Ancient Rome
Notes for Fall
Semester Exam
Roman Terms
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Legion- basic unit of the Roman army.
Heresy- belief contrary to official church
teachings.
Veto- block a government action.
Consul- government official who supervised
the business of government and the army.
Patrician- landholding elite.
Plebeians- farmers, merchants, and traders
who made up the bulk of Roman Society.
Aqueduct- bridge-like stone structure that
bought water from the hills to the cities.*
Famous People
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Augustus- first ruler of the Roman Empire,
once known as Octavian.
Julius Caesar- general that brought Gaul
under Roman control.
Jesus- central figure in Christianity.
Hannibal- leader of the Carthaginian army
who used elephants.
Ptolemy- astronomer who believed the earth
was the center of the universe.
Messiah- savior sent by god. *
Facts about the Romans
The mission of Jesus was to bring spiritual
salvation to believers.
 The Pax Romana refers to Roman peace.
 The decline of the Roman republic followed a
century of civil wars fought over the question
of who would hold power.
 The Romans generally tolerated religious
differences.
 Germanic invasions, corrupt officials, and
heavy taxes all helped contribute to the fall of
Rome. *
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More facts about the Romans
 Diocletian
and Constantine
tried to restore order to the
Roman Empire.
 The Plebeians were responsible
for making the early Roman
Republic more democratic.
 The Romans were greatly
influenced by the culture of
Greece.*
Chapter 6- Ancient Rome
and the Rise of
Christianity
Let the fun begin
Important terms
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A person who suffers or dies for his or her
beliefs is called…
A foreign soldier who serves for pay…
A savior sent by God…
A member of the Roman landholding
upper class…
A Roman farmer, merchant, artisan, or
trader would belong to this class…*
More important terms
Government in which officials are
chosen by the people…
 Basic unit of the Roman army…
 A water carrying bridge-like stone
structure…
 A small religious group…
 A belief that is contrary to official
church teachings…*
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Important People
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Central figure in Christianity…
Astronomer who believed the earth was
the center of the universe…
First ruler of the Roman empire, once
known as Octavian…
General who brought Gaul under Roman
control…
Leader of the Carthaginian army who
used elephants…*
Nifty little facts about Rome
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After the death of the Gracchus brothers,
the Roman republic experienced a series
of civil wars.
In the fields of art and literature, Romans
were greatly influenced by the culture of
Greece.
During the empire, the Roman legal
system contributed to relative stability.*
A few more bits of
information about Rome
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Jesus proclaimed that his mission was to
bring spiritual salvation to believers.
The Pax Romana ended in 180 A.D., after
the death of Marcus Aurelius.
Diocletian and Constantine were two
Roman emperors who tried to restore
order to the Roman empire.
Roman persecution of Christians ended
when Constantine issued the Edict of
Milan.*
Possible essays
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Describe two positive and two negative
ways that winning an empire affected
Rome.
Why was Italy easier to unify than
Greece?
Describe two of Constantine’s actions that
had long-lasting effects on Europe.
How did Roman ideas serve as a model
for democratic governments.***