Study Guide for Rome Unit Test

Geography of Ancient Rome

a. What geographical features helped to protect the Italian peninsula?

Alps Mountains protected the northern part of the Italian peninsula.

*One advantage of Rome’s location was its central position in the Mediterranean.

b. What were the disadvantages of Rome’s location?

Little arable (farmable) land and very few resources

c. When Rome was founded, what were the three groups of people living on the Italian peninsula that
we learned about in class?

Latins, Etruscans, Greeks

d. Which of the above groups did each of the following?

influenced Rome's architecture, especially the use of the arch: etruscans

taught the Romans how to grow grapes and olives: greeks

established about 50 colonies on the coasts of southern Italy: greeks

built the original settlement of Rome ( 1st Romans): latins

brought Mythology to the Romans: greeks

The Roman Republic

a. Following the overthrow of the Etruscan king in 509 B.C.E., the Romans formed

a type of government known as a republic , which is a form of government in

which people have the power to elect their representatives .

b. Identify whether each of the following is true of patricians or plebeians:

1. were in the upper social class during the Roman Republic: patricians

2. were in the lower social class during the Roman Republic: plebian

3. few in number: patricians

5. were mostly peasants, shopkeepers, craftspeople and laborers: plebeians

6. held the important government and religious positions: patricians

7. their rebellion was known as the Conflict of the Orders: plebeians

8. had little say in government in the early years of the Roman Republic: plebeians

c. The government of the early Roman Republic included a Senate, consuls, dictator and
assemblies. Describe each.

Senate: 300 members, aristocratic branch, legislative body (voted on laws)

Consuls: elected 2, “monarchy” branch, directed the government

Dictator: appointed in times of crisis, only served maximum of 6 months

Assemblies: elected to represent the people, eventually included Tribunes

d. What major step did the plebeians take in 494 B.C.E.?

conflict of orders

e. This act by the plebeians in 494 B.C.E. led, over time, to a number of reforms, which included:

Creation of Tribunes, Plebeians could participate in government (could hold elected office), Plebeians
got the right to vote and creation of the Twelve tables.

f. Prior to the creation of the Twelve Tables, the laws created by the patricians were not in writing.
Why was this a problem for the plebeians?

Patricians could change the laws any time they wanted

Only patrician males and some foreigners

h. What were some of the rights and responsibilities of Roman citizenship?

Vote, serve in military, perform civic duties, and pay taxes

The Punic Wars

a. The Punic Wars were fought between Rome and Carthage .

b. The Punic Wars consisted of 3 separate wars. (Provide a number.)

c. Provide the following information about the First Punic War:

1. Who started it, who won and what did the winner get?

Rome, Rome, Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica (Islands in the Mediterranean)

d. Who started the Second Punic War? Why? Describe the main events of the Second Punic War and
results of the Second Punic War.

Carthage, wanted revenge for the 1st Punic War

The Carthaginian general Hannibal launched a land invasion of Rome and marched with his army and war
elephants from North Africa to Rome. They had to cross the Alps along the way. The Carthaginian
army destroyed the countryside and killed thousands of Romans.

The Roman general Scipio attacked Carthage to draw Hannibal away from Rome and defeated Hannibal
back in North Africa.

Rome took control of Spain.

e. Who started the Third Punic War? Why? What was the result of the Third Punic War?

Rome, Revenge for the devastation caused by Hannibal in the 2 nd war, took control of all of Carthage’s
territory and destroyed the city of Carthage and poured salt into the earth.
Decline of the Roman Republic

a. What events primarily contributed to the decline of the Roman Republic?

Inflation of currency, farmers out of jobs thanks to big estates called Latifundia worked by slaves,
and civil war

b. Who were Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus and what did they try to do?

Brother who served in the Senate, tried to pass reforms to help the poor

c. Describe the rise and fall of Julius Caesar. Your description should include the following
terms/names: civil war, First Triumvirate, Pompey, Crassus, Caesar, dictator for life and Senate.

Julius Caesar, Pompey and Crassus formed the 1st Triumvirate after civil war broke out in Rome.

Crassus died and Caesar and Pompey fought each other for power.

