Topics for Review: Chapters 4 & 5
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In what ways did the geography of the Mediterranean shape Classical Greece & Rome?
How did Greek politics resemble Indian politics in the Classical Era?
Explain the diversity of political systems that existed in Classical Greece
Compare American concepts of democracy to Athenian democracy
Features of Classical Greek philosophy + examples of Greek philosophers
Features of Classical Greek/Hellenistic science
What is Hellenism?
Characteristics of Classical Greek and Roman architecture + compare to Classical Chinese architecture
Identify & describe the social hierarchy of the Roman Empire
3 phases of Roman government: Monarchy, Republic, & Imperial Rome + explain features of each
motivations for Roman territorial expansion
o The Roman Empire eventually included territory in W.Europe, E.Europe, MidEast, & N.Africa
Functions of Imperial Rome’s government
Compare and contrast methods by which the Roman & Han governments attempted centralization
Citizenship requirements in Greece compared to Rome
Roman state religion + religious tolerance policy
Extent of Roman engineering and technological innovations
Roman slavery (roles? Impacts on Roman society?)
Compare & contrast coerced labor systems in Rome, China, & India
Identify key features of Christianity + explain the process of Christianity’s diffusion throughout the Middle East &
Mediterranean
Constantine was the first emperor to convert to Christianity, thus making it more acceptable to be Christian in the
Roman Empire (300s CE) + Theodosius made it official state religion of Roman Empire
The fundamental economic activity in India, China, & Rome was agriculture (most people were peasants in all 3)
Trade routes that linked Rome internally & with foreign regions/civilizations
Primary mode of transport for merchants on the Great Silk Road was by camel (Bactrian camels – the 2-humped
variety)
Imports/Exports of the Roman Empire + unfavorable balance of international trade with Asian civilizations
(Why?)
Buddhism diffused from South Asia to Southeast Asia (via Indian O. trade network) + to East Asia (via Great Silk
Road)
Christianity diffused from Israel in the Middle East to regions around the Mediterranean [N.Africa, MidEast,
E.Europe, W.Europe] (via the Mediterranean trade network + Roman roads network) + to Middle East (via
Great Silk Road)
o Missionaries, monastics (monks & nuns), & merchants diffused both religions
o gov’t support of Buddhism by Ashoka + gov’t support of Christianity helped further diffuse these
religions
o Roles of St. Peter & St. Paul in diffusion Christianity within the Roman Empire
Compare & contrast features of Christianity, Hinduism, & Buddhism
What are monastics + examples of Classical era religions that had monastics
After c200 CE, increasing numbers of people in the Middle East, Europe, & North Africa began adopting
monotheistic faiths
As religions diffused, syncretism occured. What is syncretism? Examples for this era?
What was the nature of contact that existed between the Roman Empire & Han China?
Polynesian migrations (who? Motivations for migrations? Nature of migrations? Into which region?)
Japanese religions during the Classical Era + describe
The first kingdoms in eastern Africa below the Sahara showed influence from which cultures?
Explain the division of the Roman Empire into Eastern & Western halves + impacts of this
Compare the causes and effects of the collapse of: Gupta India, Han China, & Imperial Rome (BIG!)
Different groups of Huns invaded the Han, Gupta, & Imperial Rome + what military advantage did the Huns have
over the sedentary civilizations they invaded?
Describe the political situation in India after the collapse of the Gupta & Western Europe after the collapse of
the Western Roman Empire
What cultural traditions continued after the invasion of China, India, & Western Europe by barbarians?
Reasons the Eastern Roman Empire experienced less decline than the Western Roman Empire