KEY
Ancient Rome & the Rise of Christianity Reading Guide
Chapter 6 Section 1; The Roman Republic (p. 155)
Origins of Rome
1. Who were Romulus & Remus and what did they do?
a. Twin sons of the god Mars & a Latin princess. They built the city of Rome near the
Tiber River
Rome’s Geography
2. How is Rome's geography vital in the success of the city? Built on fertile land, rolling hills at the
bend of the Tiber River, midway down the Italian peninsula (halfway between the Alps to the north
and Mediterranean Sea to the south)
The First Romans
2. Which three groups fought for control of the region of Rome?
a. Latins
b. Etruscans
c. Greeks
The Early Republic
4. What is the forum? The heart of Roman political life. It was Rome’s first public center. Like a
modern day city square or shopping center
5. Why did Romans want a republic after the reign of Tarquin the Proud? He was a harsh tyrant
who the Romans drove from power in 509BC
Patricians & Plebeians
6. define patricians: wealthy land owners who hold most of the power in early Roman Republic
plebeians: common farmers, artisans, and merchants who consist of most of the population
7. What is a tribune? Elected representative of the plebians. They protect the plebians from unfair
acts
Twelve Tables
8. What are the Twelve Table? Rome’s laws, which were written on 12 tables by 10 officials in 451
BC to ensure everyone knew the law
Government Under the Republic
8. Define consuls: officials of Rome who commanded the army and directed the government. 2
officials were elected and served 1 a one year term. They could not serve again for 10 years and
could be vetoed by other consuls.
senate: Aristocratic branch consisting of 300 members chose by upper class Romans. Their 2
functions were legislative (laws) and administration.
Roman Army
9. Define legion: Large roman military unit made up of 5,000 infantry and then also divided into
smaller groups of 80 men. Each led by cavalry.
Rome Spreads its Power
Rome Conquers Italy
10. Whom must the Romans defeat to control Italy? Etruscans to the north and Greeks to the south
Rome's Commercial Network
11. How did they travel? By land and sea
What did they trade? Roman wine and olive oil
What did they trade for? Raw materials and manufactured goods
War with Carthage
12. Who fought the Punic wars? Rome and Carthage (northern African civilization)
Who is Hannibal? A brutal Carthaginian general who fought in the 2nd punic war w/ Rome.
What was the outcome of the Punic wars? 3 wars total were fought between Rome and Carthage.
First was won by Rome, second Carthage won by surprising the Romans by route of the Alps with
elephants, and the third and last was won by Rome (city of Zuma in Carthage was burned)
How big was Rome’s empire in 70 BC? Rome stretched from Anatolia to Spain
Section 2: The Roman Empire (p. 160)
The Republic Collapses
Economic Turmoil
13. What economic trouble caused the republic to collapse? Large gap between the rich and the
poor. Farmers couldn’t compete with upper class and this caused civil wars. Lower class largely
outnumbered the upper class.
Military Upheaval
14. What caused the military to lose its loyalty? Generals began seizing power for themselves, they
replaced the soldiers whose loyalty was to the republic.
Julius Caesar Takes Control
15. define: triumvirate: A group of three rulers in the Roman republic
-who was in the first triumvirate? Julius Caesar. Crassus, and Pompey
16. How did Julius Caesar become Rome’s dictator? Caesar won the support of soldiers for his
loyalty and expended Rome to Gaul. He defeated Pompey in battle and Crassus retired.
Caesar’s Reforms
17. Even though Caesar was an absolute dictator, how did some of his reforms favor the people? He
granted citizenship to more people, expanded the senate, and helped the poor by creating jobs
18. Who killed Caesar? Marcus Brutus and Gaius Cassius
Why? He was killed because they thought he was a tyrant. They thought they would lose their
power and Rome would fail if he was too successful.
Beginning of the Empire
19. Who was in the second Triumvirate? Octavian (Caesars grand-nephew), Mark Antony, and
Lepidus
20. What happened to Mark Antony? He fell in love with Cleopatra and they tried to rule the Roman
empire from Egypt. Octavian said the only place the roman empire can be ruled from is Rome, and
Mark and Cleopatra commit suicide together.
21. Who became Rome's next dictator? (Both names) Augustus Caesar
A Vast and Powerful Empire
22. What does Pax Romana mean? When was it? Roman peace. 27 BC to 180 AD (207 years)
A Sound Government
23. How did Civil Service help to run the government? It was a system that paid workers to manage
government affair such as taxes and postal service. Those workers were former slaves and
plebians. This creates a stable government and Empire for the next 200 years.
