Deck 6: The Roman Empire

Question 1

The city on the Tiber that was Rome's chief port was which of the following?

A)Venice
B)Ostia
C)Naples

Answer 1

Ostia

Question 2

Which of the following statements BEST describes the governing of Roman provinces under Augustus?

A)Efficient, with ex-generals serving as governors and instituting military rule
B)Efficient, with legates cooperating with the local elites
C)Inefficient, due to the corruption of Roman governors

Answer 2

Efficient, with legates cooperating with the local elites

Question 3

During the early Empire (14-180 C.E.), the Roman army changed in what way?

A)It was increased to 400,000 men.
B)It became dominated by only Italian legionaries.
C)It was finally successful in invading Gaul.

Answer 3

It was increased to 400,000 men.

Question 4

Which of the following trends developed during the reigns of the Julio-Claudian emperors?

A)Emperors took more and more actual ruling power away from the old Senate.
B)All efforts to achieve bureaucratic organization of imperial government eventually failed.
C)Emperors turned over more and more of the daily affairs of government to the Senate.

Question 5

All of the following occurred during the reigns of the five "good emperors" EXCEPT for what?

A)The creation of a period of peace lasting approximately 100 years
B)The establishment of educational programs for the poor
C)The halting of imperial bureaucratic growth

Question 6

The prolific "silver age" writer Seneca is best known for what?

A)Rejecting the Stoic ideal of political service for a carefree life of opulence.
B)Satirizing Rome's new rich class in his Satyricon.
C)Composing philosophical letters on the theme of Stoicism.

Question 7

The Aeneid is a poem about which of the following?

A)The founding of Rome
B)The Punic Wars
C)The journey home from a war

Question 8

The "good emperor" Marcus Aurelius was regarded as a philosopher king deeply influenced by which school of thought?

A)Epicureanism
B)Stoicism
C)Platonism

Question 9

Which of the statements BEST describes the Julio-Claudian emperors?

A)They were all competent rulers.
B)They varied in ability and effectiveness.
C)They were responsible for a tremendous amount of social legislation.

Question 10

Which of the following statements about the Roman Senate under Augustus is accurate?

A)Augustus ensured that the Senate was no longer aristocratic in its membership.
B)Senate was a full and equal partner of Augustus.
C)Augustus retained the Senate as the chief deliberative body of the Roman state.

Question 11

What result did Augustus's social legislation have?

A)It meant a social revolution at every level of Roman society.
B)It made adultery a criminal offense and outlawed wasteful expenditures for feasts.
C)It penalized couples for having too many children.

Question 12

Which of the following best describes changes to the relationship between social classes during early Roman Empire?

A)Provincials were allowed to hold certain high magisterial positions.
B)The power of the equestrian class was expanded.
C)The Senate was expanded to include 400 equestrians.

Question 13

The absolute monarchical powers of Augustus led to which of the following?

A)The rare victory of his candidates in official elections.
B)The increase of popular participation in elections.
C)His great popularity, as he followed proper legal forms for his power.

Question 14

Trade and commerce in the early Empire is best described how?

A)It hindered the development of manufacturing.
B)It was focused mainly in the provinces of Gaul and Britain.
C)It was secondary in importance to agriculture.

Question 15

Which of the following statements was true of Augustan society?

A)Popular assemblies of the lower classes continually grew in importance.
B)Legislation was passed concerning the corruption of morals.
C)Equestrians achieved complete dominance in the political sphere.

Question 16

Livy was best known in the Augustan Age for which work?

A)Aeneid
B)History of Rome
C)Satires

Question 17

Who was the greatest historian of the "silver age" of Latin literature?

A)Petronius
B)Tacitus
C)Seneca

Question 18

Which of the following was among Augustus's most important actions in the area of Roman religion?

A)Destruction of the cults of Augustus and Roma
B)Claim to be a god in his own lifetime
C)Creation of an imperial cult

Question 19

Hadrian built a defensive wall in which Roman territory?

A)Dacia
B)Britain
C)Mesopotamia

Question 20

The "golden age" historian Livy is well known for what?

A)His rejection of Latin prose in favor of Greek poetic forms
B)Perceiving history in terms of sharp moral lessons
C)Factual accuracy and critical judgment toward his sources and Rome's past

Question 21

Why did Augustus attempt to restore Roman public religion?

Question 22

The Senate granted Octavian the titles Augustus and imperator (emperor), but he preferred to be addressed by which title?

A)Pontifex
B)Dominus
C)Princeps

Question 23

The mystery cult of Mithraism in the early Empire is best described how?

A)It was widely practiced by women.
B)It was completely opposed to the practices of Christianity.
C)It was a religion especially favored by soldiers.

Question 24

How are the colonies of veterans established by Augustus throughout the empire best described?

A)They were used exclusively to maintain domestic order within the provinces.
B)They drained the imperial treasury of its funds and caused financial crisis.
C)They proved especially valuable in Romanizing the provinces.

Question 25

The "terrible third century" was made terrible by all of the following EXCEPT which?

A)Ignorance of military affairs by the Severan rulers
B)Civil wars
C)A series of natural disasters

Question 26

The largest area of Roman innovation in architecture was what?

A)The use of concrete on a massive scale
B)Stained glass
C)Colonnades

Question 27

The last great persecution of Christians was ordered by whom?

A)Marcus Aurelius
B)Diocletian
C)Constantine

Question 28

Why did Augustus form a standing army?

Question 29

The most important figure in early Christianity after Jesus was whom?

A)Paul of Tarsus
B)The Apostle Peter
C)John the Baptist

Question 30

Why did Augustus form the Praetorian Guard?

