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It was the Ancient Roman empire which was spread across the three continents namely Europe, Asia and Africa.
Main Social Features of the Roman Empire
Food - Wheat - Wine - Olive Oil - barley - beans - lentils Dress and Costume Style Presbyterian The Aristocratic class Social Classes Condition of Women Plebean The lower Second Class Class Positive aspect Right to inheritance in Father's Propery Standard of living Fighting of gladiator with beast Slaves Sources of Entertainment Evidence Colosseum Amphitheatre Negative aspect
Main Economic Features Craft & Industry Agriculture Trade Domestication Of Animals Transhumance Minting Conditions in North Africa, Egypt and Italy best for growing crops like wheat wine & Olive Oil
Routes Silk route Mining Sea
Empire included regions that had a reputation for exceptional fertility
Slaves Deployed in Agriculture Markets Making Papyrus scrolls Amphorae Goods Places Deployment of Free Slaves External Trade Internal Trade Land
Main Cultural Features Knowledge & Science Art & Architecture Statues Plurality of Languages Colosseum Dressels 20 Latin Greek Buildings Coptic Punic Berber Aramaic Calender Draconian Law Hydraulic Mining Technology Writers Aqueducts Amphitheatre Law Codes Water Milling Technology Strabo Pliny Tacit us Olympiodorus Natural History
Correcation with the Socio - Economic, Religious, Cultureal & Political Features of Ancient Mesopotamia (Theme -2)
Main Political Features The Early Empire Emperors Administration Nero Down fall of the Empire Jewish War Late Antiiquity Third Century Crisis Duces The Army Julius caesar The Senate Military Commanders Octavian Augustus The Aristocracy Tiberius The Emperor Trajan Republic Provincial Territory Taxation Over Expansion of the Empire Capital at Constantinople Emperors and their Achievements Constantine's Achievement Christianity was made official religion Diocletian's Achievement Monetary Sphere Abandoned Territories of little Economic & Strategic Importance Glass factories Established Justinian's Achievements Political Justinian Code Introduction of Solidus Expansion of Empire Urban Prosperity
Sources: Archaeological (Literary) Written Texts Aerial Photographs Documents Histories written by Contemporary Historians Amphitheater Amphorae Colosseum Statues Aqueducts
Key Words: Civil War: Armed struggles for power within the same country. Republic: The name for a regime in which real power lay with the senate . Senate: A body dominated by a small group of Wealthy families. Transhumance: Herdsman's regular annual movement between higher mountain regions and low lying ground in search of Pasture.
Dressel 20 / Amphorae : Oil containers especially olive oil.
Draconian : Meaning 'Harsh' Used for laws So called because of an early 6th century BCE Greek law maker who Prescribed death as the penalty for most crimes. ................................................................................................................ Questions with Model Answers:
2 Marks Questions :1. Give two features of Roman Polity i) Politically the whole span is divided into two segments - Early Roman Empire and Late Antiquity. ii) The empire was spread across Europe some part of Asia and North Africa.
5 Marks Questions :2. Describe the conditions of women in Ancient Roman society Ans. Positive aspects to show that women owed honourable position in family and society. i) Women remained a primary heir to father's property after marriage . ii) They could become independent property owners after their father's death . One typical form of marriage did not allow the wife to transfer her authority to her husband but retained full rights in the property of her natal family. Women enjoyed considerable legal rights in owning and managing property. Divorce was easy for both men as well as women.
Negative aspects : Marriages were generally arranged. There was considerable age gap between husband and wife as males married in their late 20s or early 30s where as women were married off in the late teens or early 20s. Women were subject to dominance by their husbands. Wives were even beaten up by husbands. Father had legal control over the children.
10 Marks question :3. Discuss the economic activities of the Ancient Romans. What measure were adopted for controlling workers ? Ans. Agriculture i) The Roman empire included regions that had a reputation for exceptional fertility e.g. Campania in Italy, Sicily, Fayum in Egypt Galibe, Byzacium (Tunisia) southern Gaul, Bactica. ii) These areas had best conditions for crops. iii) Wheat, barley, beans and lentils were produced in abundance and even stored. Slaves were used in agricultural trade works : i) Goods for trade comprised mainly wheat, wire and olive oil. ii) There was competition among merchants for control of Markets.. iii) Trade occured through land route and sea route across Mediterranean.
