The Rise of Rome: Terms and Concepts

The Rise of Rome - Terms and Concepts

• The Etruscans were an ancient civilization preceding Rome in northern and central Italy that influenced Roman culture, architecture, religion, and government
• Romulus and Remus are legendary twin brothers raised by a she-wolf; Romulus founded Rome after killing Remus
• Rome adopted the arch, sewer systems, metalworking, and military organization from the Etruscans due to technological advancements
• The Forum was the central marketplace and public space in Rome used for political, commercial, and social activities
• Patricians were the aristocratic class in Rome, made up of wealthy landowning families holding most of the political power
• Plebeians were the common people of Rome, including farmers, merchants, and artisans, and were initially had fewer rights but gained more through reforms
• The Senate was a governing body in Rome composed of patricians who advised rulers and controlled finances
• Consuls were two officials elected annually to lead the Roman Republic, commanding the army and overseeing the government
• The Struggle for Orders was a conflict between patricians and plebeians over political rights, which involved allowing plebeians to hold office and the creation of the Tribune of the Plebs after reforms
• The Twelve Tables (451 BCE) was the first written law code of Rome, ensuring legal protections for all citizens
• Tribunes were officials elected by plebeians to protect their interests, with the power to veto laws
• Carthage was a powerful city-state in North Africa, and became Rome's main rival in the Mediterranean
• The Punic Wars were three wars between Rome and Carthage
  • First Punic War (264–241 BCE) which Rome won, gaining control of Sicily
  • Second Punic War (218–201 BCE) in which Hannibal invaded Italy, but Rome ultimately won, forcing Carthage into submission
  • Third Punic War (149–146 BCE), in which Rome destroyed Carthage, ending its existence
• The Battle of Cannae (216 BCE) was a major battle of the Second Punic War where Hannibal decisively defeated the Romans
• The Battle of Zama (202 BCE) was the final battle of the Second Punic War, where Scipio Africanus defeated Hannibal
• Paterfamilias was the head of a Roman family, usually the eldest male, with absolute authority over household affairs
• Latifundia were large Roman estates worked by slaves, which contributed to the decline of small farmers
• The Gracchi Reforms were land and social reforms proposed by Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus to help the poor but led to political unrest
• The Social War (91-88 BCE) was a conflict between Rome and its Italian allies over demands for citizenship, in which Rome granted citizenship to avoid further wars
• The First Triumvirate was an informal alliance between Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus to control Rome
• The Second Triumvirate was a political alliance between Octavian, Marc Antony, and Lepidus to defeat Caesar's assassins

The Rise of Rome - People

• Tarquin the Proud was the last king of Rome, overthrown in 509 BCE, leading to the establishment of the Republic
• Cincinnatus was a Roman farmer who became a dictator in a time of crisis, led Rome to victory, and returned to his farm
• Hannibal was a Carthaginian general who led a famous attack against Rome in the Second Punic War, including crossing the Alps
• Scipio Africanus was the Roman general who defeated Hannibal at the Battle of Zama
• Tiberius Gracchus was a tribune who attempted land reforms to help the poor but was assassinated
• Gaius Gracchus, Tiberius' brother, continued land reforms and was also killed
• Gaius Marius was a Roman general who reformed the army by allowing the poor to enlist
• Sulla was a general who became a dictator and used violence to suppress opposition
• Julius Caesar was a military leader who became dictator for life before being assassinated in 44 BCE
• Cleopatra was the last queen of Egypt who allied with Julius Caesar and later Marc Antony
• Pompey was a member of the First Triumvirate who fought Caesar for control of Rome and lost
• Marc Antony was a member of the Second Triumvirate who allied with Cleopatra before being defeated by Octavian

The Roman Empire - Terms and Concepts

• Pax Romana (27 BCE–180 CE) was a period of peace and stability across the Roman Empire
• Imperator is a title meaning "commander" or "emperor" used by Roman rulers
• The Praetorian Guard was an elite force tasked with protecting the emperor
• The Five Good Emperors include Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius, who ruled during Rome's peak
• Gladiators were fighters who competed in public spectacles, often slaves or prisoners
• Pagans were people who followed polytheistic religions, as opposed to Christianity
• Aqueducts were engineering structures that carried water to Roman cities
• Problems During the Third Century such as economic decline, political instability, invasions, and inflation weakened Rome
• Pompeii was a Roman city destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE
• Barracks Emperors were a series of short-lived Roman rulers, often military generals, who seized power by force

The Roman Empire - People

• Ovid was a Roman poet known for Metamorphoses
• Virgil was the author of The Aeneid, an epic poem about Rome's founding
• Paul of Tarsus was a key figure in spreading Christianity throughout the Roman Empire
• Tiberius was the second emperor of Rome, known for his reclusive rule
• Claudius was an emperor who expanded Rome's territory and improved administration
• Nero was an infamous emperor accused of cruelty, persecution of Christians, and possibly starting the Great Fire of Rome
• The Flavian Emperors (Vespasian, Titus, Domitian) were a dynasty that restored stability after Nero's death and built the Colosseum
• Hadrian was an emperor who consolidated Rome's borders and building Hadrian's Wall in Britain
• Marcus Aurelius was the last of the Five Good Emperors and a Stoic philosopher