Greece and Rome

Unit Review Sheet

Facts and Definitions

Lesson 1: Early Greece

• The Minoans established the first European civilization on the island of Crete.
• The Mycenaeans occupied mainland Greece starting around 1600 BC.
• The Trojan War is described in an epic poem, The Iliad, by Homer.
• A fresco is a watercolor painting on a wall or ceiling that is made while the plaster is wet, resulting in long-lasting images and colors.

Lesson 2: Ancient Greece

• Greek city-states were independent of one another but strongly connected by shared language, culture, and religion.
• Athens and Sparta were the two most powerful city-states.
• Democracy means "people's power" or rule by the people.
• Hoplites were Greek foot soldiers. They fought in a rectangular formation called a phalanx.

Lesson 3: Everyday Life in Ancient Greece

• Women and men had very different roles in ancient Greece.
• On a typical day, most ancient Greek people ate a simple diet of bread, porridge, supplemented with cheese, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruit, honey, and wine. Meat was typically eaten only during festivals or by rich people.
• A monologue is a lengthy speech by a single character in a play.

Lesson 4: The Hellenistic World

• Alexander the Great became king of Macedonia at age 20, and by his death at age 32, he had conquered a huge amount of territory.
• The Hellenistic Age refers to the period from the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC to the Roman conquest in 30 BC, a period in which Alexander's former empire was strongly influenced by Greek culture.

Lesson 5: Ancient Rome and the Roman Republic

• Roman legend tells that the city of Rome was founded by two brothers, Romulus and Remus.
• Rome's early kings were eventually overthrown, leading to the Roman Republic.
• The Punic Wars, which began in 264 BC, pitted Rome against Carthage.
• Patricians were the leaders of the most powerful families in Rome. Everyone who wasn't a patrician was called a plebeian. Many plebeians were poor and did not own land, but some were shopkeepers, artisans, bankers, or merchants.
• In the Roman Republic, laws were made by the Senate. Each year, the Senate elected two consuls, co-leaders with a lot of power who could veto each other's decisions.
• The Twelve Tables were a set of laws carved into 12 tablets.
• Soon after Julius Caesar had himself declared dictator for life, he was assassinated by members of the Senate.

Lesson 6: The Roman Empire

• After the death of Julius Caesar there was a chaotic period of civil war in Rome, and eventually Augustus (Octavian) became Rome's first emperor.
• Some of the emperors of Rome were wise and fair rulers while others were cruel.
• The Pax Romana (Roman peace) refers to the two centuries beginning with the rule of Augustus when there were no major wars within the boundaries of the Roman empire.
• The Roman Empire maintained power over a diverse empire, partially because they tried to keep the people in various Roman territories happy. These efforts included allowing them to maintain their own religions, cultural traditions, and customs.
• The Five Good Emperors — Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius — were a series of leaders who expanded the empire and governed it effectively.

Lesson 7: Everyday Life in Ancient Rome

• The Roman paterfamilias or head of the family was responsible for everyone in his home, and everyone, even adult offspring, were expected to obey him.
• Roman slaves worked on farms, in households, and in businesses. Some slaves eventually became free while others were slaves for life.
• Since slaves did much of the work in Rome, Roman citizens had time to participate in recreational activities like attending gladiator fights, races, and plays.
• Because the Roman Empire was so culturally diverse, people not only worshiped the state gods and goddesses of Rome, but also followed other faiths.
• Roman builders created bridges, aqueducts, sewers, large buildings made with concrete, and domes. Some Roman architecture was inspired by that of the Greeks and Etruscans.

Lesson 8: The End of the Empire

• Both internal and external factors led to a decline in Rome's power and influence.
• By the first century AD, Christianity had reached Rome, where it appealed to many slaves and poor Romans.
• In 284 AD, Diocletian divided the Roman empire into eastern and western halves. Constantine reunified the empire only to split it again later.
• Invaders attacked Rome and defeated the Western Empire in 476 AD.
• The eastern empire became known as the Byzantine Empire.
• Many elements of Roman culture, government, architecture, and language are still influential today.

Final Project: A Greek and Roman Menu

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