The Roman World
24. What is gravitias? A roman virtue consisting of discipline, strength, and loyalty.
Slaves & Captivity
25. What role did slaves play in the Roman Empire? Slaves consisted of 1/3 of Roman population and
were men, women, and children of conquered peoples. Slaves were property and could be bought,
traded, and killed legally.
Society & Culture
26. What classes existed in the Roman Empire? Small upper class and huge lower class.
27. List the “distracting” events that took place in the Colosseum. Animal shows, gladiator fights,
and naval battles
_______________________***Freebies provided in class***_______________________
Section 3: The Rise of Christianity (p. 168)
The Life & Teachings of Jesus
1. What was Judea? What happened to it in 6 A.D.? Judea is the home of the Jews. It was under
control of the Roman Empire when it expanded into Asia.
Jesus of Nazareth
2. When was Jesus probably born? At what age did he start his ministry? Jesus was probably born
around 6-4 BC in Bethlehem.
3. What did Jesus do for the next 3 years? He preached, taught, did good works, and reportedly
performed miracles.
A Growing Movement
4. Define apostles: 12 men that were Jesus’ deciples, or pupils. They were thought to be the ones
who wrote the Gospels, or the first 4 books of the New Testament.
5. What the special appeal of Jesus? He ignored wealth and status & his message had special appeal
to the poor.
Jesus’ Death
6. Why was Jesus crucified? Jesus was defying authority because of his teachings. Romans did not
want his ideas present in the empire. Romans wanted people to pay homage (tribute) and worship
roman gods.
- Who ordered the crucifixion? Pontius Pilate, a Roman governor
Christianity Spreads Through the Empire
Paul’s Mission
7. Who was Paul and what did he do? One of the apostles who had as enormous influence on the
spread of Christianity. He had a vision of Christ, and spent his life spreading Jesus’ ideas.
8. How did Pax Romana help the spread of Christianity into Rome? During peacetime, travel and the
exchange of ideas was safe along the elaborate roads that the romans built connecting the Empire.
They also had a common language which helped people communicate ideas.
Persecution of Christians
9. Why did the Romans dislike Christians? Christians refused to worship Roman gods, which was an
opposition to roman rule and authority. Worshipping was illegal and many Christians were killed.
A World Religion
10. Why did Christianity Grow?
a. It embraced all people
b. It gave hope to the powerless (which was the majority of the population)
c. appealed to those repelled by the Roman Empire
d. it offered a personal relationship with god
e. it offered eternal life
Constantine Accepts Christianity
11. How does Constantine's acceptance of Christianity increase its growth? He put the cross
(symbol of Christianity) on shields in battle, and his infantry miraculously won the battle. He saw
this as a sign and when he comes to power he stops all persecution of Christians.
Early Christian Church
12. Describe how Peter is the first Bishop & Pope of the Christian church. Jesus refers to Peter as
the “rock” on which the church will be built. All bishops today trace their authority back to Peter.
Fathers of the Church
13. What did St. Augustine teach about Christianity? That humans needed the grace of God to be
saved. One will not receive God’s grace until he/she belonged to the Christian church.
_____________________***End of Freebies provided in class***___________________
Section 4: The Fall of the Roman Empire (p. 173)
A Century in Crisis
28. Pax Romana ended with the death of what great emperor? Marcus Aurelius
Rome’s Economy Weakens
29. What 3 factors led to a weakened Roman Economy?
1 Trade was disrupted by hostile tribes and pirates
2 Lacked new sources of wealth (gold and silver)
3. inflation: (define) a drop in the value of money as well as the rise of prices
Military & Political Turmoil
30. With a declining loyalty to the crown, how did the Roman Government defend the empire? They
hired mercenaries, or foreign soldiers who fought for money. They lacked loyalty to the Empire.
Emperors Attempt Reform
Diolcetian reforms Empire
31. What improvements Diolcetian make to improve the Empire? He doubled the size of the Roman
army, controlled inflation, and most importantly, he divided the empire into 2 management parts
(East and West)
Constantine Move the Capital
32. Where did Constantine move the capital to? What was the new name given to the city? He
moved it from Rome to Byzantium in Anatolia and named it Constantinople (or city of Constantine)
33. What were four major contributing factors to the fall of the Western Empire? (chart)
- - Political, Social, Economic, and Military
The Western Empire Crumbles
Germanic Invasions
34. Describe what the Germanic Invasion were & how they effected the Empire? Outside invaders
pushed into Roman lands and into Gaul in an attempt to escape from Hun invasion.
