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SOCIAL STUDIES: ANCIENT ROME VOCABULARY LIST
- Consul: one of two officials who led the Roman Republic
- Patrician: a member of an upper class family in the Roman Republic
- Plebeian: an ordinary citizen in the Roman Republic
- Veto: (Latin for “I forbid”) the rejection of any planned action or rule by a
person in power
- Dictator: a ruler who has total control of the government.
- Pax Romana: (Latin for “Roman peace”) the period of stability and
prosperity in the Roman Empire lasting from 27 B.C. to A.D.
180.
- Province: a unit of an empire or country; an area of the Roman Empire ruled
by a governor who was supported by an army
- Colosseum: a large amphitheater built in Rome around A.D. 70; site of
contests and combats between people and animals.
- Aqueduct: a structure that carries water over long distance
- Villa: a large country estate; an important source of food for ancient Rome
- Circus: an arena in ancient Rome; also the show held there
- Gladiator: a person in ancient Rome who fought in an arena for the
entertainment of the public; usually a slave.
- Jesus: (c. 4 B.C.-A.D. 29) founder of Christianity; believed by his followers to
be the Messiah
- Messiah: a savior in Judaism and Christianity
- Disciple: a follower of a person or a belief
- Epistle: a letter; in the Christian Bible, any of the letters written by disciples
to Christian groups.
- Martyr: a person who dies for a particular cause
- Constantine: (C. A.D. 278-337) emperor of Rome from A.D. 312 to 337;
encouraged the spread of Christianity
- Mercenary: a soldier who serves for pay in a foreign army
- Inflation: economic situation in which there is more money with less value