Term
| What are the 3 main geographical areas of Central Italy? |
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Definition
| In the middle was Rome. In the north, Etruria. In the south, Campania. |
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Term
| Describe Villanovan culture. |
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Definition
| Large settlements, clusters of huts for kinship groups. Farming was their primary economic activity. They had clay, bronze, iron, & bone. There is evidence that they traded with other groups. |
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Term
| Describe the advent of writing in Italy. |
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Definition
| There is evidence of writing on clay jugs in 740 BCE. The Etruscans used the Phoenician alphabet & a Phoenician-like language. In southern Italy, the Greeks used their own writing system, which was also based on Phoenician. Writing was generally used on tombs. |
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Term
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Definition
| A formal cemetery located on the margins of a settlement. |
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Term
| Describe a typical Etruscan temple. |
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Definition
| Four blocks of rooms around a central courtyard with space for a shrine or throne. Elaborately decorated. There were columns only in the front and there was a big porch. |
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Term
| Describe the presence of the Greeks in Italy during the Archaic Period. |
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Definition
| Greeks lived in southern Italy and Sicily. They taught Romans hoplite warfare and the beginnings of democracy. |
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Term
| Name the canonical 7 kings of Rome and their main attributes. |
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Definition
Romulus — son of Mars, city founder
Numa — peaceful; establishes cults and priesthoods, reforms calendar
Tullus Hostilius — warlike; absorbs adjoining populations
Ancus Marcius — builds first bridge; gains control of salt flats below Tiber
Tarquinius Priscus — public games, drainage system
Servius Tullius — created census; built city wall; stratified army
Tarquinius Superbus — employed many in building temples; extended Roman influence in Latium |
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Term
| When was the traditional date for the founding of Rome? |
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Definition
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Term
| Whom did the Romans believe was their earliest legendary ancestor? |
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Definition
| Aeneas of Troy, son of the goddess Venus |
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Term
| Who was Aeneas? What happened to him after he died? |
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Definition
| Son of Anchises and Venus, chief of the Trojans. After he died he “was buried on the banks of the river Numicus: they call him Jupiter Indiges.” |
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Term
| Describe the birth and infancy of Romulus and Remus. |
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Definition
| The Vestal Rea was raped and bore twin boys, said to be the sons of Mars. The king had the boys thrown into the river, but they were discovered and suckled by a wolf. However, the word for she-wolf, “lupa”, also meant prostitute. The twins were found by the shepherd Faustulus, and raised by him and his wife. |
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Term
| Describe the foundation of Rome. |
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Definition
| Romulus and Remus wanted to build a city, but fought over who would name it. They set up camp on hills waiting for an omen from the gods. Romulus then killed Remus and got the right to found Rome, starting with the Palatine hill. |
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Term
| What are the 2 versions of Romulus’ death? |
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Definition
1. He was lifted into Heaven to become a god.
2. He was assassinated. |
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Term
| What religious institutions did Numa give to the Romans? |
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Definition
| He established a lot of important rituals and cults, and the temple of Janus, whose doors indicated the current state of war or peace. He created holy days and appointed a lot of priests and the Vestal Virgins. |
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Term
| Describe Tanaquil’s role in the rise to power of both her husband and Servius Tullius. |
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Definition
| She drove Tarquin to capture the Roman throne. She also groomed the slave Servius Tullius to become Tarquin’s heir after she saw his head burst into flame. |
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Term
| How did Tarquin the First (Tarquinius Priscus) die? |
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Definition
| He was killed with an axe by hit men hired by Ancus’ son. |
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Term
| How did Servius Tullius die? |
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Definition
| At Servius’ daughter’s request, Tarquin Jr. throws Servius off the senate steps, & he gets killed by assassins as he flees. |
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Term
| What triggered the downfall of the monarchy at Rome? |
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Definition
| Sextus rapes Lucretia, & she kills herself. This leads the Romans to expel the Tarquins & the monarchy. |
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Term
| Describe the Roman office of Dictator. |
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Definition
| The two consuls chose him during a crisis. He was only to rule for 6 months or whenever the crisis ended. |
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Term
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Definition
| A board of 10 patricians was elected for one year to reorganize the legal code. They eventually became corrupt and elected Appius Claudius to be in charge of elections. |
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Term
| Describe the Laws of the 12 Tables. |
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Definition
| They were bronze tablets describing the laws & displayed in public. They were laws about court summons, guardians for women, laws about thievery, marriage, etc. |
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Term
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Definition
| Coriolanus got kicked out of Rome, so he led a force against the city. They sent his mom, wife, & children out to talk him out of it |
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Term
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Definition
| Cincinnatus criticized the lower class like Coriolanus, but didn’t get exiled. He was named dictator when Rome got attacked. He defeated the enemy & then stepped down after 16 days. |
