Rome Vocabulary

Julius Cesar- A member of the First Triumvirate in Gaul and Britain; later became the sole ruler and Dictator of Rome. He was assassinated by a group of senators because of his growing power.

- Octavian/ AugustusAdopted son of Julius Caesar, partnered with

Antony to defeat the Senators who assassinated Julius Caesar, later he fought Anthony over the control of Rome. Upon the defeat of Antony, he became the Emperor of Rome. His rule marks the beginning of the Pax Romana.

Consuls- Two Patricians elected by the Senate.

Empire- Group of states or territories controlled by one ruler.

Patricians- Member of the landholding upper-class in ancient Rome.

Pax Romana- A 200 year span of “Roman peace” – Roman rule brought peace, order, unity, and prosperity.

Plebeian- Member of the lower- class in ancient Rome, including farmers, merchants, artisans, and traders.

Provinces- Captured lands under Roman control.

Republic- Government without the rule of a king or queen, and the citizens elect their leaders or representatives.

Senate- 300 member council of patricians, most powerful part of the government.

Twelve Tables- 450 BCE, Roman law written down on twelve stone tablets.

Allah, God of Abraham- Muslim name for the one and only god.

Constantine- 288?- 337 CE, Roman emperor from 324-337 CE: the new capital of the Roman Empire was named Constantinople. He was legally sanctioned Christian worship in the Roman Empire.

Justinian- Byzantine emperor who held the eastern frontier of his empire against the Persians; codified Roman law in 529CE; his general Belisarius regained North Africa and Spain (483-565 CE).

Muhammad- Arab prophet of Islam. At the age of 40 he began to preach as God’s prophet of the true religion. Muhammad established a theocratic state at Medina after 622CE and began to convert Arabia to Islam.

Dark Ages- A time period after the fall of Roman Empire where life was hard, few people could read or write, and Christianity was the focus of everyday life.

Emperor- The male sovereign or supreme rule of an empire.

Icon- A representation of some sacred personage, as Christ or saint or angel, painted usually on a wood surface and venerated itself as sacred.

Ottoman Empire- It existed from 1299 to 1923. At its height in the mid-1500’s, its territory included the Middle East, parts of North Africa, and much of the south-eastern Europe.

Constraints- limitations

Diplomacy- The art or science of conducting negotiations between government officials

Edicts- an authoritative proclamation or command

Magistrate- A civil officer charged with the administration of the law

Institutions- organization, establishment; society