Question 1

The Roman Empire after Marcus Aurelius was seen by Dio Cassius as a decline from "a kingdom of gold into one of iron and rust." Do you agree with Cassius's metaphor? What were the major difficulties following the last of the "good emperors"? Were the problems caused by internal or external forces?

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Question 2

Imperial Rome made great engineering advances, including the use of vaults and domes, both forms adapted from Etruscan semi-circular ________.

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Question 3

Hadrian's wall in the south of Scotland exemplifies his foreign policy, reversing the offensive polices of Trajan with a new focus on ________.

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Question 4

The sculpture on the church of San Marco in Venice portrays Diocletian and three colleagues.Explain the symbolism of the four men.Explain why the sitting of the sculpture is ironic.

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Question 5

Freestanding amphitheaters were built around the empire, hippodromes were constructed for chariot racing, and gladiatorial combat was as popular as ever.What did the need for entertainment (and particular kinds of entertainment) suggest about the Roman populace? Did these entertainments benefit or harm the emperor in any way?

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Question 6

Diocletian divided the empire into four parts, led by a quartet known as the ________.

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Question 7

Certain Christian tenets did not fit with Roman paganism.Imagine you are a Roman whose neighbor has converted to Christianity.What do you perceive as the neighbor's change in behavior? How does that make you feel?

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Question 8

Consider Map 5-2 showing the extent of the Roman Empire between 14 and 117 c.e.How could this evidence be used to explain why Trajan was considered one of the "good emperors"? What societal benefits flowed from the changes he made to the empire?

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Question 9

Constantine moved his court to Constantinople (modern Istanbul).What were the consequences of removing the Roman Emperor from Rome itself? Can you defend the move? Why or why not?

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Question 10

Looking at Map 5-6, Map Exploration, we can see the spread of Christianity from 200 to 600 c.e.Why did Christianity first take root in urban areas? What would have been the consequence of Christianity spreading more rapidly before developing an orthodox tradition?

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Question 11

Although Augustus granted himself the powers of an absolute ruler, he did not proclaim this ascension openly.In what ways did he retain the appearance of republican government? Why?

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Question 12

Although Latin was the language of the Roman Empire, eastern provinces continued to use _______.

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Question 13

Saul of Tarsus, in Cilicia, underwent a conversion outside Damascus and changed his name to ________.

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Question 14

With a soaring population and limited land, many of Rome's underclass lived in cramped insulae, or _______ buildings.

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Question 15

Jesus of Nazareth was named christos by his followers, meaning "________."

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Question 16

Although the period between Diocletian and Constantine was fraught with issues of succession, both men can be considered successful leaders in the chaos of the late empires.What policies did they enact to promote peace and prosperity? Were any of these policies counterproductive?

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Question 17

Born in Africa, ________ was one of the great early theologians, known for his books Confessions and City of God.

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Question 18

Augustus introduced laws intended to proscribe moral behavior.What sort of behavior was codified, and who do you think would have suffered the most prosecution from these laws?

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Question 19

The Circus Maximus's racing companies called factiones and gambling were all elements of one of the Romans' favorite entertainments, ________ racing.

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Question 20

Early Christians organized themselves into communities and elected ________ to lead worship and supervise funds.

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Quiz 5: The Roman Empire