Western Civ Chap 5

Roman slaves could run businesses for their masters, buy their own freedom, and even acquire citizenship when they were freed. They had no legal recourse when their masters mistreated them.

Augustus established a police force and public fire department for Rome and instituted an inheritance tax. Gladiatorial combat was a Roman tradition long before the rule of Augustus.

Christianity began as a sect of Judaism. Jesus and his initial followers were all Jews. Jesus's followers identified him as the Messiah but without political connotations.

Julius Caesar had been assassinated, the act that had instigated a civil war between generals. Octavian was victorious and then joined together with his opponents, Marc Antony and Lepidus, to form the Second Triumvirate.

Paul of Tarsus, who had violently opposed followers of Jesus, had a spiritual vision on his way to Damascus that inspired him to become a follower of Jesus himself. This suggests that Damascus was a significant location where Paul's transformation took place.

In the Hellenistic kingdoms to the east, people had long worshiped their rulers as gods. By promoting an imperial cult, Vespasian built on local tradition and extended it to other provinces.

Octavian, Julius Caesar's grandnephew and adopted son, won the support of Caesar's soldiers by promising them rewards from their murdered general's wealth.

During the life of Jesus, Judea was torn between several religious and political factions. Most Jews were discontent with foreign rule, and there was much disagreement about the proper form Judaism should take.

Some interpreted the troubles of the third century as punishments from gods angry at the Christians, who refused to worship in the state cults. Emperors launched attacks on Christianity; a good example is Decius (r. 249-251 C.E.), who called himself the "Restorer of Cults" and persecuted Christians zealously.

Many Romans saw the crisis of the third century as a consequence of divine wrath for the presence of Christians, who did not participate in the traditional cults.

After the murder of Caligula, Claudius became emperor because the Praetorian Guard backed him. The Praetorian Guard was the imperial bodyguard, and their support was crucial in determining who would become the next emperor. In the chaos following Caligula's assassination, Claudius was able to gain the favor and support of the Praetorian Guard, which ultimately led to his ascension to the throne.

Plutarch is the correct answer because he is known for his work called Parallel Lives, where he wrote biographies of famous Greek and Roman men. This work is considered a valuable historical and biographical resource as it provides comparisons between the lives of notable individuals from both ancient civilizations.

After the great fire in Rome in 64 C.E., the emperor Nero punished Christians as arsonists. Nero is historically known for his persecution of Christians, and after the fire, he blamed them for starting it. This led to the brutal persecution and execution of many Christians during his reign.

Jesus taught informally, using simple stories that the common person could understand. His speeches or sermons were not complex and he wrote nothing down.

Apostolic succession is the belief that the authority that Jesus granted to his Apostles was passed down to the bishops, because the first bishops had been appointed by the Apostles.

In the early 280s C.E., Diocletian restored the principate by replacing it with a new form of authoritarian leadership.

Augustus had no son, so he adopted a relative named Tiberius and trained him for the principate. When Augustus died in 14 C.E., the Senate accepted Tiberius as the new "first man."

Romans relied on female contraception through vaginal sponges or drugs to attempt to control family size.

By dramatically extending Roman citizenship in 212 C.E., he increased the tax base as more people became liable for inheritance taxes.

Tacitus's The Annals is a historical work that provides a critical and harsh account of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. It specifically focuses on exposing the ruthlessness of Augustus and the crimes committed by his successors. Tacitus's narrative is known for its unflinching portrayal of the darker aspects of Roman history, making it a fitting choice for a book that reveals the harsh realities of the Julio-Claudian dynasty.

Most urban residents of Rome lived in small apartments in multistoried buildings called islands. The poorest tenants lived on the top floors.

By 227 C.E. the Sassanids had conquered the ancient Persian kingdom of the Parthians and posed a major threat to Rome's east frontier.

Juvenal is a satiric poet who wrote about pretentious Romans and the challenges of living in poverty in the capital city. His works often criticized the corruption and decadence of Roman society, using humor and irony to highlight the absurdities of the time. Juvenal's satires provide a valuable insight into the social and political issues of ancient Rome, making him a significant figure in Roman literature.

Augustus commissioned art that was reminiscent of the serene, idealized style of Classical Greece.

Ovid was exiled for mocking the emperor's moral legislation and for his involvement in a sexual scandal with the emperor's granddaughter. This suggests that Ovid's actions and writings were seen as disrespectful and offensive to the emperor and his family. As a result, he was banished from Rome and sent into exile.

Neoplatonism actually had a significant influence on Christianity because of its stress on spiritual purity and the longing to turn away from the physical body to the universal Good that is the source of human existence.

Paul of Tarsus spread the teachings of Jesus to the Jews of the Diaspora and to Gentiles. John the Baptist died before Jesus began to teach. Herod was a king of Judea installed by the Romans, and Plotinus was a Neoplatonist from the third century.