Question 31

Why did Augustus wish to be known as "princeps"?

Question 32

Which of the following describes a typical experience among the upper classes of the early Empire?

A)Women had considerable freedom and independence.
B)The power of the paterfamilias increased.
C)Contraception and abortion fell into disfavor.

Question 33

Which of the following statements was NOT true of Roman society in the early Empire?

A)The introduction of Hellenistic doctors made medicine more scientific.
B)Slaves were treated more harshly as their numbers increased.
C)The "classical age" of Roman law occurred in this era.

Question 34

Why did Augustus sponsor so much history and poetic writing during his reign?

Question 35

Describe Augustus's changes to the Senate and their significance.

Question 36

Which one of the following mystery cults had a great following, especially among the urban poor?

A)Cult of Dionysus
B)Cult of Isis
C)Cult of John the Baptist

Question 37

The early values of Christianity, as exemplified in Jesus's "sermon on the mount," are best described how?

A)They emphasized devotion to the values of humility, charity, and true brotherly love.
B)They were similar to those of Greco-Roman civilization.
C)They emphasized the equality between the earthly and spiritual kingdoms.

Question 38

How did Marcus Aurelius's cruel son, Commodus, die?

A)He was assassinated by the Praetorian Guard.
B)He died of natural causes after reigning for several years.
C)He was strangled by his wrestling partner in 192 C.E.

Question 39

Imperial Rome's gladiatorial shows are best described how?

A)They became increasingly associated with religious practices.
B)They were government-backed spectacles used to content the masses.
C)They were limited to fights between slaves and criminals trained at gladiatorial schools.

Question 40

Ulpian, one of the famous jurists of the early Empire, contributed to establishing which principle that would underpin so much of European law?

A)Legal equality
B)Separation of powers
C)Natural rights

Question 41

What role did Paul play in spreading early Christianity?

Question 42

How effective were the Julio-Claudian emperors?

Question 43

What was the motivation and significance of Augustus's reforms to the army?

Question 44

How was early Christianity different to Roman religion?

Question 45

How had city life in the Roman Empire changed from what it was during the republic?

Question 46

What was the Roman perception of mystery religions?

Question 47

How effective were the Flavian emperors?

Question 48

Why did Rome persecute early Christians?

Question 49

The Roman praetorian guards are best described how?

A)They were elite troops given the task of protecting the emperor.
B)They were mobile units meant to patrol the boundaries of the empire.
C)They often used to train the gladiators.

Question 50

Under the rule of Augustus, the Roman Empire is best described how?

A)It was a principate, with Augustus acting as an equal co-ruler with the Senate.
B)It returned to its traditional republic institutions.
C)It turned toward an absolute monarchy, with the princeps overshadowing the Senate.

Question 51

Why do historians refer to the "golden age" of Augustus's reign? To what extent are they justified in doing so?

Question 52

Why did Augustus take such pains to pay deference to the republic? Was this genuine?

Question 53

Why did imperial successions so often result in conflict in imperial Rome?

Question 54

Why were arches and domes so important to Roman architecture?

Question 55

What was the Pax Romana, and why was it significant?

Question 56

Why was army reform seen as vital to maintain the imperial system?

Question 57

What kinds of entertainment were popular in Rome during the early empire?

Question 58

Describe Rome's most important trading patterns and relationships.

Question 59

Describe the lives of Rome's poor during the early empire.

Question 60

What was the Roman policy toward Judaism?

Question 61

Who were early Christianity's supporters, and who were its opponents? How did this affect early Christianity and its spread?

Question 62

How did the Julio-Claudians continue Augustus's style of rule? How did they depart from it?

Question 63

Was Rome's treatment of Christianity more similar to its treatment of Judaism or of mystery religions? Why? What effect did this have on early Christianity?

Question 64

How did Augustus seek to use history and religion to consolidate his power? How successful was he?

Question 65

Romanization in the Roman Empire is best described how?

A)It varied widely in different areas of the empire in terms of its extent and speed.
B)It developed first in the lower classes.
C)It led to Latin replacing the Greek language in the East.

Question 66

What effects did regular political instability within the empire have on its economy and society?

Question 67

How important was slavery to the early empire? Was it more or less important to Rome than during the republic?

Question 68

Why are so many of the Flavian emperors called "good"? What key events or policies did they promote to earn them this title?

Question 69

Describe the importance of trade to the Roman Empire.

Question 70

Why did Paul believe in the doctrine of universal salvation? How was he resisted or supported by others? What effect did this controversy have on early Christianity?

Question 71

Roman provincial and frontier policy under Augustus was characterized by all of the following EXCEPT which?

A)Limitless expansion in central Europe
B)The encouragement of self-government among provincial cities
C)Provincial rule by proconsuls

Question 72

What roles the armies play in protecting and expanding the Roman imperial system? How effective was it in fulfilling these roles?

Question 73

Among Augustus's key innovations in Roman provincial rule was what?

A)A new policy leading to the abandonment of North Africa
B)A division of Roman provinces into those ruled directly by the princeps and the senatorial provinces administered by the Senate
C)Reliance on an imperial administration of military governors alone

Question 74

Which event curtailed Augustus's expansionist policies?

A)The senatorial rejection of imperialist policy in 20 B.C.E.
B)The defeat by Varus in the Teutoburg Forest
C)The revolt of the Egyptians in 14 B.C.E.

Question 75

Describe the key cultural achievements of early imperial Rome. What media did elite Romans gravitate to and what attracted poorer Romans?

Question 76

Why did Christianity become so popular, despite persecutions? How did its popularity affect the Roman government's treatment of its believers?