Overview of History (180CE–476CE)

• Gradual Disintegration (180–284CE)
  • Commodus (180–192)
    • His father? His sister? Liked to fight as? Believed he was? Renamed what? Killed by?
  • The Severan Dynasty (193–235)
    • What external enemy did Septimius Severus fight? What title did he take as a result of his final victory?
    • What 3 changes did he make to the army?
    • Who were his children?
    • Role of Julia Domna?
    • Significance of Caracalla's edit about Roman citizenship?
    • Details and significance of Caracalla's coinage change?
    • Severus Alexander — role of Julia Mammaea
    • Which of the above died a natural death, which did not?
  • The Barracks Emperors (235–284)
    • Significance of the following emperors: Philip I (the Arab), Valerian, Aurelian
    • What happens to: the coinage, the boundaries of the empire, the emperors, the economy, the cities & countryside
    • Enemies to the east? to the north?
  • Partial Recovery (284–337
    • Diocletian (284–305)
      • How did he change the administration of the empire — tetrarchy, diocese & vicarius, smaller units
      • How did he treat the Christians?
      • What did Diocletian do in regard to prices, wages, freedom of profession, and freedom of movement?
    • Constantine (306–337)
      • What was Constantine's position in regard to Christianity?
      • Where did he move the capital to?
      • Two non-Roman groups he defeated & how he treated them after he defeated them?
      • Division of army into?
  • The Fall of "Rome" (337–476, in the West; 337–1453 in the East)
    • Significance of: Theodosius I, Arcadius & Honorius
    • The significance of, for the Western part of the empire:
      • The Huns
      • Alaric
      • Romulus Augustulus
      • Odoacer
    • Justinian
      • What he conquered and significance
      • What is the Hagia Sophia
      • How he reformed the Law Code
      • Role of Theodora (who was ...)

  Entertainment

  • Spectacles
    • When did the Romans get days off work?
    • How far back did the Romans attribute their religious festivals?
    • The Roman name for the festivals with entertainment was?
    • By 100 BC how many religious festivals had entertainment and how many days out of the year?
    • Who paid for the entertainment — during the Republic? During the Empire?
    • What were the main forms of public entertainment?
    • Which was the most popular?
  • The Arena
    • What are its origins?
    • Why did they increase in size & scope?
    • What did the typical program consist of: in the morning, at lunch time, in the afternoon?
    • What were the 7 main types of gladiators & their typical arms?
    • Who were gladiators?
    • What happened if they were successful?
    • Did all approve of the games?
    • Popularity outside of Rome?
    • What effect did the games have on the eco-system?
  • The Circus
    • What are its origins?
    • What were the basic teams & their colors?
    • What were the two most common number of horses per chariot?
    • How did they count laps?
    • What was the most important location for the races at Rome and how many could sit there?
    • Who were the racers?
    • What happened if they were successful?
    • When did the races take place?
  • Dining
    • When did they eat their main meal?
    • Know 2 examples of foods from each of the 'categories' (see handout)
    • How long did the main meal last?
    • Who ate when?
    • How did they 'sit'?
    • What is garum?

  Possible Essay Questions

  
  
  • Politics:
    "I've seen much of the rest of the world. It is brutal and cruel and dark, Rome is the light." (Maximus to Marcus Aurelius)
    
    "There was once a dream that was Rome. You could only whisper it. Anything more than a whisper and it would vanish." (Marcus Aurelius in reply)
    
    Both of these are used to describe Rome early in the movie. Using only the information from our texts and class notes, evaluate what the "dream" or "light" was during 1–3 of the following periods:
    • the founding of the Empire by Augustus;
    • the "Golden Age" of the Empire;
    • the rule of Diocletian
  
  
  • Religion:
    "What we do in life echoes in eternity" (Maximus to the troops). ... "I will see you again. But not yet. Not yet" (Juba, while burying Maximus' images).
    
    The afterlife plays a key theme in the movie and is important in the mystery religions and early Christianity. Discuss how the portrayal in the movie is similar and/or different to that of the mystery religions and early Christianity. Use only the material in Kamm, in Shelton, in the linked material from our syllabus, and in the movie.
  
  
  • The Games:
    "Romans defended their bloody spectacles on the grounds that the agonizing slaughter of the participants inspired in the audience an ennobling contempt for death" (Shelton, 350).
    
    Argue whether this is true aim of the "spectacles" within the movie Gladiator or whether they had a different aim (and detail what that aim was, if different).
  
  
  • Women: Based on a careful reading of the praisworthy and unacceptable behavior in Shelton, pp 291–301, argue whether Lucilla's behavior in the movie would be considered praiseworthy or unacceptable. Make sure you provide appropriate (and sufficient) examples from the movie and from Shelton to "prove" your position.