Flashcard library · AP World History
World History: Ancient Rome
Dive into the fascinating history of Ancient Rome with these essential flashcards! Covering everything from its mythical origins and Republican government to the might of its Empire and eventual decline, this deck focuses on the most frequently tested concepts. Master key figures, events, and innovations to ace your next history exam.
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According to legend, who founded Rome?
Romulus, who with his twin Remus was raised by a she-wolf; he killed Remus and became Rome's first king.
When did Rome become a republic?
Around 509 BCE, after the last king, Tarquinius Superbus, was overthrown.
What were the main parts of the Roman Republic's government?
Elected magistrates such as the two consuls, the Senate, and the popular assemblies.
Who were the patricians and plebeians?
Patricians were the hereditary aristocracy; plebeians were the common citizens.
What were the Twelve Tables?
Rome's first written law code (about 450 BCE), displayed publicly so laws were known to all.
Whom did Rome fight in the Punic Wars?
Carthage, in three wars for control of the western Mediterranean; Rome won all three.
What was Julius Caesar's role in the fall of the Republic?
His military power let him seize control as dictator; he was assassinated in 44 BCE.
Who was the first Roman emperor?
Octavian, Caesar's adopted heir, who took the title Augustus in 27 BCE.
What was the Pax Romana?
About two centuries of relative peace in the empire, from Augustus (27 BCE) to 180 CE.
What was the legion?
The main unit of the Roman army: several thousand heavy infantry with supporting cavalry.
Name two famous Roman engineering achievements.
Aqueducts that carried water to cities and a vast network of paved roads.
What did the Edict of Milan (313 CE) do?
Granted toleration to Christianity under Constantine.
Under which emperor did Christianity become the state religion?
Theodosius I, by the Edict of Thessalonica in 380 CE.
When was the Roman Empire permanently divided into East and West?
In 395 CE, when Theodosius I died and his sons Arcadius and Honorius inherited the two halves.
What event traditionally marks the fall of the Western Roman Empire?
Odoacer's deposition of the emperor Romulus Augustulus in 476 CE.