Rome Ch. 6

Republic

A form of government in which power rests with citizens who have the right to vote for their

leaders.

Senate

The aristocratic branch of Rome’s government which had both legislative and administrative

functions.

Julius Caesar

A Roman military leader who became a popular absolute ruler

and instituted reforms.

Augustus

Unchallenged ruler, known as the “exalted one” who stabilized

Rome’s frontier and set up a civil service

Jesus

Carpenter and preacher born in Bethlehem (about 6 to 4 B.C.) whose teachings led to a

new religion.

Constantine

The Roman emperor who credited a battle victory to help from the

Christian god; he ended the persecution of the Christians.

Inflation

A drastic drop in the value of money accompanied by a rise in

prices.

Greco-Roman Culture

A culture that mixed elements of Greek, Hellenistic and Roman culture: often called classical

civilization.

Patricians

In the early Roman republic, the group of wealthy landowners who

inherited most of the power.

Plebeians

Common farmers, artisans, and merchants, who were the

majority of the population in the Roman republic.

Legion

Large military unit in the Roman army that was made up of about

5,000 foot soldiers supported by a calvary.

Punic Wars

A series of wars between Rome and Carthage between 264 and 146

B.C.

Hannibal

A brilliant strategist he led his army and 60 elephants across the Alps to avenge Carthage’s first defeat

by Rome.

Triumvirate

A group of 3 rulers for 10 years Julius Caesar was part of one.

Pax Romana

The period of peace and prosperity in Rome that began in 27 B.C. and

lasted for 207 years.

Diaspora

The exile of the Jews that began in A.D. 70 after Jerusalem fell to the

Romans and the Jewish temple was destroyed.

Mercenary

A foreign soldier who will fight for money; in Rome, such a soldier felt little loyalty to the empire.

Constantinople

Originally called Byzantium, the city in the East that became the new capital of the Roman Empire in

A.D. 330.

Virgil

A poet who wrote the most famous epic Latin poem, the Aeneid in

praise of Rome and Roman virtues.

Aqueduct

A structure designed by the Romans to bring water to cities and towns; it used arches to span rivers.