Chapter 2 Empires

 VERY SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS: 

1. Who were Remulus and Remus brothers? 

Answer: Remulus and Remus were twin brothers who founded the city of Rome in the middle of eight century BC. 

2. When did Rome establish a Republic? 

Answer: 509 BC. 

3. Who was the first Roman monarch in 27 BC? 

Answer: Emperor Augustus. 

4. What was the original name of Augustus? 

Answer: Octavian. 

5. Give the name of any three monuments built by Augustus in the city of Rome. 

Answer: The Ara Pacis Augustus, the Stagnum and Euripus, then Pantheon and the Saepta Julia. 

6. Give the name of any four unworthy successors of Augustus. 

Answer: Tiberius, Calogula, Claudius, and Nero.

7. Who was Nero? 

Answer: Nero was one of the unworthy Roman Emperors and the last ruler of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. 

8. What were the names of two Roman Emperors during AD 248-337 who checked the decay of the Roman Empire? 

Answer: Emperor Diocletian and Emperor Constantine. 

9. Who transferred the capital of Roman Empire to Constantinople? 

Answer: Emperor Constantine. 

10. Which barbarians were the causes of fall of the Roman Empire? 

Answer: Germanic barbaric tribes under the leader of Odoacer. 

11. Give the name of the last West Roman Empire who was forced to abdicate? 

Answer: Romulus Augustus. 

12. What is the meaning of Pax Romana? 

Answer: The peace which existed between nationalities within the Roman Empire bought by roman rule or Roman Peace. 

13. What do you know about the Emperor Justinian? 

Answer: Emperor Justinian was also known as Justinian the Great, was the Eastern Roman emperor from 527to 565. His reign is marked by the ambitious but only partly realized or restoration of the Empire. 

14. When did the Byzantine Empire come to an end? 

Answer: 1453. 15. Give the names of scholars who justified slaves? 

Answer: Plato, Aristotle, Saint Augustine, Thomas Aquinas. 

16. Which philosophical ideas contributed to the end of the system of slavery? 

Answer: Liberal, humanitarian and socialist ideas. 

17. Who was Spartacus? Answer: Spartacus was a Thracian gladiator, one of the escaped slaves of Roman Empire, who led a slave revolt against the Roman forces. 

18. When did Christianity become state religion in the Roman Empire? 

Answer: During the reign of Emperor Theodosius (379-395) 

19. Give the names of three classes in which the roman society was divided? 

Answer: Patricians, Plebeians and Slaves. 

20. Who were Patricians? 

Answer: The Patricians were Rome’s earliest descendent and they were highest and wealthiest of the Social classes. 

21. What technique of architecture influenced most of the Roman architecture? 

Answer: Greek technique of architecture. 

22. What was the official language of the Roman Empire? 

Answer: Latin language. 

23. Give the name of famous Roman thinkers and Scholars. 

Answer: Cicero, Vigil, Julius Caesar, Horace. 

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS: 

24. Describe the economic reforms of Augustus. 

Ans: Augustus imposed a regular census to provide a fair assessment of the tax burden, resulting in a fairer collection of tax revenue. Augustus provided for complete reforms of financial structure. The central treasury was linked to the treasuries of all the provinces. Together with the expansion and improvement of Roman coinage, a poll tax and a land tax were created which completely funded the imperial system. These new system provided a stimulus to trade throughout the empire, leading to stability, security and prosperity. 25. Describe the progress of art and culture during the rule of Augustus. Ans: Emperor Augustus became the pre-eminent patron of arts and architecture. During his reigns, he built the Ara Pacis Augustae, The Stagnum and Euripus, the Pantheon and the Saepta Julia. Throughout, the Augustus style is a mixture of conservatism and Innovations and often strives for Greek look. Augustus reign was an era of Rome’s most famous and influential writers including Vergil, Horace, Ovid Properties and Tibullus in poetry and Livy in prose. Fergil, in particular, wrote a national epic for the Romans in the “ Aeneid ‘. The most famous literary, artistic patron of his day was C. Maccenas- A close associate of Augustus. The Augustian literary scene was also exceptionally bright. 

