Deck 5: The Roman Empire and the Rise of Christianity, 14-312 Ce

Question 1

Which of the following compares the Julio-Claudian with the Flavian Dynasty?

A) The Flavian Dynasty was less concerned with popular opinion.
B) The Flavian Dynasty more openly displayed their power.
C) The Flavian Dynasty used blood ties to determine succession.
D) The Flavian Dynasty did not conduct military campaigns.
E) The Flavian Dynasty increased the authority of the Roman Senate.

Answer 1

The Flavian Dynasty more openly displayed their power.

Question 2

Which emperor wrote his reflections, Meditations, in Greek?

A) Augustus
B) Claudius
C) Marcus Aurelius
D) Hadrian
E) Vespasian

Answer 2

Marcus Aurelius

Question 3

In which of the following ways was a Jewish synagogue similar to the Temple in Jerusalem?

A) Only rabbis and priests could lead services.
B) Ritual purification was a regular and important practice.
C) The space was prohibited to non-Jews.
D) The study of the Hebrew Bible took place there.
E) Genders were strictly separated.

Answer 3

The study of the Hebrew Bible took place there.

Question 4

Which of the following was likely the largest drain on the imperial treasury?

A) the grain distribution scheme in Rome
B) spectacles put on and paid for by the emperor
C) warfare
D) road maintenance
E) salaries for officials

Question 5

Which of the following Julio-Claudian emperors conquered Britain?

A) Augustus
B) Tiberius
C) Caligula
D) Claudius
E) Nero

Question 6

Which cosmopolitan Greek city had an estimated population of 100,000?

A) Ephesus
B) Carthage
C) Antioch
D) Athens
E) Jerusalem

Question 7

Which emperor built a wall in Scotland north of Hadrian's Wall?

A) Caligula
B) Trajan
C) Marcus Aurelius
D) Antoninus Pius
E) Claudius

Question 8

Which of the following coin designs would most likely be used to support the emperor?

A) a picture of a wolf to symbolize Rome
B) a depiction of the previous emperor with military standards
C) a portrait of the emperor
D) a depiction of a temple
E) a depiction of military standards

Question 9

Which of the following indicates that the Romans were responsible for Jesus's death?

A) the crime with which he was charged
B) the place he was executed
C) the manner in which he was executed
D) the place he was arrested
E) the audience at his execution

Question 10

What did the Romans rename Palestine after they took control?

A) Syria
B) Parthia
C) Illyria
D) Judaea
E) Asia

Question 11

Which of the following is suggested as a criticism of Augustus's strategy of ruling Rome?

A) He allowed senators to govern provinces.
B) He continued the grain dole.
C) He assessed a tax on slaves.
D) He did not establish a strong precedent for succession.
E) He failed to maintain roads.

Question 12

Which of the following aspects made a Jew Hellenized?

A) the use of Greek in life and religious practice
B) living in a Greek community such as Alexandria
C) not being circumcised
D) Any Jew who was not a Sadducee was considered to be Hellenized.
E) a Jew who did not support Herod the Great

Question 13

Which of the following explains trends of recruitment in the Roman army?

A) Roman legions drew recruits primarily from Italy throughout the period of the empire.
B) Roman legions began to recruit noncitizens in Hadrian's reign; they received citizenship upon retirement.
C) Roman legions drew recruits at first from Italy; then by the end of the third century recruitment broadened so that it drew primarily from the provinces.
D) Rome restricted all military recruitment to citizens who held that status at the time of enlistment.
E) Roman auxiliary units recruited primarily citizens who received large monetary bonuses upon retirement.

Question 14

Which of the following prominent Jews or Jewish sects, like Jesus, also believed that the end of the world was near?

A) the Sadducees
B) the Pharisees
C) John the Baptist
D) Honi the Circle Drawer
E) the Essenes

Question 15

Why did Jesus confront Roman authority?

A) He disagreed with the Essenes.
B) The Temple in Jerusalem was corrupt.
C) He thought Herod should be replaced.
D) He disliked the proliferation of magicians and false prophets.
E) He disagreed with the legalistic approach of the Pharisees.

Question 16

Which of the following aspects of Augustus's rule was a reflection of his monarchic power?

A) He could outspend any other Roman.
B) He shared magistracies, such as consul, with other senators.
C) He received the title "king."
D) He governed all of the Roman provinces.
E) He had a relaxed system of government and he attended to only major issues.

Question 17

When was the term "Christian" first used to describe a follower of Jesus?

A) at Jesus's crucifixion, ca.30 CE
B) in the 60s CE
C) about 100 CE
D) during the reign of the emperor Hadrian
E) during the reign of the emperor Constantine

Question 18

Which of the following subjects would a Roman citizen study to undertake a political career?

A) philosophy
B) oratory
C) mathematics
D) political science
E) literature

Question 19

Which of the following was a threat to the Roman population during Marcus Aurelius's reign?

