The "Imperatorial" Period (49-31 BC) The Augustan Age (31 BC-AD 14) The Early Empire (AD13-69) Families Marriage Women in the Roman World Possible Essay Questions
1. Social: The Roman term familia refers to all that are under the authority of the father (pater)--i.e. the wife (sometimes), the sons (plus wives and children, if any), unmarried daughters (and sometimes married), slaves, and clients to some degree. Supporting your conclusions with good citations from the primary evidence in Shelton and evaluating the evidence in Shelton on both sides of the issue, answer one of the following questions:
    a) How was the treatment of wives by their husbands similar to and different from the treatment of slaves?
    b) How was the treatment of children by their fathers similar to and different from the treatment of slaves?

2. Political: Supporting your conclusions with good citations from the primary evidence in Shelton (where possible) and from the secondary evidence in Scarre, Kebric, and class notes, write on one of the following:
    a) Compare and contrast Augustus' key aims, achievements, morals, use of the media, etc. with that of a modern political leader (e.g. Guiliani or Bush).
    b) There can be observed a pattern in the changes made to the Roman political system starting with the Gracchi and continuing up to the fall of Rome in the fifth century A.D. Trace part of this pattern, starting with Pompey and ending with Nero, but focusing on Augustus--i.e. detail 1) what were the changes to the political system made by Augustus, 2) how those changes were either anticipated (positively or negatively) by things that Pompey, Caesar, and the 2nd triumvirate did, and 3) how Augustus' changes were continued on by the other Julio-Claudian emperors or modified by them.