Marcus Aurelius is the correct answer because the question states that the emperor put down his own set of beliefs in his memoirs known as Meditations, which align with the morally centered philosophy of Stoicism. This description matches Marcus Aurelius, as he was a Roman emperor who wrote the Meditations and was known to be influenced by Stoic philosophy.

During Rome's "Golden Age" there was widespread peace, flourishing long-distance trade, and the spread of a common culture. Golden Age emperors did believe law was crucial, and Romans prided themselves on accomplishing order and justice through law.

The Praetorian Guard, which was the bodyguard of the princeps, often played a key role in the succession of the principate. They murdered emperors they did not like, such as Caligula, and their support was crucial for new emperors to take the throne.

Valerian (r. 253-260 C.E.) was captured by the Sassanid king Shapur I.

Pontius Pilate is the correct answer because historical records indicate that he was the Roman governor of Judea at the time of Jesus' crucifixion. It is documented that Pilate ordered Jesus' execution after being pressured by Jewish religious leaders who accused Jesus of sedition against the Roman Empire. This event is a significant event in Christian history and is mentioned in the New Testament of the Bible.

Learning from the fate of his great-uncle Caesar, who was assassinated when he appeared to have monarchical ambitions, Augustus disguised his authority behind the title princeps, which means "first man." This gave the illusion that he had no more authority than any other leader.

Paul of Tarsus preached to non-Jews and stressed that while ethical behavior was necessary along traditional Jewish lines, converts to Christianity did not need to follow all the provisions of Jewish law such as circumcision and dietary restrictions.

The Julio-Claudian dynasty, which succeeded Augustus at his death in 14 C.E., ruled the Empire from 14 to 68 C.E.

The process of Romanization is best described as a mixture of cultural traditions as Roman customs came into contact with local customs in the provinces.

Apocalypticism, from the Greek word for "revealing what is hidden," is a worldview in which evil forces control the present world until God sends an "anointed one" to defeat them. Apocalypticism influenced Judaism but it is not identical to it.

Many cults in the Roman Empire believed in supernatural powers and events. Christians were puzzling and irritating because they followed a criminal enemy of the state, denied the emperor's divinity, and ate the "body and blood" of Jesus at "Love Feasts."

Virgil is the correct answer because he is the author of the epic poem called the Aeneid. The Aeneid tells the story of Aeneas, a Trojan hero who is considered the legendary founder of the Roman people. Ovid, Cassius Dio, Livy, and Horace are all famous Roman writers, but they did not write the Aeneid.

By the first century of the Common Era, Roman expansion into new territories had reached its limits. The imperial government relied instead on taxes from the provinces to support itself.

Emperors responded to inflation by debasing coins, which meant that each coin contained less silver. Merchants responded to this by inflating their prices even further to make up for the reduction in the value of debased coins.

Octavian's victory over Mark Antony in the naval battle of Actium in 31 B.C.E. won the war. This battle was a significant turning point in the Roman Civil War, as it marked the end of Antony and Cleopatra's resistance against Octavian's forces. Octavian's victory at Actium allowed him to consolidate his power and establish himself as the sole ruler of Rome, leading to the foundation of the Roman Empire.

Hadrian suppressed a Jewish revolt by turning Jerusalem into a military colony. This means that he took military action to crush the rebellion and then established a military presence in Jerusalem to maintain control and prevent further uprisings.

By the time of Aurelian's reign, Germanic-speaking tribes were beginning to enter Italy from the north, forcing him to build a defensive wall.

Caracalla seized power after his father's death by killing his brother and starting a reign that marked the end of Rome's Golden Age. This suggests that Caracalla's actions and rule brought about a significant change in the peaceful and prosperous era of Rome.

Inflation had dramatically reduced the value of soldiers' wages.

Both Caligula and Nero wasted huge sums of money and scandalized Rome with their public behavior. Caligula often dressed in women's clothing, and Nero engaged in public singing performances.

Livy is the correct answer because he was a historian who wrote a history of Rome that presented Augustus in a balanced way. Livy did not hide Augustus's ruthlessness but also emphasized traditional values such as loyalty and self-sacrifice. This approach would have pleased Augustus, who wanted to be seen as a ruler who upheld Roman traditions and values.

Origen argued that Christianity was superior to Hellenic philosophy as a guide to correct living. He believed that Christianity offered a deeper understanding of the divine and a more moral and virtuous way of life compared to the teachings of Hellenic philosophy. Origen emphasized the importance of spiritual growth and the pursuit of knowledge through scripture, prayer, and contemplation. He saw Christianity as a transformative and transformative force that could lead individuals to a higher level of spiritual enlightenment and communion with God.

Septimius Severus tried to restore imperial prestige and acquire new revenue through foreign conquest when he became emperor in 193 C.E.