Craft & Industry : Industries like mining minting, amphora making were popular. Industries like oil presses and glass factories were installed during the late antiquity. The Romans also made scrolls of Papyrus. Domestication of animals Transhumans was widespread in the countryside of Numida ( modern Algenia) The country side / Criticism : The large expanses of Roman empire were in a much less advanced state for example transhumans was widespread, in the countryside of Namidia. As Roman estates expanded in North Africa, the pastures of those communities were drastically reduced and their movements more tightly regulated. Even in Spain the North was economically much less developed. In these areas peasantry who were Celtic - speaking, lived in hilltop villages known as Castillea. When we think of the Roman Economy we should never forget these difference .
Conclusion : The Roman empire had, however, a substantial economic infrastructure of harbours, mines quarries, brickyards, olive oil factories etc. The wealth and economic prosperity of the empire is extolled by the contemporary writers like Olympiodorus that the aristocracy based in the city of Rome drew annual incomes of up to 4,000 pounds of gold from their estates, not counting the produce, they consumed directly.' Source : Archaeological viz - archaeological remains e.g. amphora, aqueducts etc. Written : Contemporary texts and documents
.......................................................................................................... Model Questions 2 Marks Questions :1. Give two features of Ancient Roman Religion.2. Mention four archaeological sources of Ancient Roman Empire.3. What do you mean by Republic ?4. Name two historians of Ancient Roman civilization.5. Name the three main players of the political history of ancient Roman Empire.
5 Marks Questions :1. Name the ancient empire which was expanded across three continents. Why is the empire known so ?2. Name the famous emperors of the early Empire in Rome. What were their contributions in the making of the empire ?3. What is meant by the early empire ? Discuss its significance in the history of the Ancient Roman Civilization.4. Explain the impact of the crisis of the third Century on the Early Roman Empire.5. Who was Saint Augustine ? Why is he famous in the history of the Roman civilization ?
10 marks Questions :1. Explain the main features of Ancient Roman society. How independent were women in the Roman society ? Compare the situation of Roman family with the family in India.
'Slavery was an institution deeply rooted in Ancient Roman world' Explain. Do you think that controlling workers was the factor behind the economic prosperity of the empire. What is meant by Late Antiquity ? Describe the main political and economic development of the period. Discuss the causes of downfall of the Roman empire. How did the downfall lead to the modernisation of Europe ? Explain. Discuss the contributions of the Romans to the Modern World.
Hot Questions
2 Marks Questions1. Name four languages, spoken in the Roman Empire.2. Define the term civil war.3. What do you mean by Dracnian ? Answer in the context of Roman Laws.4. Give two contributions of Diocletian.5. Who was Olympiodorus ?
5 Marks Questions :1. How was the large Roman Empire administered. Discuss the role of the Provincial ......2. ''The emperor, the aristocracy and the away were the three main players in the political history of the empire.'' Discuss was Roman Republic a true republic in the real sense of the term ?3. How can we find gender differences in Roman society ? Give examples.4. How can we find cultural diversity in the Roman empire ? Discuss with examples.5. How were slaves treated in ancient Roman society ? Discuss.
10 Marks Questions :1. How did fertility of Roman empire was the cause of the prosperity of the empire ? Explain in the the context of ancient Mesopotamian civilisation.2. Give your views on the religious features of Ancient Roman Empire. How did rise of Islam affect the empire. Explain.3. What do the Social Hierarities tell us about Ancient Roman society ? Discuss the role of the Knights in the empire. Do you find any similarity between the feudal knights and these knights ?4. Who was Constantine ? Discuss his achievements in the final centuries of Roman world.5. ''If rome plundered, it civilized the world as well''. Discuss the statement in the context of contributions of the ancient Roman civilization.
The Roman Empire This vast stretch of territory was the Roman Empire. Iran controlled the whole area south of the Caspian Sea down to eastern Arabia, and sometimes large parts of Afghanistan as well. These two superpowers had divided up most of the world that the Chinese called Ta Ch'in ('greater Ch'in, roughly the west). Rise of the Arabs affected the Roman Empire.
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