 Built on a nearly perfect location for trade and resources.  Settled by a group called the Latins who interacted closely with Greece (culture influence)

 Form of government where power rests with the citizens to vote for their leaders (representatives)  Free born males were citizens

 Patricians: Wealthy landowners who held most the power.  Plebeians: Common farmers, merchants, and artisans who were the population majority.

 Tribunes: Representatives of the Plebeians and protected their rights.  Consuls: Two elected officials. Like kings they controlled the army and directed the government.  Only served 1 year  One consul could overrule the other.

 Aristocratic branch of government.  300 members all chosen from the upper class.  Influenced both foreign and domestic policy.

 A leader with absolute power to pass laws and control the military in a time of crises.  Appointed by the Senate and Consuls.

 Roman soldiers were organized into legions of about 5,000 highly trained and disciplined infantrymen.  All male citizens were required to serve 10 years in the legions.

 Punic Wars: Series of wars fought between Carthage and Rome. Rome was victorious giving it complete control of the Mediterranean Sea.  Hannibal: Famous general from Carthage that almost defeated Rome. Revolutionary in military tactics.

 Collapse: Widening gap between rich and poor resulted in peasant/slave revolts.  Civil War: The assassination of 2 popular tribunes resulted in Civil War.

 Elected Consul and went on to become a popular general by conquering Gaul.  Using his popularity and support of the army, Caesar seized power from the Senate along with two other popular politicians and generals (triumvirate).

 1. Gave Citizenship to more people outside of Rome.  2. Expanded the Senate (added people loyal to him)  3. Started new construction projects (created jobs)  All of these made him popular with the Plebeians

 Grandnephew of Caesar who became his adopted son.  Claimed power after Caesar was assassinated.  After another Civil War with rivals, Augustus became the unchallenged emperor.

 Means Roman Peace  The Roman Empire experienced relative peace from the time of Augustus until about 180 AD

 Rome had more slaves than any other civilization ever.  Economy relied on the work of slaves to function.  Slave revolts were common.

 Roman religion came directly from Greek religion. (Changed the names to sound more Roman)  There were Gods/Goddesses for all purposes and professions.  Romans persecuted all other religions

 Wealth was everything when determining status in Rome.  Society was based on feudalism during the empire with a few rich and the majority poor.

 Born around 6 to 4 BC in Judea (Roman Province)  Began his public ministry as the proclaimed messiah at age 30 until his crucifixion at age 33.  Viewed as a direct challenge to Jewish and Roman authorities.

 Disciples of Jesus and selected by him to assist in his ministry.  They are the reason Jesus’ teaching continued to spread throughout the Roman Empire after Jesus’ death.

 Never met Jesus and was at first an enemy of Christianity.  After a vision of Jesus, Paul devoted his life to spreading Christianity and the word of Jesus Christ.

 Dispersal of the Jews after the Romans severely cracked down on their open rebellion.

 Roman Emperor who converted Rome to Christianity.  Personally converted after having a vision before a battle where he saw a cross in front of the sun and was instructed, “under this you will be victorious”

 A priest who oversaw several local Churches.  In Roman times, these men were treated as outlaws by the Romans until the time of Constantine.

 Apostle who became the first bishop of Rome (Pope).  Martyred and crucified upside down by the Emperor Nero.

 The father and head of the Church that traces his roots back to Peter.  Came to symbolize Rome after the Empire fell.

 A drop in the value of money paired with a rise in prices.  Happens when the government over spends or natural resources become scarce.

 Paid soldiers for hire who the Romans came to rely on as they began to not have enough soldiers to defend their massive empire (very expensive to have).

 Roman Emperor who briefly restored Roman power.  Divided the empire into two halves in order to more easily manage.

 Capitol of the Eastern Roman Empire that was founded by Constantine.  Continued the traditions and practices of Rome for over a thousand years after the fall of the West.

 Western Half of the Roman Empire finally fell due to three primary reasons:  1. Barbarian Invasions  2. Economic Crisis  3. Government Corruption and Collapse

 King of a nomadic group called the Huns.  Devastated the Western Roman empire to the point where it could no longer stop barbarian invasions.

 Mixture of Greek, Hellenistic, and Roman Cultures  Became the foundation of European/Western Culture

 Roman writer who created epics like Homer did in Greece.  Wrote a lot about the founding and myth/legend behind Rome.

 Roman Historian who was extremely accurate.  Gives us the majority of what we know about Rome.