26. How Diocletian and Constantine checked the decay of the fall of Roman Empire? 

Ans: Emperors Diocletian and Constantine made desperate attempts to strengthen the empire to avoid civil wars; law regulated the succession to the throne. The government was made full –fledge despotism. The emperor had to be worshipped like a god by his subject and a great army of spies and secret agents was organised to check the secret activities of the people. They also adopted the policies of controlling prices, interest rates and export prohibition on strategic products such as iron, bronze, weapons, army equipments and horse. Constantine required every soldier’s son to be a soldier unless unfit for service. Agricultural labourers were tied to the land on a permanent and hereditary basis. Despotism was also applied to the economic system. Regulation of lives of the people was as extreme as totalitarian system was set up. The measures of Diocletian and Constantine halted to some extent the civil war and the economic deterioration. 

27. How far were the German barbarians responsible for the fall of the West Roman Empire? 

Ans: Rome had tangled with Germanic tribes for centuries, but by the 300s “barbarians” group like Goths had encroached beyond the Empire’s borders. The Roman weathered a Germanic uprising in the late 4 th century, but in 410 the Visigoth king Alaric successfully sacked the city of Rome. The empire spent next several decades under constant threat before the eternal city was raided again in 455, this time by the Vandals. Finally, in 476, the Germanic leader Odoacer staged a revolt and deposed the emperor Romulus Augustus. 

28. Describe the legacy of the west Roman Empire. 

Ans: Despite its fall, the west Roman Empire has left a rich legacy. More apparent are the materials remains – the amphitheatres, arenas, temples, roads, bridges and its linguistic in the form of Romanized language of Europe. The Roman law is very much alive in the legal systems of many countries of Europe and America. The organisations and the rituals of the Roman Catholic Church owe much to the Roman imperial structure and religious traditions. Finally, the Pax Romana which had brought two centuries of relative peace and prosperity left a tradition of Imperial unity. 

29. Describe the slave rebellion led by Spartacus? 

Ans: In the first century, the position of slaves remained just as miserable as before. Ultimately, this led the slaves to wage a struggle against the slave owners. In 74 BC, some gladiators hatched a conspiracy in the city of Capua against the slave owners. But the slave owner came to know about the conspiracy however, few dozens of the members of the conspiracy escaped and they found refuge at Mt. Vesuvius. The escaped slaves elected a Thracian gladiator, Spartacus as their leader. The brave slaves attacked Roman slave-owners’ estate and caravans and captured weapons. Slave from surrounding areas also began to join Spartacus. The slaves routed out another three thousands Roman warriors and the news spread throughout the country. Many thousand slaves assembled under Spartacus leadership. Spartacus introduced harsh discipline. When the Roman slave-owners came to know about the march of the slaves under Spartacus in the valley of the River Po, Many slave owners went to fight under the commander, Marcus LIcinus Crassus. Spartacus led his army to the south of Italy because he did not have enough forces to take Rome but it was blocked by Crassus and the slaves defeated armies standing on the way. Spartacus reached south western Italy with his troops but failed to reach Sicily. Crassus didn’t attack Spartacus and occupied only the narrow isthmus. The Roman soldiers dug a moat and erected a mud wall here to trap the rebels. Spartacus insurgents filled up the moat when they attack the fortification and burst out of trap. Crassus attacked them by surprise and massacred them all. 

