CLST 1013: Study Questions for Ancient Roman City

Chapter 1
1. Summarize two advantages of Rome's location that (according to ancient sources and modern scholars) may have contributed to its rise to empire.
2. What was the "Casa Romuli"? How has the Roman tradition surrounding this building been confirmed archaeologically?
3. What three physical improvements of Rome were undertaken by the last three kings?

Chapter 2
1. How is the increasing wealth and power of some plebeians reflected in 5th century buildings in the city?
2. What were the Twelve Tables?
3. What did Camillus build the first Temple of Concordia at the west end of the Roman Forum?
4. How did Appius Claudius Caecus attempt to address the needs of Rome's middle and lower class population, both architecturally and legally?
5. How did Rome's victories in Etruria, southern Italy, and Sicily in the 3rd century BCE affect the appearance of the city? What was the Anio Vetus?
6. What was "prestige urbanism"? What was the aesthetic affect of grouping temples together at important spots, e.g. the Largo Argentina?

Chapter 3
1. When were the Aqua Marcia and the Aqua Tepula built? What happened to the Cloaca Maxima during this period?
2. What happened to the Temple of Concordia in 121 BCE? What political message did this convey?
3. What major temple did Sulla rebuild on the Capitoline, and where did he get the columns for it?
4. What was the Tabularium, and what major architectural synthesis did it represent?
5. What did Pompey finish in 55 BCE? What is the significance of this building, and its adjoining Porticus Pompei?
6. What major political structure in the Campus Martius did Julius Caesar begin to rebuild?
7. What was the Forum Iulium, and where was it located? Which god or goddess' temple was the focal point of this Forum?
8. What was the Basilica Iulia? Where was it located?
9. What is the Curia?

Chapter 4
1. What three famous sayings of 'Gus are discussed in this chapter? How do they convey 'Gus' attitude toward remodeling Rome?
2. What temple, located at the southeast end of the Roman Forum, was begun by Octavian during the second Triumvirate? What temple, located nex t to the Forum Iulium, was also begun during this period?
3. Study plate 3, the Forum Augusti, carefully, and produce a sketch of its floorplan. What temple, begun earlier during the 2nd Triumvirate, was incorporated into this Forum?
4. What was the Porticus Octaviae, and where was it located?
5. How did the Temple of Apollo on the Palatine differ from the Forum Augusti? What aspects of 'Gus did it emphasize?
6. Be able to identify the buildings on page 58.
7. What 6 authors are discussed on pages 61-66? How does Ovid differ from the other 5?

Chapter 5
1. What was the "Castra Praetoria", and who instituted it?
2. Name and describe three ways in which Claudius improved the services and/or administration of the city (and its harbor, Ostia).
3. What in the world was Nero's "Domus Aurea"?
4. When was the Forum Pacis constructed? When was the Colosseum begun? Whose incredible private monstrosity did it partially replace?
5. Name and describe three major public buildings, designed to meet the physical and administrative needs of the city, constructed under Trajan. Contrast these buildings with the major construction projects of Nero and Domitian.

Chapter 6
1. What does Stambaugh estimate the population of Rome to have been at the end of the republic? What evidence does he use to arrive at this figure? (NOTE: read footnote one of this chapter carefully)
2. What's the difference between a "domus" and an "insula"? Where do the two tend to be located in the topography of the city?
3. Define "amicitia" and "clientela". What was the amount of wealth necessary to belong to the equestrian order?
4. What sorts of status distinctions existed between slaves? Be able to list several slave duties in a descending order of status.
5. What was "manumission"? What was the status of a "libertus"?
6. How did the status of upper-class women differ from that of men? From that of lower-class women?

Chapter 7
1. Be able to list the six major political offices of the republic, briefly summarize the duties of each, arrange them in order of age and prestige, and give the voting assembly by which each was elected.
2. What is the "comitia centuriata"? Where did it meet and vote? What was the basis for arranging citizens into voting blocks? What was the "comitia tributa" (often confused with the "concilium plebis")? Where did it meet and vote? What was the basis for arranging the citizens in voting blocks?
4. Be able to locate the temple of Concordia, the Curia, the Basilica Aemilia, the temple of the deified Julius Caesar, and Arcus Augusti, and the Basicila Julia on the map of the Forum in the 1st century CE on page 115.
5. Be able to identify the Imperial For a on page 120, and give their approximate dates of construction.

Chapter 8
1. What was the imperial fiscus, and how was it filled?
2. Briefly describe the cohortes praetoriae, urbanae, and vigilum.
3. From the standpoint of criminal punishment, what basic distinction exists between the upper and lower classes?
4. Under the republic, how could a private citizen (legally) obtain water directly from an aqueduct? What in fact happened? How was the city's water supply improved under Augustus?
5. Apart from the grain dole, what forms of public welfare did the state (the imperial house) provide fromNerva forward?
6. Describe three different ways that health care was provided in Roman society.
7. In what subjects was a Roman boy (and sometimes, girl) instructed in a ludus? How would an elite boy complete his education after this?
8. What were the acta diurnae/acta urbana? How else could an ordinary citizen find out about important events like elections and games?

Chapter 9
1. What was THE major form of food (caloric intake) for the average person in Roman society? By the 1st century BCE, from where did most of this foodstuff come from?
2. What was the primary source of fat in the Roman diet? What about protein--and how did this vary with class?
3. What were collegia? What were fullones?
4. Rank the Roman coins in value. How much might the average worker expect to earn per day? How much did a loaf of bread cost? A tunic?
5. What were redemptores?