A) the Etruscans
B) the Carthageans
C) the Gauls
D) the plague
E) the Greeks

Question 20

Many important Temple officeholders came from which sect?

A) the Sadducees
B) the Essenes
C) the Christians
D) the Pharisees
E) the Palestinians

Question 21

According to Paul, what was the most important difference between Judaism and Christianity?

A) the atonement for sins provided by faith in Jesus
B) Jews followed Jewish laws; Gentiles converted to Christianity did not.
C) Jesus was the Son of God to Jews.
D) Jesus was the anointed king to the Christians.
E) No Jew had an obligation to follow Jewish law after the birth of Jesus.

Question 22

Why might Paul have preferred the codex over other ways of preserving writings?

A) A codex was more portable and durable.
B) A codex held only a little less written material than a papyrus scroll, but was more portable.
C) Jewish law forbade Jews from using papyrus scrolls.
D) A codex, being a long sheet of papyrus, was easier to make than a scroll.
E) A papyrus scroll made it far easier to find specific parts of a text than a codex.

Question 23

Which of the following made Christianity different from earlier religions?

A) It was monotheistic.
B) It was limited to one state or ethnic group.
C) It justified political power from its very origins.
D) It had a broad appeal.
E) It was difficult or impossible to convert to.

Question 24

What does the Greek word martyr literally mean?

A) messenger
B) prophet
C) witness
D) apostle
E) believer

Question 25

Who founded the Christian church in Jerusalem?

A) Peter
B) Paul
C) John
D) James, brother of Jesus
E) Timothy

Question 26

Which of the following events dispelled Jews from their land of origin?

A) the destruction of the Second Temple of Jerusalem in 70 CE
B) the crucifixion of Jesus
C) the first missionary journey of Paul
D) the gradual disappearance of the Essenes
E) the construction of the Flavian Amphitheater

Question 27

Which of the following best describes Paul's opinion on women's role in the early Christian church?

A) Paul saw little part that women should play.
B) Paul's greetings indicate respect for Christians, regardless of gender, wealth, or background.
C) Paul clearly indicated that the survival and growth of the Christian church depended largely on the participation of women.
D) Paul's inconsistent opinions reflect deep ambivalence regarding the role of women.
E) Paul was only tolerant of the role women played in the short term.

Question 28

Why did the Jesus movement grow from a small group?

A) Jesus had preached throughout the Roman Empire and had many followers.
B) The majority of the Jews agreed Jesus was the Messiah.
C) Jesus's letters provided answers to many people's questions.
D) It was endorsed by Rome because Jesus supported the emperor.
E) It appealed to a wide range of individuals.

Question 29

Why did Saul/Paul convert to Christianity?

A) He admired Christians for their ability to heal.
B) He was persuaded by a Christian missionary.
C) He heard Jesus speak directly to him.
D) He was cared for by a Christian when he was injured while traveling.
E) He was intrigued by their "common meals."

Question 30

Which of the following is the best description of a codex?

A) It is an early Christian text.
B) It is a papyrus scroll.
C) It is a piece of papyrus with a magical spell written on it.
D) It is a collection of papyrus bound in a similar way as a modern book.
E) It is a papyrus transcription of Homer.

Question 31

Which of the following phrases best characterizes the emperor Trajan's attitude toward Christians?

A) vengeful
B) respectful of legal procedure
C) fearful
D) merciful
E) pessimistic

Question 32

What group of Christians believed that the God of the Hebrew Bible was flawed and that many of the New Testament books were falsified?

A) Gnosticism
B) Montanism
C) Arianism
D) the followers of Marcion
E) members of the Jewish faith

Question 33

Which of the following was written first?

A) Acts
B) the Gospel of Luke
C) Paul's Letters
D) the Gospel of Mark
E) the Gospel of Matthew

Question 34

What did the gospels describe about the Jesus movement?

A) It was very loosely organized.
B) The movement and early church had a hierarchy.
C) Almost all of the members were literate.
D) The Jesus movement and Christianity created very little literature.
E) All of Jesus's followers understood his message easily.

Question 35

In what year did a fire in Rome severely damage or destroy a majority of its administrative districts?

A) 32 CE
B) 45 CE
C) 58 CE
D) 64 CE
E) 79 CE

Question 36

Which body of water did the territory of the Roman Empire almost entirely surround?

A) the Caspian Sea
B) the Mediterranean Sea
C) the Black Sea
D) the Red Sea
E) the Atlantic Ocean

Question 37

After the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, what group took leadership of the Jewish religion?

A) the Pharisees
B) the Jesus movement
C) the Sadducees
D) the Essenes
E) the Zealots

Question 38

Which of the following groups of Jews were most concerned with service in the Temple and maintenance of the Hebrew Bible as authority?

A) Pharisees
B) Sicariots
C) Essenes
D) Sadducees
E) Zealots

Question 39

Which gospel writer said the end of the world was coming very soon?

