Download Chapter 7: Ancient Rome (Notes and Study Guide)

Name: ___________________________
Section:____________________
By the end of this chapter you will be able to…
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Identify key geographic features of Ancient Rome and explain their effect on the civilization.
Describe the characteristics of the Roman Republic and why it was founded.
Understand the causes for the decline of the Roman Republic and their impact on the society.
Identify the key rulers of the Roman Empire and the empire’s conquered peoples.
Explain the influence of Greece on Rome and explain their impact on the civilization.
Explain the characteristics of Roman architecture and identify key icons of their architecture.
Describe Rome’s code of justice and its impact on future civilizations.
Describe the social classes that existed in Ancient Rome.
Explain the characteristics of family life in Ancient Rome.
Discuss the rise of Christianity in the empire and explain how it spreads throughout the empire and
the resulting effects.
Explain the reasons for the decline of the Roman Empire.
Describe the events that marked the defeat of Rome.
Remember that for each civilization we study you should understand…
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2.
3.
4.
5.
What affect did physical geography have on the civilization?
What historical accomplishments are they known for?
What were their beliefs and values?
What forms of government did they have?
How did they develop an economic system?
Chapter 7 Vocabulary
 consul:
 patrician:
 plebeian:
 veto:
 dictator:
 province:
 Colosseum:
 aqueduct:
 villa:
 circus:
 gladiator:
 Jesus:
 messiah:
 disciple:
 epistle:
 martyr:
 Constantine:
 mercenary:
 inflation:
Lesson 7.1
The Roman Republic
p. 210-215
1. The legend about the founding of
Rome tells the story about its
founders, the twin brothers
_____________ and
____________.
Rome’s Geography
2. Rome’s geography makes it a good place for a city because it is located on seven
___________, which makes it __________ to defend. (Remember you want the high
ground in battle!)
3. Rome had _____________ soil that was good from growing crops to feed the people as
well as access to fresh ___________.
4. Rome was located at the center of a long, narrow ____________ known as
_____________, which stretches into the ______________ sea which was at the
center of the known _____________ world. (circle Rome on the map above and
underline the sea).
5. The _____________ were the original settlers in the area of Rome.
a. We know little about these people because historians and archaeologists depend
on ___________ ____________ and ____________ to learn about the people
of the past which have been destroyed over time. Also, we cannot understand
most of the _______________ language, so we learn very little from the
written records that still do exist.
b. The Roman adopted some of the Etruscan _______, their use of the Greek
______________, and the toga.
Romans Form a Republic
6. The Romans wanted a government that did not rely on _____ ruler so they created a
_____________ where citizens have the right to vote for their leaders.
7. The Roman Republic is led by two chief official called ______________, however the
most powerful part of the government is the ____________.
a. Consuls ruled for ___ year and shared the power ____________. Because they
shared the power they had to ___________ before anything could be passed in
government.
i. If an emergency arose and the consuls could not agree, a _____________
who had total control of the government was appointed to handle the
emergency for _____ months.
8. At first you had to be a member of the _____________ class (upper class) to be a
member of the senate, however by 367 B.C. a law was passed that allowed
_______________ (ordinary citizens) to hold office.
9. The Patricians and Plebeians were in conflict with each other over ___________,
position, and _________.
a. The plebeians found themselves unemployed because the patricians had
_____________ working their farms.
b. When the plebeians refused to fight in the __________, patricians gave into
their demand and allowed the creation of the __________ ____________, laws
that applied to all citizens.
10. Despite the differences between their social classes, Romans were able to conquer
C____________, S_________, Gr__________, and G___________. (Draw a box
around these four locations on the map).
The Decline of the Republic
11. By 120 B.C. Rome was about to fall apart until ___________________ arose as leader.
12. Although Caesar became _____________ of Rome, his rule lasted for longer than ___
months.
13. Many Romans were against the rule of Julius Caesar because members of the senate
felt that he had too much ___________ and had gone too far in gaining that
____________.
14. After Julius Caesar’s murder by the _________ members, ________ war broke out
and ______________ became the first ____________ or Rome.
15. The Roman Republic lasted for ______ years until Augustus came power and the Roman
_______________ was born.
The Roman Soldier
16. A Roman soldier served for _____ years during which time they were forbidden to
__________ to ensure that they would remain loyal to the army.
17. A scout traveled ahead of the legion looking for a __________________________ on
land that was _______ and preferably close to a _________________.
18. At a camp the soldiers built _____________ and ______________ for protection
from attack.
19. Why do you think the Roman Soldiers developed a strong sense of loyalty to the army
during their service? _________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Lesson 7.2
The Roman Empire
p. 218-223
1. Preview the pictures and the headings in this
section. From only those things, what do you
think are some characteristics of the Roman
Empire?
__________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Ruling an Empire
2. Rome’s first emperor was ___________________ who ruled during a time of stability
and prosperity in Rome known as ______________________ which lasted for about
200 years.
a. He came to power after ______________________ and ruled with respect
towards the ____________ so as not to act like a king.
