Ancient Roman Civilization: Guided Notes
Italy – a _______________________________________ that is very long (≈____________ miles) from north to south, but not
very wide (≈___________________ miles) from west to east
Apennines – mountain range running down the middle of Italy that ___________________ the west from the east;
less ____________________________________ than _________________________ mountains
Central Location – located on the banks of the ___________________ River gave access to the sea, but far enough
inland to be safe from pirates/enemy fleets. Built on _______ ________________ and was easily ______________________.
Location was a natural _________________________________ in Italy.
Founding – the traditional, ________________________________________ legend of the founding of Rome involves twin
brothers _____________________________ and ____________________________
Latins – Indo-European people who came from north in _______________ and settled the region of _________________
around Rome
Greeks – settled ________________________ Italy, including ____________________, during colonization period and
influenced Roman ____________ and culture through sculpture, architecture, ___________________________________, etc.
Etruscans –people from the __________________ who most influenced early development of Rome.
 Contributed greatly to early Roman _____________________
 Turned a ____________________ into a ____________________________
Etruscans cont’d – Romans adopted Etruscan dress such as ______________ and the short cloak and the Roman
___________________ was _____________________ like the Etruscan
Circa 500 B.C.  Romans ______________ Against Existing Monarchy  Etruscan Influence _______________ 
Founding of a Roman __________________________________________ (509 B.C.)
Republic – a state (government) in which supreme _________________ is held by the _______________ by way of their
elected _________________________________
Patricians – the ______________________, landowning elite class in Ancient Rome (_________________________________)
Plebeians – members of the lower, ___________________ classes of people who generally did not own or control
significant ____________________ or wealth (______________________________________)
Consul – one of the ____________ annually elected chief __________________________ who jointly ruled the
_________________________. (Similar to _______________________)
Veto – power to _____________________ or block a _____________________________ or ____________________________________
Praetor – each of two ancient Roman magistrates ranking __________________ consul. (Like supreme
______________________ of the ________________)
Senate – the state council of the ancient Roman republic and ____________, which shared ___________________________
power with the ____________________ ___________________________ - generally consisting of ___________ very
_________________________________ people
Assemblies – more ____________________________ legislative bodies ___________________ the senate in Roman
government (________________________________!)
Twelve Tables – first set of written ________________ publicly displayed in Rome and the ________________ for all
future Roman law (and ____________________)
Legion – a _________________ of _______________________–_______________________ men in the ancient Roman _____________
Centurion – ___________________ of a century in the ancient Roman army
Paterfamilias – the dominant _______________ of a family and the basis of Roman _____________________ structure
Carthage – a Phoenician colony in North ___________________, near Sicily, that had grown ___________________ from
________________________ in the Mediterranean.
* First Punic War is fought over ____________________ and Rome _________________.
2nd Punic War – In 216 B.C., the Carthaginian general, ____________________________, crossed the ____________________
with his army of 46,000 men and 37 battle ____________________________ to attack Rome. Romans eventually push
Carthaginians back and out of ____________________.
3rd Punic War – Romans ________________________ Carthage and became the ________________________ power in the
Mediterranean world.
First Triumvirate – form of government where ______ people have ________________ power…the leaders were
_____________________________, ________________________________, and ______________________ ______________________________.
Julius Caesar – illegally crossed the ______________________ River with his army causing a ___________ war in which
he defeated __________________________…made __________________________ and controlled Rome.
Julius Caesar Cont’d – his policies were _________________________ and he was _______________________________________
in 44 B.C. by a group of ___________________, including _____________________ (“________ _________, ______________________?”)
2nd Triumvirate – composed of _____________________________, _________________________, and __________________________.
Final War of the Republic – ________________________ and ________________________ soon came into ____________________,
and Octavian soon became the _______________ ruler of the Roman Empire by _____________________________________
Antony and _______________________________________ (of Egypt)
Octavian – the Senate declares Octavian to be titled ___________________________________, or “revered one”, and
“imperator”, meaning emperor
Imperator – “__________________________” (a title conferred under the Republic on a victorious general and under
the Empire on the _______________________________________)
This is a major shift in the history of Roman government and culture
(Although it did not “just happen” – circumstances developed over time)
_____________________________  _____________________________  _____________________________
Full circle? Maybe. Maybe not.