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Term
| What was the “Struggle of the Orders”? |
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Definition
| Patrician vs. plebian. Patricians were a hereditary class and had special rights to the priesthood and political power. Plebeians weren’t anti-patrician; they just wanted to protect their own interests. Eventually they refused to serve in the army, so the senate created the Tribune of the Plebs. |
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Term
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Definition
| Leader of the siege at Veii. He promised spoils to the gods, which pissed off the soldiers. He was later named dictator. |
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Term
| Describe the office of Consul. |
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Definition
| Two elected Consuls held the duties of the king for one year. |
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Term
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Definition
| Rods & axes symbolizing the power of the magistrate to punish the citizens. |
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Term
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Definition
| they assisted the consuls with judicial duties |
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Term
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Definition
| they oversaw public works & businesses & games. They contracted public funds to build buildings, roads, aqueducts, etc. |
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Term
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Definition
| petty officers who administered smaller financial transactions & managed public accounts |
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Term
| What was the Tribune of the Plebs? |
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Definition
| five magistrates who could veto measures of the senate and propose measures on behalf of the plebs. Anyone who physically attacked a plebeian tribune could be executed on the spot. |
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Term
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Definition
| two censors were chosen from the group of ex-consuls every 5 years or so to conduct the census |
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Term
| What were the Lares and Penates? |
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Definition
| Patron deities of a household who watched over the house |
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Term
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Definition
| priests who watched the behavior of birds to predict the future |
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Term
| What were the The Sibylline Books? |
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Definition
| obscure prophecies from the Cumaean Sibyl used to predict the future |
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Term
| What was the function and significance of the Vestal Virgins? |
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Definition
| Six women, chosen during childhood to tend the fire of the state hearth and prepare sacred meals for sacrifices . Their continued chastity was responsible for the safety of flocks, the city's safety in military affairs, and the earth's fertility. Unchaste virgins were buried alive. |
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Term
| Who was Pyrrhus and what is a Pyrrhic victory? |
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Definition
| Pyrrhus was from Epirus. He won battles against the Romans but lost the war. A Pyrrhic victory is a victory achieved at such a great cost that it can hardly be considered an accomplishment. |
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Term
| What does the term “novi homines” mean? |
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Definition
| Lit. “new men” ; men who were first in their family to hold a political office |
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Term
| Describe a Roman Triumph. |
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Definition
| After winning a battle, the senate had to approve a triumph for a general. Once the triumph was approved, the general and his army would come into the city and go to the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus with their spoils. |
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Term
| What were the “imagines”? |
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Definition
| Images of dead ancestors paraded around during funerals. |
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Term
| How did the Romans first come to build a navy? |
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Definition
| They built a navy so they could fight Carthage’s navy. |
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Term
| What exemplary action did Regulus perform during the First Punic War? |
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Definition
| He kept his word that he would return to Carthage, where he was brutally tortured. |
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Term
| Describe the war strategy of Fabius Maximus. |
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Definition
| He chased the Carthaginians around Italy but never engaged them in battle. |
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Term
| What was the significance of the Battle at the Metaurus River? Zama? |
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Definition
Metaurus – Hannibal’s brother Hasdrubal was killed as he was trying to bring reinforcements to his brother.
Zama – Scipio and the Romans defeated Hannibal, but Scipio allowed Carthage to negotiate for peace. |
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Term
| Describe the treaty ending the Second Punic War. |
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Definition
| Rome got Spain, Carthage was forced reduce her navy to 10 ships, & Carthage could not fight any wars without Rome's consent. |
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Term
| Describe the result of Flamininius’ victory at Cynoscephalae. |
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Definition
| Flamininius declared that the Greeks were free from Philip & let them rule themselves again. |
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Term
| What was the significance of the Battle of Pydna? |
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Definition
| Greece lost, so Rome took over more and more of Greece which pissed the Greeks off. |
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Term
| What was the result of the rebellion of Corinth in 146 BC? |
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Definition
| The city of Corinth was sacked, the men killed, the women and children sold into slavery. Rome formally annexed Greece as a Roman province. |
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Term
| How did the Third Punic War start? How did it end? |
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Definition
| Carthage broke the treaty and armed themselves without Rome’s permission, so Rome destroyed Carthage |
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