The city-state that ultimately gained control of the entire Mediterranean was 
A. Rome 
B. Athens 
C. Carthage 
D. Sparta 
ANSWER: A
The Roman historian Livy attributed the success of the Romans to 
A. The great mineral wealth of Italy 
B. The large physical size of the Roman people 
C. Their upright character 
D. The weakness of all the people they conquered 
ANSWER: C
Which was NOT an advantage of the site of Rome? 
A. On a river with access to both sea and interior 
B. On protecting hills overlooking a fertile plain 
C. High in the mountains protected from attack 
D. Midway along Italy's western plain fostering trade and commerce 
ANSWER: C
The neighboring people that MOST influenced Roman early development were the 
A. Etruscans 
B. Greeks 
C. Gauls 
D. Phoenicians 
ANSWER: A
The Etruscan monarchy that ruled Rome was overthrown in 509 B.C. by the 
A. Roman aristocracy, or patricians 
B. Neighboring Greek states 
C. Lower class, or plebeians 
D. Invasion of the Gauls 
ANSWER: A
The Roman Republic established in 509 B.C. was 
A. A fully democratic government 
B. An oligarchy controlled by the rich patricians 
C. A socialist regime with property having been equally distributed 
D. Indirectly controlled by neighboring Etruscan kings 
ANSWER: B
In the Roman republic , laws were enacted not by the Senate, but by the 
A. Tribal Assembly 
B. Censors 
C. Vestal Virgins 
D. Dictator 
ANSWER: A
The "Struggle of the Orders" was between 
A. Roman Patricians and Etruscan Patricians 
B. Roman Patricians and Roman Plebeians 
C. Merchants and farmers 
D. Civilians and soldiers 
ANSWER: B
The "Struggle of orders" between the Patricians and the Plebeians in ancient Rome resulted in 
A. The establishment of a permanent dictatorship 
B. Wealthy Plebeians achieving virtual equality with the patricians 
C. The sack of Rome by the Visigoths 
D. The massacre of Patricians by Plebeians 
ANSWER: B
The system of patrons and clients in the Roman Republic shows that in practice, government depended heavily on 
A. Detailed law codes 
B. Informal relations among people 
C. The will of the dictator 
D. Mob rule 
ANSWER: B
According to Cicero, Romans, compared to other peoples were 
A. Far more warlike 
B. Far more likely to reverence the gods 
C. Far more individualistic 
D. Far less loyal to their families 
ANSWER: B
Which of the following was not true about the city of Rome during the later republic? 
A. The Forum was both the economic and the political center of the city.
B. The Subura was the most notorious slum in the city.
C. Rome became famous for its clean, efficient disposal of sewage 
D. There were numerous public baths that catered separately to men and women 
ANSWER: C
The Romans created a united community during their conquest of Italy by 
A. Granting full or partial citizenship to various Latin communities 
B. Granting self-government to peoples as long as they supplied troops to Rome and followed Roman foreign policy 
C. Placing strategic colonies of Roman citizens throughout the peninsula 
D. All of the above 
ANSWER: D
Roman religion was 
A. Monotheistic 
B. Polytheistic with gods and goddesses for practically everything 
C. Restricted to the worship of only Jupiter and Juno 
D. A mystery cult open only to those who had been initiated into the secret ritual 
ANSWER: B
In the Roman family 
A. Fathers were the primary authority 
B. Ancestors as well as household gods were worshipped 
C. Women could wield some political influence through authority over their sons 
D. All of the above 
ANSWER: D
Roman children were 
A. Highly valued regardless of sex or state of health 
B. Given the right to express themselves freely as individuals 
C. Carefully shaped and disciplined to be obedient and embody Roman values 
D. Not valued since they interfered with pleasurable living 
ANSWER: C
Which activities would one likely find at the bath house besides bathing? 