- Who are the Huns: Mongol nomads from the Steppes region of Asia – very brutal and fierce tribe
Attila the Hun
35. Who is Attila? He was a powerful cheiftain of the Huns. He is indirectly responsible for the fall
of the Western Roman Empire
An Empire No More
36. Who was the last Roman Emperor and what happened to him? Romulus Augustus. He was killed
by German forces
Section 5: Rome and the Roots of Western Civilization (p. 178)
The Legacy of Greco-Roman civilization
37. What is Greco-Roman Culture? The mixing of Greek, Hellenistic, and Roman cultures. Also called
the classic civilization.
Roman Fine Arts
38. How did Roman Art Differ from Greek Art? Romans were more realistic, focused on strength
and solidarity. Greeks focused on beauty and idealization.
39. What is Pompeii? A Roman city where much of ancient art was preserved by ash from a
devastating eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.
- what happened to Pompeii? Volcano killed over 2,000 people but preserved buildings
Legacy of Rome
Latin Languages
40. What are the “romance Languages?” French, Spanish, Italian, Romanian, Portuguese
Master Builders
41. What are aqueducts:
Arched bridges that brought water to and from the Roman cities within the Empire. They were the
grandest and most impressive ever built during that time period in history.
42. What is the Colosseum? A huge arena in Rome built by Emperor Vespasian in 80 AD
- what took place there? Animal hunts, gladiator fights, and naval battles
CHAPTER 11 Section 1: The Byzantine Empire (p.301)
Setting the Stage
43. Why did the Roman Empire crumble? Several long term reasons (See DBQ documents). The
IMMEDIATE cause was that it was overrun by Germanic tribes escaping the Huns.
44. What were the significant changes that had occurred at this time to the Roman Empire? It was
divided into East/West empires, the capital was moved to the Greek (Eastern) side, and the
economy was declining
Rome in a New Setting
45. Why had the empire been divided? Mostly due to difficulties communicating between East/West
- How did the rulers in the east view themselves? They viewed themselves as emperor of ALL of
rome, not just part of it.
46. Who was Justinian? A byzantine noblemen who succeeded the throne of the Eastern Empire.
Re-conquered northern Africa for Rome.
Life in the New Rome
47. What language used to be spoken in the west? East? Most of the Byzantines spoke Greek. Latin
was the language of the eastern empire.
48. What was the Justinian Code? A single, uniform code of law used to govern the new empire.
Justinian created it based on the same principles as the 12 tables of Roman law, but changed certain
aspects to better serve his needs within the empire.
- What are some legal questions that this code dealt with? Marriage, slavery, property, and criminal
matters are a few.
- How long did this Code last? 900 years after Justinian’s death.
Creating the Imperial Capital
49. List 3 ways Justinian helped build up Constantinople:
1. Rebuilt crumbling fortifications of Constantinople
2. Built a 14 mile wall along cities coast line
3. Repaired the massive fortifications along western border
Empress Theodora
50. Who was Empress Theodora and what role did she play in government? She was an “actress” and
not your typical choice for an Empress. She was not upper class but was intelligent and motivated.
Justinian fell in love with this lower class woman. She became very powerful, controlling the empire
and had a great deal of power
The Empire falls
51. When did Justinian die? How long did he have power (hint: look back to page 301)? 565 AD. He
was in power for 38 years and the empire faced many setbacks after his death.
The Plague of Justinian
52. What does the above heading refer to? A period of time at the end of Justinian’s reign when
thousands died due to disease.
Attacks from East and West
53. List each group that attacked the Byzantines AND from what direction: 1. Lombard’s from the
West 2. Slavs/Bulgars to the north 3. Sassanid and Persian from the East
- What was done to try and stop the attacks?
Byzantines used bribes, diplomacy, and military power to keep enemies at bay.
The Church Divides
54. What was the main cause for the division of the church? A lack of contact and communication
between East/West. Differences grew between the groups over time.
A Religious Split
55. What is a patriarch? A leading bishop in the Eastern Christian church
56. What are icons and what did Emperor Leo III do about them? Icons are religious images. He
banned the use of icons in the church because they represented idol worship.
57. Define excommunication: To be ousted or removed as a member from the church. Would have to
move far away and disconnect yourself from civilization.
Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy (p. 305)
58. List 2 facts for each of the following:
Roman Catholic Similarities Eastern Orthodox