3. As Rome spread with the conquering of new lands, the empire was divided into
____________, each with its own _____________ governor supported by an army.
a. Romans generally did not interfere with conquered peoples’ lives but just kept
__________________________ as long as there was peace.
i. They did this so that the land would be peaceful and the people of the new
territories would _________________________________________.
ii. Many of the conquered people _____________ Roman ways and learned
to speak ______________, the language of the Romans and also
worshiped their gods.
4. After Augustus died good, bad, and terrible emperors ruled for the next ______ years
until AD 96 when Rome entered a time called the age of ______________________
who gained support of the senate and ruled fairly.
a. Hadrian was one of the 5 “good emperors” because he worked hard to create a
good _____________, pass laws to protect _____________, ____________,
and __________ and allowed soldiers to protect their own _____________ in
addition to encouraging ______________.
The Greek Influence on Rome
5. Both the Greeks and the Romans were _____________________ (worshipped more
than one god) and offered _______________ and _____________ to their gods.
6. The Roman gods had many of the same ____________ as the Greek Gods. (Remember
the Gods/Goddesses poster activity).
7. The Romans also adopted _______________ from Greek mythology.
8. In addition to many religious influences the Romans borrowed from the Greeks, they
also used Greek ideas to develop their ______________ and ________________
skills.
Architecture and Technology
9. Although the Romans studied Greek sculptures, the Roman statues were both
________________ and ____________than those of the Greeks.
a. Romans buildings were heavier because they developed a new building material
known as ______________, from a mix of stone, sand, cement, and water.
b. Romans were able to build larger, stronger structures using the concrete because
they developed the use of the ________________.
i. The curved structure supports the weight over an ___________.
Examples of the arches can be seen in ______________ that carry
water, bridges, monuments, and buildings like the __________________.
10. The ______________ is one of the most famous buildings from ancient Rome and was
used for contests and combats between people and animals.
a. The floor could even be ______________ for mock _________ battles.
11. Romans also developed _____________ that were stronger and lasted
longer.
a. In ancient Rome all the major _______ led to Rome.
b. The Roman road system covered a distance equal to
______________________________________________.
12. The Romans built ______________ to bring fresh water to the city, from the
_____________________. Once it reached the city it was deposited into a
_____________________ and then carried to public baths and fountains.
a. The aqueducts were huge lines of ____________, often many miles long. (pg.
222)
b. The water stayed fresh in the aqueducts because 80% (4 out of 5) of the
aqueducts ran _____________to keep dirt and animals out.
The Laws of Rome
13. Roman laws spread throughout the _____________ and were passed down to other
_____________.
14. How do the laws in the Justinian code compare to the laws of today? _____________
_________________________________________________________________
Lesson 7.3
Roman Daily Life
p. 224-228
1. From the introduction to the section, do you think Rome
Would be a good or bad place to live? ______________
Why? ________________________________________
Roman Social Classes
2. Which social class was larger, the rich or the poor? ______
3. Complete the chart below comparing the two social classes.
Rich
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Owned large, luxurious
______________ in the city
and the countryside
Ate meals called
___________ with exotic
foods
Often owned many
_____________
Poor
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Lived in cramped
_______________ buildings
without ________________
Ate mostly ______________
Many were jobless or were
_______________
4. To prevent ___________from the poor citizens, the government provided free grain
as well as shows known as ____________ that were held in the Colosseum.
a. Highlights of shows at the Colosseum were fights between ______________,
many of which were slaves who had been captured in battle.
i. Gladiator battles ended when a gladiator was _____ or __________ or
_______________ and on the ground.
The Roman Family
5. Romans valued ____________ life so much that the ______________ supported the
family in several ways (usually only members of the upper class).
a. Ex: fathers of three or more children got ________ from the government.
6. A woman’s status depended on the _____________ and __________ of her male
relatives.
a. In general, women could not gain ___________ on their own, usually only if they
were related to powerful men.
7. Complete the chart below about the rights of men and women in ancient Rome.
Men
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Had ___________ power over
their families
Could participate in
__________________
Women
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Rights were based on the
_____________ wealth and
status
Wealthy women had a strong
influence on their
________________
Slavery in Rome
8. Slavery was ____________ in ancient Rome, almost every wealthy family owned
_______________ and sometimes even _________ families owned a ___________.
9. Some slaves were important in the _______________ and therefore were treated
nicely and lived comfortable lives, while others worked brutal jobs in
_______________ conditions.
10. Slaves had almost _____ rights.
11. Some slaves were able to save _______ and __________ and eventually buy their
______________. Slaves that were able to do this were often ________________
or _______________ racers.
Lesson 7.4
Christianity and the Roman Empire
p. 229-233
1. ____________ was the founder of Christianity which spread
throughout the Roman Empire.
The Beginning of Christianity
2. As long as the conquered people showed loyalty towards the Roman
gods and to the ______________, they were allowed to keep their
language, _____________, and religion.