30. How were the Christians persecuted by the Roman Emperor? 

Ans: Romans followed the principle that all gods are true but the Christian insisted that no god was true except their own and that worship of Roman gods was pagan and it would lead them to hell. For it Roman retaliates by persecution. The persecution increased when the Christians criticised the military service, gladiatorial contests, slavery etc. The Christians were persecuted during the time of kings Nero, Trajan, and Marcus Aurelius. In third century AD, persecution by the state became more systematic. Decius killed and banished hundred of Christian who refused to appear before the magistrate and make sacrifice to Roman gods. Valerian intensified persecutions to prevent many of the upper class Roman from joining the Christian order. Diocletian in 303 AD purged the army of Christians, burned Christian books, and removed all Christian from public offices and freeing of Christian slaves. 

31. Describe the contributions of the Romans to government and politics. 

Ans: Roman political thinkers such as Ceciro contributed the germinal ideas about the theory of government. They gave the theory of popular of popular sovereignty, the principle of separation of powers and the concept that law must be the paramount rule in the government. One of the most important contributions of the Romans to government and politics was the Roman law. It is the basis of the present law codes in Italy, France, Spain, Scotland, Latin America, Louisiana and Japan. The Romans gave to civilisation the outstanding progressive idea of human rights when they established the legal principle that a man accused of crime is innocent until proved guilty. A great mass of laws were finally officially collected and codified, that is, reduced to simple principles in the later period of the empire. This proved to be one of the greatest milestones in human progress and many nations use it as a guide even today. 

EASSY TYPE QUESTIONS: 

32. Describe the achievements of Emperor Augustus. 

Answer: Augustus founded the Roman Empire and was its first Emperor: He defeated the forces of Cleopatra and Antony. This made Octavian Rome’s undisputed ruler. In 27 BC, he restored back the power of Roman Senate though in reality he remained the de facto emperor of the Empire. And the senate conferred him with the new title of Augustus. He is credited with founding Roman Empire. He was primarily responsible for the two centuries long Pax Romana: Augustus initiated a period of relative peacefulness and minimal expansion in the Roman Empire which lasted for over two centuries from 27 BC to 180 AD and is known as PAX ROMANA or Roman peace. He is credited for ensuring durable peace in the Roman Empire through his administrative genius and reforms which brought stability and prosperity. Augustus oversaw the renewal and repair of numerous temples across his empire, and initiated projects to build many more. He worked towards renewing the trust for people in the traditional gods to revive the spirit of Rome. Augustus period also saw the return of many of the old, popular festivals. Augustus established a very effective financial system in his empire. He imposed consistent direct taxation on the provinces in the Empire such as a poll tax and land tax. It greatly increased Rome’s net revenue and established a stable relationship between Rome and its provinces. Augustus abolished private tax farming and replaced it with salaried civil service tax collectors. His monetary reforms led to expansion in trade. Augustus also transformed the appearance of Rome with massive building projects such as Forum of Augustus, temple of Mars Ultor, Ara Pacis, temple of Apollo Palatinus etc. he secured order and protection of Rome by instituting police and fire-fighting forces. He built a state run courier services based on relays stations. Emperor Octavian made the prefect a permanent office to effectively administer Rome. 32. How did Christianity spread in the Roman Empire? Answer: Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan in 313 AD, which granted the Christians freedom of worship, removal of legal disabilities, and the restoration of all confiscated property. Constantine pro-Christian policy helped conversion among the upper classes of Roman society. The emperor also took steps to convert the conservative peasantry who worshipped man-made pagan gods and goddesses. He made observation of Sunday obligatory, build new churches, dedicated the new city of Constantinople to the Blessed Virgin, granting alms to poorer congregations, exempted Christian priests from political obligations and compulsory labours participated actively in the church councils and helped to enforce the decisions of this councils. Under Constantine, it became increasingly difficult to be anything than Christian. Constantine successors took more direct steps against paganism. Death penalty was imposed on those who performed pagan sacrifices. Pagan priests were deprived of exemption and privileges. Non believers in Christianity were driven into exile. They could not make wills or inherit property. Finally, under Theodosius I, Christianity became the state religion and Catholicism the only religious faith in the empire. 