Caesar won and declared himself dictator for life.

He tried to help the poor and was hated by the Senate.

The senators murdered Caesar and caused another civil war.

d. Why was Caesar so popular? What did he do that made him popular with the people (especially
the poor)?

He tried to help the poor. Gave the poor land, created new jobs, and tried to weaken the power of the
senate.

e. Describe the process through which Octavian became the first Emperor of Rome (be sure that your
answer includes an explanation of the Second Triumvirate).

After Caesar’s assassination, a 2nd triumvirate was formed between Octavian, Marc Anthony, and
Lepidus.

Lepidus died, war broke out between Octavian and Marc Antony (and Cleopatra)

Octavian wins and becomes Rome’s 1st emperor. (End of Roman Republic/ Start of Roman Empire)

f. When Octavian became emperor, he took the new name/title of ______Augustus Caesar____.
Pax Romana

a. The 200 year period of peace and prosperity that began with the reign of Augustus Caesar is

known as the ________Roman Peace___________________________.

b. True or false: The Pax Romana was a time of economic prosperity.

TRUE

c. Name TWO reasons that trade became easier during the Pax Romana:

Common currency

Good (safe) Roads

d. Describe the civil service system established during the Pax Romana:

paid jobs for government officials

e. The Romans also established the idea of rule of law, which is the idea that innocent until

proven guilty .

f. During the Pax Romana, family was very important. Explain the role of each of the following:

paterfamilias:

women: serve husband, but was treated almost equally (didn’t have right to vote)

children: obey father, most not schooled

g. Was slavery common during the Pax Romana?

The Coliseum – arena for Gladiator games in Rome

Pantheon- temple to Roman Gods in Rome

Forum- where administrative and government activities took place

Aqueducts- used arch and carried water to cities and towns

i. Identify what each of the following were used for:

1. Pantheon: temple

2. Colosseum: arena

3. Forum: government activities

j. Be able to identify images of the Pantheon, Colosseum and Forum.

k. What Roman technological achievements did we learn about in class?

Aqueducts

l. What is shown in the image to the right AND what was its purpose?

Aqueduct, bring water to Roman cities and towns

m. ___Ptolemy________ was a famous Roman astronomer, geographer and mathematician who lived in
Alexandria, Egypt. (IN 2nd set of Roman Contribution Notes)

n. The language of the Roman Empire was ___Latin____________. The languages that developed out

of Latin (such as French, Spanish and Italian) are known as _____Romance Languages______.

o. One of the most famous writers of the Roman Empire was ___Virgil____________, who wrote an

epic poem titled ____The Aeniad___________________.

p. Three types of art that were common during the Roman Empire that we learned about in class

were __bas-relief_____________, ___mosiac____________ and __only talked about two____.

__innocent_______________ until proven __guilty_____________. This idea first appeared in

the____Twelve Tables____________________________.

Roman Mythology and Religion

a. Roman mythology was based on __Greek________ religion. Like Greek mythology, Roman

mythology honored and worshipped many gods and goddesses. In other words, this religion was

____polytheistic______________________.

b. Identify each of the following Roman gods/goddesses:

1. father of the gods; Greek counterpart was Zeus: Jupiter

2. wife of Jupiter; looked after women; Greek counterpart was Hera: Juno

3. god of sun and light; same name in Greek mythology: Apollo

4. goddess of the hunt, moon and birth; Greek counterpart was Artemis: Diana

5. goddess of arts and wisdom; Greek counterpart was Athena: Minerva

6. goddess of love; Greek counterpart was Aphrodite: Venus

Decline of the Empire

a. Identify contributing factors that led to the decline of the Roman Empire in each of the
following categories:

1. size of the Empire at its greatest extent:

Too large to maintain, too expensive to pay for soldiers

2. economy:

Inflation, currency devalued, bad harvests

3. military:
No loyalty or patriotism, had to hire mercenaries (non-Roman soldiers)
4. morality:
Decline of the family and Paterfamilias

5. political problems:
Bad emperors, office seen as a burden, no loyalty or pride to Rome

6. invasion:
Borders weak, invasions by Germanic tribes