rome was founded.

Pyrric victory

This is a term which refers to a victory which is won at a great cost. This is a reference to Pyrrhus, the king of Epirus, and his temporary victories over Rome (c. 275 B.C.E.) only to be defeated later.

mos maiorum

This is the Latin term for the customs of the ancestors. This concept was very important for the ancient Romans.

Lex Hortensia

This law passed in 287 B.C.E. made all laws passed by the Plebeian Council binding on all Romans, patricians and plebeians alike. It is this legislation that modern historians have considered to have ended the early Republican Conflict of the Orders i

Licinian-Sextian law

This law passed in 367 B.C.E. by the Roman Senate allowed one of the two consuls elected every year had to be a plebeian.

manipular legion

This new system of warfare developed by the ancient Romans allowed more flexibility in the arrangement of the troops on the battlefield than the Greek phalanx. It also allowed using both heavy and light infantry as needed, instead of keeping them in a static formation for the duration of a battle.

The Ides of March

This refers to March 15, 44 B.C.E., the day Caesar was assassinated.

Populares

This term refers to the Roman political faction who supporting the common people. It was established during the late republic.

Twelve Tables

This was Rome's first code of laws adopted in 450 B.C.

Julio-Claudians

This was a dynasty of Roman emperors that included Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero (the first 5 emperors).

Battle of Lake Regillus (496 B.C.E.)

This was a legendary Roman victory over the Latin League shortly after the establishment of the Roman Republic and as part of a wider Latin War.

legion of cohorts

This was a military reform initiated by Gaius Marius in the 100s B.C.E. This reform made the Roman legion more flexible and more able to adapt to changing conditions on the battlefield.

Pax Romana

This was a period of unprecedented peace and prosperity throughout the Roman Empire, lasting from 275 B.C. to A.D. 180.

First Triumvirate

This was formed 60 BC. It was an unofficial coalition between Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus.

Optimates

This was the Roman political faction supporting the "best," or highest, social class. It was established during the late republic.

Flavian dynasty

it was a dynasty of Roman emperors from 69 to 96 C.E. including Vespasian and his sons Titus and Domitian.