Name:_________________________
Date:_________________
The Legacy of the Roman Empire Study Guide for Quiz
1.
For how long was Rome the capital of the greatest empire the world had ever seen?
Rome was the capital of the greatest empire of the world for 500 years.
2. What time period does the fall of the great Roman Empire indicate the end of and the beginning
of?
The end of the Ancient Roman Empire and the beginning of the Medieval Byzantine Empire
3.




List economic problems associated with the end of Rome
Heavy taxes
Trade suffered
Slavery led to unemployment
Growing corruption (Emperors taking Bribes)
4. List social problems associated with the end of Rome.
 Corruption ( Notorious emperors wasting lots of money)
 Decline in the spirit of citizenship
 A rise in crime made cities unsafe
5. What was the eastern half of the Roman Empire called that continued for another 1,000 years?
Define the following terms:
Present day Istanbul, Turkey- Eastern half of the Roman Empire’s capital called Constantinople
Roman Empire- an empire that at its height, around 200 C.E. spanned the Mediterranean world and
most of Europe
Empire-a large territory in which several groups of people are ruled by a single leader or government.
Corruption –a pattern of illegal or immoral activities by government officials.
Decline-a slow breakdown or failure
Constantine-Roman emperor who, in 330 C.E. moved the capital to Byzantium and later renamed it
Constantinople.
Scribe- a person trained to write or copy documents by hand.
Proverb-a popular saying meant to express something wise or true.
Philosophy- the study of wisdom, knowledge, and the nature of reality.
Stoics-believe that a divine intelligence ruled all of nature. “Living rightly” meant living in away that
agreed with nature. Good character is important as well as virtues such as self-control and courage.
Stoics prized duty and the welfare of their community over personal comfort.
Citizenship-a privilege and a responsibility has descended from Roman times to our own.
Proverb-a popular saying meant to express something wise or true. Latin proverbs are still in use. For
example, look at eh reverse side of a U.S. penny. There you’ll see the U.S. motto E pluribus Unum (“Out
of many, one”).
III. Directions: As we have learned, the Roman Empire has had many long-lasting contributions to the
world in the areas of Art, Architecture, Engineering and language. Please list and describe examples of
each.
Examples of Art:





Mosaic
Great patrons
Colorful murals
Frescoes
busts
Examples of Architecture:





columns
arches
domes
coliseum/stadium
concrete
Examples of Engineering:



Aqueduct
Roads
Bridges
Examples of Language:




Roman Numerals
Latin
Proverbs
Scribes –used to create important documents for the Roman Catholic Church