A. Massage 
B. Socializing 
C. Exercising 
D. All of the above 
ANSWER: D
The traditional soldier in the Roman army was a 
A. Mercenary fighting for hire 
B. Tax-paying citizen of Rome 
C. Native of one of the conquered Italian communities 
D. Member of the poor, propertyless class of citizens 
ANSWER: B
Carthage was colonized by the 
A. Phoenicians 
B. Greeks 
C. Egyptians 
D. Etruscans 
ANSWER: A
The city of Carthage 
A. Began as a Greek colony 
B. Had an extensive trading network in the Mediterranean and Africa 
C. At the time of the Punic Wars was ruled by its great king, Gilgamesh 
D. All of the above 
ANSWER: B
The First Punic War began with a struggle over 
A. Sicily 
B. Spain 
C. Southern Italy 
D. Greece 
ANSWER: A
In order to fight a war with Carthage, the Romans 
A. Added new legions with faster horses and more spears 
B. Built a navy equipped with ships that enabled soldiers to board the enemy ships 
C. Allied themselves with the Macedonians 
D. Hired Greek soldiers since they had more experience at sea 
ANSWER: B
At the end of the First Punic War, the Romans acquired 
A. Spain 
B. Greece 
C. North Africa 
D. Sicily 
ANSWER: D
In the Second Punic War, Hannibal's strategy was to 
A. Blockade the Italian coast with the large Carthaginian fleet 
B. Invade southern Italy with the aid of the Egyptian fleet 
C. Swiftly cross the Alps into Italy and by winning some big battles persuade Rome's subject peoples to join his side 
D. Entice the Romans to attack him in Spain and defeat them there with his carefully prepared defenses 
ANSWER: C
Although Hannibal won some major battles against the Romans 
A. A plague wiped out his army and he surrendered to Rome 
B. He was finally surrounded by a large Roman army and defeated at the walls of Rome 
C. His army deserted him when there was a political crisis back in Carthage 
D. Most of Rome's allies stayed loyal to Rome, and the Roman delaying tactics eroded his forces 
ANSWER: D
Hannibal was finally defeated in North Africa near Carthage at the Battle of Zama in 202 B.C. by 
A. Scipio Africanus 
B. Julius Caesar 
C. Cato the Elder 
D. Hasdrubal 
ANSWER: A
After the defeat of Carthage in the Second Punic War, Rome fought several wars in the eastern Mediterranean with an unexpected consequence 
A. The Greeks supported Carthage in the Third Punic War 
B. Rome neglected its northern frontier, permitting barbarians to invade Italy 
C. The upper classes of Rome started to become partially Hellenized in their culture 
D. All of the above 
ANSWER: C
The Roman senator who provoked the third and last Punic War by constantly repeating that "Carthage must be destroyed" was 
A. Scipio Africanus 
B. Fabius Maximus 
C. Cato the Elder 
D. Terentius Afer 
ANSWER: C
One abusive practice of Roman rule over foreign provinces was 
A. Roman insistence that all foreigners worship Roman gods 
B. To allow tax contractors to extract more taxes than had been assessed 
C. Forcing provincials to exchange their laws and customs for those of Rome 
D. Giving to all foreigners the status of slaves 
ANSWER: B
As a result of the Roman conquest of the Mediterranean, slavery 
A. Decreased due to the increasing wealth of the Romans who could hire free workers 
B. Declined under the influence of the Hellenistic monarchies who prohibited slavery 
C. Increased as large numbers of prisoners of war were sold as slaves 
D. Stayed the same since Italy didn't need any larger work force 
ANSWER: C
Which of the following was not true of slavery in ancient Rome? 
A. Slaves were overwhelmingly non-white 
B. Slaves included persons used as teachers and physicians 
C. There were major slave uprisings 
D. Roman wars brought in so many slaves that the structure of Roman society changed 
ANSWER: A
The most serious slave revolt in Roman history took place in 73 B.C. when 70,000 slaves revolted under the leadership of 
A. Brutus 
B. Cassius 
C. Publius 
D. Spartacus 
ANSWER: D
Which of the following was NOT a factor in the growing disparity between the rich and poor during the second century B.C.
A. Small Roman farmers grew rich from the booty that flowed into Italy 
B. Newly conquered provinces provided opportunities for the ruling class to make new fortunes from governing, tax contracts, slave trading, etc.
C. Many common soldiers on long-term campaigns lost their farms to large landholders 
D. Slave labor replaced free labor, reducing to poverty many citizens 
ANSWER: A
The growing disparity between rich and poor in Rome led to 
A. A major outward migration from Italy 
B. The development of a potentially revolutionary mob in Rome 
C. The enslavement of Roman farmers 
D. The rejection of Greek culture 
ANSWER: B
The Romans had many engineering accomplishments. Which of these was not one of them? 
A. Use of concrete 
B. Building aqueducts 
C. Building bridges 
D. Building high spires for their temples 
ANSWER: A
The outstanding example of Roman religious architecture, still in use today, is the 
A. Acropolis 
B. Ziggurat 
C. Forum 
D. Pantheon 
ANSWER: D
The career of Publius Terentius Afer demonstrated 
A. The integrity of the Roman Senate 
B. The rapaciousness of Roman provincial governors 
C. The dangers of dictatorship 
D. That it was possible for a North African slave to become a Roman playwright, noted for the brilliance of his Latin writing.