33. Examine the causes of the fall of the West Roman Empire. 

Answer: The causes of the fall of the West Roman Empire were given below: 

a) INVASIONS BY BARBARIAN TRIBES: Rome had tangled with Germanic tribes for centuries, but by 300s, barbarian groups like the Goths had encroached beyond the Empire’s borders. The Romans crushed a Germanic uprising in the late fourth century, but in 410 the Visigoth King Alaric successfully sacked the city of Rome. The Roman Empire spent the next several decades under constant threat before the “the Eternal City” was raided again in 445, by the Vandals. Finally, in 476, the Germanic leader Odoacer staged a revolt and deposed the Emperor Romulus Augustuslus which gave a deathblow to the Roman Empire. 

b) ECONOMIC TROUBLES AND OVERRELIANCE ON SLAVE LABOR: Constant wars and over spending had significantly lightened imperial coffers, and oppressive taxation and inflation had widened the gap between rich and poor. Rome’s economy depend on slaves to tilt its field and work as craftsmen, but now the Empire faced labour deficit because expansion came to halt in the second century, Rome’s supply of slaves and other war treasures began to dry up. A further blow came in the fifth century, when the Vandals claimed North Africa and began disrupting Roman trade. 

c) THE RISE OF THE EASTERN EMPIRE: In the late third century, the Roman Empire was divided into two halves-the western Empire seated in the city of Milan, and the Eastern Empire in Byzantine. But over time the two halves drifted apart. East and West failed to work adequately together to check outside threats and the two often squabbled over resources and military aid. Most importantly, the strength of the Eastern Empire served to divert Barbarians invasions to the west. The Eastern was fortified and well guarded, but Italy and the city of Rome were left vulnerable. The Western political structure would finally disintegrate in the 5th century. 

d) OVER EXPANSION AND MILITARILY OVERSPENDING: The Roman Empire stretched from the Atlantic Ocean all the way to the Euphrates River in the Middle East, but its grandeur may have also been its downfall. With such a vast territory to govern, the Empire faced an administrative and logistical nightmare. Communication became ineffective due to its vast territory. Roman struggled enough to maintain its huge military to defend its frontiers. As more and more funds were spent for military upkeep of the Empire, the technological advancement was slowed and Rome civil structure fell into disrepair. 

e) GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION AND POLITICAL INSTABILITRY: Being a Roman Emperor had always been a particularly a dangerous job. Civil wars thrust the Empire into chaos; more than 20 men took the throne in the span of only 75 years, usually after the murder of their predecessor. The emperor-bodyguards assassinated and installed new sovereigns at will, and once auctioned off to the highest bidder. Even the Roman Senate was full corruption and they were incompetence. Roman citizens lost trust in their leadership. 

f) THE ARRIVAL OF THE HUNS AND THE MIGRATION OF THE BARBARIAN TIRBES: Due to the Huns’ invasion of Europe in the late fourth century, they drove many Germanic tribes to the borders of the Roman Empire. The Roman treated them with extreme cruelty. When the oppression became too much to bear, the Goths rose up in revolt and killed eastern Emperor Valens in 378 AD. Again in 410 AD, the Goths king Alaric moved west and sacked Rome. With the Western Empire weakened, Germanic tribes like the Vandals and the Saxons cross its borders and occupy Britain, Spain and North Africa. 

g) WEAKENING OF THE ROMAN LEGIONS: For most of its history, Rome’s military was the envy of the ancient world. But the makeup of the once mighty legions began to change. Unable to recruit soldiers from the Roman citizenry, emperor like Diocletian and Constantine recruited foreign mercenaries. The ranks of the legions eventually swelled with Germanic Goths and other barbarians. While these Germanic proved to be fierce warriors, they also had little or no loyalty to the emperor, and their power-hungry officers often turned against their Roman employers. In fact, many of the barbarians who sacked the city of Rome and brought down the Western Roman Empire had earned military stripes while serving in the Roman legions