A) Matthew
B) Mark
C) Luke
D) John
E) Paul

Question 40

An early church might have an image of what?

A) Jesus Christ as a shepherd
B) the Second Temple
C) the Essenes
D) Jesus Christ carrying his cross to the site of his crucifixion
E) Jesus Christ preaching at the Temple

Question 41

Which of the "Five Good Emperors" built the Pantheon?

A) Nerva
B) Trajan
C) Hadrian
D) Antoninus Pius
E) Marcus Aurelius

Question 42

Which emperor ended persecution of Christianity in the Roman Empire?

A) Decius
B) Aurelian
C) Septimius Severus
D) Diocletian
E) Constantine

Question 43

In general, there was a Jewish temple in every community in which Jews lived.

Question 44

Which reform of Diocletian seriously damaged the Roman economy?

A) instituting the tetrarchy
B) reforming the tax system
C) fixing costs of goods and services
D) reforming the system of currency
E) reorganizing the Roman Empire

Question 45

Which emperor succeeded Tiberius?

A) Augustus
B) Caligula
C) Nero
D) Claudius
E) Vespasian

Question 46

Why was the period of the Pax Romana notable?

A) There was extensive taxation increases, including one for the use of public urinals.
B) There was urban growth throughout the empire.
C) An office to oversee the maintenance of the road system was created.
D) Each emperor added substantial territory to Roman control.
E) There was systematic persecution of Christians.

Question 47

The Flavian Amphitheater was also known as the Colosseum.

Question 48

The early Christian Eucharist consisted of the symbolic consumption of the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

Question 49

Why did the bishopric of Rome claim special status?

A) Jesus authorized it.
B) Peter founded it.
C) Rome was the imperial capital.
D) Paul traveled there.
E) Many martyrs died in the Flavian Amphitheater.

Question 50

In which of the following ways did the growing institution of the Christian church most directly contribute to the instability of Roman government in the third century CE?

A) the diminishing role of slaves in the early Christian church
B) charity distributions to the poor
C) the development of multiple variations of belief in early Christian thought
D) the fear of Roman power as demonstrated in the Book of Revelation
E) the diminishing role of women in the early Christian church

Question 51

During the period of the Roman Empire, prominent inhabitants of larger cities constructed buildings and features there to imitate what was built at Rome.

Question 52

An eyewitness account can be unreliable if it is recorded a significant amount of time after the event.

Question 53

Paul's letters do not reflect the composition of the early Christian church but rather his personal preferences.

Question 54

An emperor who did not maintain the support of the armies endangered the stability of his rule.

Question 55

Which of the following Roman emperors began the Great Persecution of Christians, which ended in 311 CE?

A) Nero
B) Septimius Severus
C) Decius
D) Cyprian
E) Diocletian

Question 56

Which of the following emperors defeated Zenobia and gave Rome control again over much of the eastern Mediterranean?

A) Commodus
B) Septimius Severus
C) Caracalla
D) Aurelian
E) Tacitus

Question 57

Roman law was notable for how arbitrary and harsh it was.

Question 58

Jesus was an observant Jew.

Question 59

Why did Commodus become emperor?

A) He was the son of Marcus Aurelius.
B) He was adopted by Marcus Aurelius.
C) He was selected by the Praetorian Guard after Marcus Aurelius was overthrown.
D) He was elected Tribune of the people by the Tribal Assembly.
E) He was a general who led his army against the city of Rome.

Question 60

The destruction of the Temple in 70 CE demonstrated to Christians that many of Jesus's pronouncements were coming to pass.

Question 61

Paul's letters demonstrate that Christian ritual and practice was varied and not uniform during the second half of the first century CE.

Question 62

During the first and second centuries CE, what areas of imperial rule were most important to maintaining stability? Where was imperial power vulnerable?

Question 63

What is known and what cannot be known about Jesus's life?

Question 64

In polytheistic religions, without exception, gods were immortal and omnipotent.

Question 65

How did Diocletian return stability to the Roman Empire in the later third century CE?

Question 66

What was the most important factor that caused instability in the Roman Empire during the third century CE?

Question 67

The existence and use of the Christian catacombs suggests a certain degree of tolerance from Roman authorities of Christianity.

Question 68

Paul's name prior to his conversion was Saul.

Question 69

Christian catacombs were used only for burials; houses or churches were the only acceptable locations for Christian services and common meals.

Question 70

How did Jesus's life become the motivation for the Jesus movement and then the religion Christianity?

Question 71

Describe the various communities and developments within Judaism during the first century CE.

Question 72

What aspects of the Roman Empire created political unity and promoted a common Roman identity during the first two centuries CE of the Roman Empire?

Question 73

Characterize Roman attitudes and reactions to Christianity through the third century CE.

Question 74

In what way or ways is the Book of Revelation representative of Christian culture and thought?

Question 75

In what ways did Paul influence the development of the early Christian church and early Christian thought?