3. When the Romans conquered the _____________ homeland they
were tolerant of their religious beliefs, but despite their tolerance
the Jews _____________ foreign rule and began to oppose _____________ rule.
4. Jesus was a _______________ carpenter who was born in __________ who some
believed was a ______________, or savior.
a. He taught that God was loving and forgiving and that those who followed Jesus’
teachings would have everlasting _________ after death.
b. His teachings caused unrest and officials were afraid he would lead a
___________ against the Empire. As a result the Romans put him to _______.
5. Some Jewish people resented Roman rule because the Jews wanted to __________
their own land and did not want to _____________ Roman gods or the ___________.
6. The _____________ gave people a lasting record of what Jesus said and did. It
allowed his ideas to spread around the ______________ more easily, without greatly
changing their meaning.
Christianity Spread
7. As the Greek people began accepting the teachings of Jesus they began calling him
_____________.
a. After his death his followers, called ___________, spread the religion.
8. One of the most devoted followers of Jesus was ________, who changed his name to
____________ after he supposedly have a vision in Jesus spoke to him.
a. Paul spread Christianity to cities around the ________________ and some of
the ____________ (epistles) he wrote to Christian groups in the Roman
___________ became part of the ____________.
9. Since many Christians refused to worship Roman gods or the ___________, many
Roman officials began to view them as enemies of the ____________ leading emperor
_____________ to lead the first official campaign against the ______________.
a. Nero blamed the ______________ for a disastrous _______ that destroyed
much of _________, and he had many Christians arrested and killed.
10. As the Romans and Christians continued to oppose each other, the Roman __________
began to loose its power and some blamed the ______________.
a. Despite the opposition, Christianity continued to _____________ to spread.
11. Christianity appealed to many people because it offered hope for a better life after
__________ and people were attracted by the help that Christian _________
offered to widows, _________, and the poor.
12. By the A.D. 200’s over ____________ Romans had accepted the Christian faith.
13.Lesson 7.5
The Fall of Rome
p. 236-240
1. Emperor ______________ (pictured to the right) is
known for strongly encouraging the spread of
Christianity throughout the _____________ Empire.
The Decline of the Empire
2. By the time _____________________ took power,
the Roman Empire was on the edge of ____________
and about to fall.
3. Historians do not agree on any one main
_____________ for the decline, but is a combination
of the following things.
a. Weak, Corrupt Rulers
#1
i. Emperors were often ____________, not _________________. They
stole _____________ from the treasury to make themselves
_____________.
b. A Mercenary Army
#2
i. The army was now made of _______________, foreigners who only
served for pay, not to defend their own land, therefore they had no
_____________ to the cause. (They are just doing a job, not fighting for
what they believe in. It’s like paying someone to fight your battles for
you…they just want to come out with few injuries and alive, they don’t care
as much about the outcome).
#3 c. The Size of the Empire
i. The Empire had grown too ____________ to be ruled from one
__________.
ii. Many conquered areas now regained their __________________ and the
Roman army now had to spend its time
___________________________________ instead of extending its
______________________________________.
#4 d. Serious Economic Problems
i. There were no new sources of ___________ available.
ii. The empire struggled to pay its ______________ and raised
__________ during a time when the empire suffered sever
___________________.
iii. __________ was in short supply, so the price went up on that too.
iv. There was more ____________ in circulation, so it had less
4. Some emperors like ______________ tried to stop the decline of the empire by doing
things like building new _______, enlarging the _______, and strengthening the
border. He even tried to divide the empire in _________ to make it easier to control.
The Romans Accept Christianity
5. Under _________________, Christianity would become the official religion of the
____________________.
a. Constantine worked to strengthen the ____________________, which he
claimed was the religion that his army win the battle for control of
___________.
b. Constantine moved the capital to the city Byzantium, and renamed it
_____________________.
The Defeat of Rome
6. Although Constantine worked to keep the empire together , forces pulling it apart were
too _____________.
7. In A.D. 400’s the ___________________ overwhelmed the empire, captured
_______________ and took control.
8. After Rome fell, the _______________ part of the empire remained __________
and __________________ remained the capital and became the center of the
_________________ Empire, for another thousand years.
Chapter 7 study guide
Ancient Rome
1. Because the Roman government was led by two men, how was the power split?
2. Why was Augustus able to gain Power in Rome?
3. Roman law was based on the idea of _____________.
4. Describe the majority of Roman citizens.
5. How did Romans treat the people in areas that they captured if they were peaceful?
6. Why did Rome suffer serious economic problems?
7. What was the importance of Rome’s geographic setting?
8. In ancient Rome, most people lived in ___________________.
9. Why is Roman law important to us today?
10. What was important about Constantine’s rule in regards to religion?
11. Where did Constantine move the capital to? What did he rename it as?
12. List and explain the reasons for the decline of the Roman Empire. (Short Answer)
13. Who are the Patricians and Plebeians? What is a similarity between the two groups? What is a major
difference?
14. What is the Colosseum? What was it used for?
15. What is important about Roman architecture?
16. Review the geography of Ancient Rome.