republic
a political system in which the citizens of a region elect representatives to run the government; the Etruscans ruled Rome until 509 BC, when the Romans revolted and threw out the last king, a tyrant. In place of a monarchy, the Romans established a repub
patricians
a class of powerful landowners in ancient Rome who controlled the government and society ; In the early days of the Republic, the heads of a few aristocratic families, known as patricians, elected officials from among themselves. Organized in clans, patri
plebeians
farmers or workers, who made up a large part of the population in ancient Rome; Almost from the beginning of the Republic, however, the common people, or plebeians s, challenged the patricians for power. When invaders threatened Rome in 494 BC, the plebei
veto-
ban; To guarantee their rights, the plebeians also gained the right to elect officials known as tribunes. It was the tribunes' job to protect the plebeians against unjust treatment by patrician officials. Eventually, these tribunes even gained the right t
Forum
the assembly place of an ancient Roman city; the political center or Rome; they post the laws of Rome; Later, around 450 BC, the plebeians forced the patricians to have all laws written down. The laws were displayed in the Roman Forum, or central square,
constitution
a political structure; Working together, the patricians and plebeians created a practical and flexible unwritten constitution, or political structure. They were extremely proud of this system, as a statesman explained:
Senate
a body of legislators; the Senate, a body of 300 members who advised elected officials, controlled public finances, and handled all foreign relations;
consuls
the chief executives elected to run the government in ancient Rome; serve as political leaders and generals and control in the army; When the last king of Rome was thrown out, his place was taken by two magistrates called consuls. Elected for one year, th
dictator
a political leader holding unlimited power; The Roman tie to the land is illustrated in a legend of the early Republic. In the story, the people of Rome turned to their greatest general, Cincinnatus, who was plowing his fields at the time, to save them fr
Gracchi
(163-133) and his brother Gaius Sempronius Gracchus (153-121); Roman statesmen; they tried to help ex-soldiers in Rome by redistributing public land to small farmers. The Roman elite reacted violently to these actions and led mobs that killed the brothers
Gaius Marius
(c. 157-86 BC) Roman general and politician; he eliminated property restrictions for acceptance into the army and began to accept anyone who wished to join the Roman army. He made armies into private forces that became devoted to their generals. Evidence
Lucius Cornelius Sulla
(138-78 BC) Roman general and politician; he became consul in 88 BC, led a civil war against Marius and his followers, emerged victorious, and became dictator.
triumvirate
a ruling body of three members
Augustus
(63 BC-AD 14) First emperor of Rome; he established the Second Triumvirate with Mark Antony and Lepidus. He created the imperial system of administration, established new coinages, and encouraged trade.
Pax Romana
a period of peace in Roman Empire lasting from the beginning of Augustus's reign until the death of Marcus Aurelius (27 BC-AD 180)
villa
a home in the country; The Roman tie to the land is illustrated in a legend of the early Republic. In the story, the people of Rome turned to their greatest general, Cincinnatus, who was plowing his fields at the time, to save them from an invasion. They
circuses
the site of chariot races in ancient Rome; It was not only poor Romans who enjoyed public entertainments, however. Romans of all classes enjoyed the circuses, where chariot races took place. In Rome many such races were held in the Circus Maximus, a racet
paterfamilias
the family father; Like many other ancient peoples, Romans were patriarchal. The head of the family�the paterfamilias, or family father� was the oldest living male and had extensive powers over other members of the family. This included his wife, his sons
augurs
priests in ancient Rome who specialized in interpretation of the natural phenomena sent by the gods; The Romans believed that the gods sent signs and warnings to human beings in the form of natural phenomena, such as the flight of birds, or the color and
Galen
(129-c. 199) Greek physician; he wrote several volumes that summarized all the medical knowledge of his day;
Ptolemy
(c. 367-c. 282 BC) One of Alexander the Great's generals, he founded a dynasty that ruled Egypt for nearly 300 years.
aqueducts
manmade channels used to transport water; ancient Romans built impressive aqueducts; Unlike the Greeks, who were primarily interested in knowledge for its own sake, the Romans were very practical. They tried to apply the knowledge they gained from science
Latin-
the language of ancient Rome; Another part of Rome's legacy is its language. Several languages, called Romance languages, developed from Latin, the language of Rome. Every person speaking French, Italian, Spanish, Romanian, or Portuguese is speaking a lan
civil law
a form of law based on a written code of laws; Roman law also left its imprint on the world. The Romans used a system called civil law, a form of law based on a written code of laws. This civil law system was adopted by many countries in Europe after the
inflation
increased prices for goods and services combined with the reduced value of money; As taxes rose, however, the value of money declined. Since Rome was no longer expanding, conquests no longer brought in new sources of wealth. To maintain the money supply,
Diocletian
(200s CE) - Definition: Roman emperor who helped reform the empire and allowed it to extend its survival. Significance: He divided the empire in two, with himself as emperor of the eastern half a co-emperorin the western half. He converted the empire to a
Attila
(c. AD 406-453) Early Christian church father and philosopher; his writings helped shape Christian doctrine for centuries.
Julius Cesar
(100-47 BC) Roman general and one of the greatest military leaders in history; he conquered most of Gaul and was named dictator for life in Rome. He was later murdered by a group of senators who opposed his enlarged powers.