5.11 Why did the Roman Empire fall? • From around 180 CE, the empire began to weaken. • Civil wars and invasions caused empire’s collapse. • Historians have suggested many different reasons for Rome’s fall. 5.12 What is Rome’s heritage? • The Eastern Roman Empire lasted nearly another thousand years. • The Roman Christian Church helped to preserve Roman culture. • The idea of European unity is one of many legacies of ancient Rome. 5.13 Inquiry: How bad was Emperor Nero? • Historians have made very different judgements about Emperor Nero. • Some have seen Nero as a monster. • The worst judgements of Nero may be based on rumours. 5.14.2 Key terms
aqueduct a structure built to carry water long distances astrology interpreting the inþuence of the stars on human affairs auxiliaries soldiers in the Roman army drawn from areas conquered by Rome and made part of its empire barbarians the Roman term for all peoples who lived beyond the borders of the empire blasphemous great disrespect shown to God or to something holy, or something said or done that shows this kind of disrespect civil war a war between rival factions within one state or country cruciýed to be killed by cruciýxion, an ancient form of execution in which the victim was tied or nailed to a pole or (as was Jesus) a cross and left to die slowly in agony divination the skill of reading omens Etruscans advanced, civilised people who dominated early Rome from about 575 BCE to about 396 BCE forum an open meeting place of a town or city heresy an opinion or belief that contradicts orthodox beliefs, especially in religion hypocaust an underþoor and water-heating system used in Roman villas and public baths loot goods or property taken from a defeated enemy after a battle magistrates men elected by the citizens to run Rome for a year medieval of the Middle Ages Middle Ages between ancient and modern historical periods (generally between the ýfth and ýfteenth centuries) pagan a name used to refer to people who believed in non-Christian gods patricians members of the aristocratic families who founded the Roman Republic patronage supporting and encouraging authors and artists plebeians all non-patrician citizens of Rome public bath a public building complex containing baths of varying temperatures, and sports and beauty facilities; a popular meeting place for Roman citizens
pumice lava ejected from a volcano that solidiýes into a light, porous rock republic a system of government in which the head of state is not a monarch rhetoric the art of public speaking Samnites a mountain tribe of central Italy Senate the governing body in ancient Rome; (in theory) an advisory body of ex-magistrates tenant farmers poor farmers who rented small plots of land Thracian a native of the Roman province of Thracia virtue a moral standard or value
TOPIC5 Ancient Rome 177
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