Chapter 7: Ancient Rome – Vocabulary

republic – type of government in which citizens who have the right to vote select their leaders

patrician – member of a wealthy, upper-class family in ancient Rome

plebian – an ordinary citizen in ancient Rome

consul – one of two officials who led ancient Rome

veto – rejection of a bill by a person in power; “I forbid”

dictator – person in ancient Rome who was appointed to rule for six months in times of emergency

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province – unit of an empire with its own governor and army

aqueduct – structure that carries water over long distances

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circus – arena in ancient Rome and show held there

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messiah – savior in Judaism and Christianity

disciple – follower of a person or belief

Gospel – one of the first four books in the New Testament

epistle – letter written by Jesus’s disciples

martyr – person who chooses to die for a cause he or she believes in

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mercenary – foreign soldier who serves in an army only for pay

inflation – economic situation in which there is more money of less value

Chapter 7: Ancient Rome – People and Places

Romulus and Remus – twin brothers who are supposed to have founded Rome

Etruscans – ancient people who lived in Italy before the Romans and influenced their culture

Julius Caesar – Roman political and military leader who was murdered by Roman senators

Octavian – Rome’s first emperor

TiberRiver – Major river in Italy that goes through Rome

Rome – capital of the ancient Roman Empire

Italy – boot shaped country in southern Europe

Carthage – ancient city on the northern coast of Africa

Gaul – present day France

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Augustus – Roman emperor after Julius Caesar

Hadrian – one of Rome’s greatest emperors who worked to unify the empire

Greece – country of peninsulas and islands in Mediterranean Europe

Colloseum - large amphitheater in Rome

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Martial – Roman poet who wrote about the early Roman Empire

Seneca – writer, philosopher, and statesman in ancient Rome

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Jesus – founder of Christianity

Paul – disciple of Jesus who spread Christianity through writing letters

Nero –Roman emperor known for his mistreatment of Christians

Judea – southern half of the kingdom of the Israelites

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Constantine – emperor of Rome who encouraged the spread of Christianity

Diocletian – emperor of Rome who reorganized Roman government

Constantinople – ancient capital of Byzantium