ANSWER: D
The great Latin orator, statesman, and master of prose was 
A. Romulus 
B. Tiberius Gracchus 
C. Cicero 
D. Hannibal 
ANSWER: C
The Gracchi brothers attempted to redistribute land and make jobs for the poor because 
A. They wanted to destroy the rich senatorial class 
B. They were from the plebeian class themselves 
C. The Roman army needed small citizen farmers and taxpayers to fill its ranks 
D. The Hellenistic ideal state called for equality of wealth 
ANSWER: C
The career of the Gracchi brothers began the decline of the republic because 
A. Political murder began to be a common policy 
B. Tribunes of the plebs would use the Tribal Assembly against the Senate 
C. Supporters of senatorial rule (optimates), became confrontational with supporters of popular rule (populares) 
D. All of the above 
ANSWER: D
Gaius Marius established the Roman army as a professional long-service corps with loyalty to their generals rather than the state by 
A. Recruiting landless poor men who would owe their livelihood to their general 
B. Placing soldiers on a payroll, making official the client-patron relationship between soldier and commander 
C. Distributing land to the soldiers after their term of service 
D. All of the above 
ANSWER: D
Sulla violated the traditional constitution of Rome by 
A. Holding the dictatorship for an unlimited term 
B. Murdering his political opponents without trial 
C. Making the Senate supreme over the assembly by law 
D. All of the above 
ANSWER: D
The First Triumvirate 
A. Was formed to fight Hannibal 
B. Was a political alliance of Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus to bypass most of the formal Roman political structure.
C. Established a dictatorship that lasted twenty years 
D. Became a permanent constitutional feature of the Roman republic 
ANSWER: B
Caesar associated himself politically with the 
A. Optimates 
B. Slaves 
C. Populares 
D. Senate 
ANSWER: C
Julius Caesar achieved supreme power in Rome 
A. By defeating Pompey and his Senatorial allies 
B. By agreeing to the Egyptian ambitions of Cleopatra VII 
C. By a secret alliance with the Senate and the Optimates 
D. None of the above 
ANSWER: A
Which of the following reforms did Caesar NOT carry out when he took power? 
A. Reestablished the Senate and consuls as the chief Roman authority 
B. Introduced a solar calendar of 365 days and a leap year every four years 
C. Improved grain distribution to the people, and public works for jobs 
D. Established Roman colonies for poor, landless citizens 
ANSWER: A
Caesar strayed from traditional Roman custom and politics by 
A. Accepting a dictatorship for life 
B. Wearing royal regalia and establishing a priesthood to worship his genius 
C. Having his image placed on coins 
D. All of the above 
ANSWER: D
Caesar was assassinated by 
A. His mutinous troops 
B. The tribunes of the plebes 
C. A group of senators 
D. His chief officer, Mark Antony 
ANSWER: C
The story of Cincinnatus saving Rome as dictator and then going back to his plow and continuing his life as a farmer illustrates the early Roman values of patriotism, duty, and simplicity.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: A
The location of Rome high in the mountains was a problem the Romans had to overcome in developing their trade and agriculture.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: B
Etruscan art reveals that Etruscan men and women shared more equality than their Greek and Roman neighbors.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: A
"Struggle of the Orders" refers to the campaign of the Roman plebeian class to win political and social rights from the patricians.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: A
The patron-client relationship in Roman society was widely regarded as unjust since the client was forced to serve his patron and got nothing in return.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: B
As the Romans conquered Italy, they succeeded not only in reconciling conquered people to their rule, but even incorporated many as Roman citizens.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: A
Religiously, the Romans believed their success hinged on observing the proper rituals and offering sacrifices to the gods.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: A
Roman husbands and wives exercised equal authority in the family.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: B
Unlike the Hellenistic cities, Rome never developed slums and a poverty-stricken underclass, but always maintained a clean and healthy urban environment.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: B
Compared to Rome, Carthage engaged in very little trade and commerce, had no navy, and had to rely on an army made up of farmer citizen-soldiers.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: B
In the Second Punic War, Hannibal hoped that Rome's Italian allies would join his side, but most stayed loyal to Rome.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: A
The Roman governors of the provinces were successful in preventing private tax-collecting contractors from extracting excessive money from the provincials.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: B
The conquest of the empire led to a great increase in the number of slaves, leading to several slave revolts, of which that of Spartacus was the most famous.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: A
The Roman conquest of the Hellenistic world led to Roman customs and the Latin language replacing Greek from Asia Minor to Egypt.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: B
Roman engineering looks impressive only in terms of its scale, since it is based entirely on ideas and technology derived from the Greeks.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: B
Like most Roman reformers, the Gracchi brothers rose from the plebeian class by means of successful army service to challenge the rule of the aristocratic Senate.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: B
The struggle between Marius and Sulla unleashed civil violence in Rome, with Marius representing the populares of the assembly, and Sulla the optimates of the Senate.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: A
Although Caesar refused the title of "king," he did allow himself to made dictator for life and wore the royal purple regalia of a king.
A. True
B. False
ANSWER: A
