Rome: City on the Tiber River in Italy that grew into a huge empire Romulus and Remus: Twin brothers in legend who founded Rome in 753 BCE Roman Republic: Government with elected officials, from 509 BCE to 27 BCE Roman Empire: Rome ruled by emperors, beginning in 27 BCE Senate: Council of powerful Romans who advised leaders and made laws Consul: One of two elected leaders of the Republic each year Patricians: Wealthy, noble Roman families Plebeians: Ordinary Roman citizens Tribune: Official who protected the rights of plebeians Twelve Tables: Rome's first written laws, about 450 BCE Punic Wars: Three wars between Rome and Carthage, 264-146 BCE Carthage: City in North Africa that rivaled Rome Hannibal: Carthaginian general who crossed the Alps with war elephants Scipio Africanus: Roman general who defeated Hannibal at Zama in 202 BCE Julius Caesar: General and leader who won Gaul and ruled Rome as dictator Crossing the Rubicon: Caesar's 49 BCE move into Italy with his army, starting a civil war Ides of March: March 15, 44 BCE, when Caesar was killed by senators Dictator (Rome): A leader given emergency power for a limited time Gaul: Roman name for lands in modern France Mark Antony: Roman general who allied with Cleopatra Augustus: Rome's first emperor; formerly Octavian Octavian: Caesar's adopted heir, who became Augustus Pax Romana: About 200 years of relative peace and prosperity, starting under Augustus Tiberius: Augustus's successor, second emperor Nero: Emperor during the Great Fire of Rome in 64 CE Trajan: Emperor under whom the empire was largest, in 117 CE Hadrian: Emperor who built a wall across northern Britain Marcus Aurelius: Emperor and philosopher who wrote Meditations Constantine: Emperor who moved the capital to Constantinople and ended the persecution of Christians Constantinople: New eastern capital, now Istanbul Diocletian: Emperor who split rule of the empire for easier control Fall of Rome (476 CE): Date often used for the end of the Western Roman Empire Byzantine Empire: Eastern Roman Empire that lasted until 1453 Latin: Language of Rome; parent of Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese and Romanian Roman numerals: Number system using I, V, X, L, C, D and M Legion: Main Roman army unit of about 5,000 soldiers Legionary: Roman soldier Centurion: Officer in charge of about 80 soldiers Gladius: Short sword used by Roman soldiers Testudo: Formation where soldiers locked shields into a shell Roman roads: Paved roads that connected the empire; 'all roads lead to Rome' Aqueduct: Bridge-like channel that carried water to cities Arch: Curved structure the Romans used widely in buildings Concrete: Strong building material the Romans developed Colosseum: Huge arena in Rome for public shows, finished in 80 CE Gladiator: Fighter who entertained crowds in arenas Circus Maximus: Large Roman racetrack for chariots Forum: Public square and center of Roman life Pantheon: Roman temple with a famous domed roof, rebuilt around 126 CE Baths: Public places to wash, relax and meet people Toga: Draped garment worn by Roman citizens Villa: Large country house of wealthy Romans Insula: Apartment building for ordinary city residents Slavery in Rome: Millions of people were enslaved; many were prisoners of war Spartacus: Gladiator who led a large slave revolt from 73 to 71 BCE Jupiter: King of the Roman gods Juno: Queen of the gods Mars: Roman god of war Venus: Roman goddess of love Neptune: Roman god of the sea Minerva: Roman goddess of wisdom Pompeii: Roman city buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE Mount Vesuvius: Volcano near Naples that destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum Pliny the Younger: Roman who wrote an eyewitness account of the Vesuvius eruption Virgil: Poet who wrote the Aeneid Aeneid: Epic poem about Aeneas, a Trojan hero linked to Rome's founding Cicero: Famous Roman speaker and writer Christianity in Rome: Spread through the empire and became the official religion in 380 CE Edict of Milan (313 CE): Declared tolerance for Christians Roman law: Basis for many modern legal ideas, such as being innocent until proven guilty Republic's check and balance: Two consuls could each veto the other Citizenship: Rome gradually extended citizenship to many conquered peoples Mare Nostrum: Latin for 'our sea', Rome's name for the Mediterranean Visigoths: Germanic people who sacked Rome in 410 CE Attila the Hun: Leader of the Huns who threatened Rome in the 400s Romulus Augustulus: Last emperor of the Western Roman Empire Roman calendar: Julius Caesar introduced the 365-day Julian calendar in 45 BCE Month names: July is named for Julius Caesar and August for Augustus Hadrian's Wall: Defensive wall in northern England built from 122 CE Free flashcards from Peabody at peabody.kids/flashcards/world-ancient-rome