1. How might the contribution of the “Pax Romana”
be most accurately expressed?
A. peace and stability B. disorder and chaos
C. personal freedom and liberty D. tolerance and equity
CORRECT ANSWER = A
B. Order was generally well maintained at this time C. Slavery and restrictions were the usual rule
2. What, actually, was the “New Wisdom” Rome
displayed during the Punic Wars?
A. a policy of forbearance and mercy B. benign neglect and indifference C. brute force towards its enemies D. None of these
CORRECT ANSWER = C
A. The harsh treatment of Capua and Carthage disprove this
B. It was not Roman policy to practice neglect or leave anything to chance
3. How was Roman citizenship sometimes
effectively used as a diplomatic tool?
A. Inciting an enemy population to rebel by promising them Roman citizenship
B. Bestowing citizenship on the free men of a conquered population
C. Offering to free slaves who agreed to become loyal citizens of Rome
CORRECT ANSWER = B
A. This was not done
4. What is the Roman family structure most
indicative of?
A. Extreme paternal control
B. An equal husband-wife relationship
C. Children achieving independence upon reaching adulthood
D. Rights of daughters passing on to their husbands upon marriage
CORRECT ANSWER = A
B. Legally, the husband had total control
C. A father’s power over his children under the law, extended to the time of his death
D. Father’s controlled daughters’ economic lives even after marriage
5. What resulted from Rome’s Imperial expansion?
A. Yeoman farmers were enriched, and moved up economically
B. Population shifted from town to country
C. Economic benefits were generally equally distributed D. Class conflicts were exacerbated
CORRECT ANSWER = D
A. They were often bankrupted
B. The shift occurred the other way around C. The wealthy were the main beneficiaries
6. How did the Gracchi brothers’ reforms contribute
to the Republic’s downfall?
A. By controlling the power of the military B. By equalizing plebeian-patrician relations C. By challenging the Senate’s power
CORRECT ANSWER = C
A. At the time, there was nothing to control B. & D. These were never accomplished
7. What was an ultimate effect of Marius’ reforms?
A. Internal peace for fifty years
B. Establishing generous government incentives for military veterans
C. Competition amongst generals for power D. A strengthening of Senatorial control on
CORRECT ANSWER = C
A. Civil war broke out almost immediately
B. Soldiers depended on wealthy patrons rather than the government
8. What was the focal point of Augustus’ reforms?
A. A well-ordered family structure B. Gender equality under the law
C. Restoration of the Senate’s power D. None of these
CORRECT ANSWER = A
B. Even though some restrictions on women were relaxed, men were still in control
C. Though the Senate survived, its power was stripped away
9. What group of a conquered region would find
Roman rule especially attractive?
A. Slaves
B. Tribal chieftains C. No one at all
CORRECT ANSWER = D
A. Slaves remained slaves, there was very little change B. They were more often deprived of power
10. How did the breakdown of Pax Romana effect the
economy?
A. New markets were opened for foreign businessmen to trade in Rome
B. Cross border trade interchange dramatically increased C. Trade declined and became more localized
D. Economic slowdown forced a reform of the political system
CORRECT ANWER = C
A. & B. Since travel safety could not be guaranteed, fewer merchants were willing to travel.
11. What best summarizes the Stoic attitude towards
slavery?
A. That it was a total evil
B. That fair treatment of slaves was desirable C. That it should be totally ignored as a problem D. That people had basically no rights in any case
CORRECT ANSWER = B
A. They did not advocate an end to slavery
C. They did believe in the improvement of conditions D. They believed in basic human dignity
12. What element most strongly fostered
Christianity’s growth in the Roman Empire?
A. Faith in a God intervening in human affairs B. The promise of ending slavery
C. Total contradiction of the Stoic philosophy D. Widespread government tolerance
CORRECT ANSWER = A
B. It made no such promise
C. Stoicism and Christianity agreed on issues of social welfare and world order
D. The government often severely persecuted Christianity
13. How did Marcus Aurelius seek to contain the
“Barbarian” threat against Rome?
A. Invading Germany and devastating their land B. Marrying a “Barbarian” princess
C. Assimilating many of them into the empire D. Ignoring the problem altogether
CORRECT ANSWER = C
A. With half his population destroyed by plague, he did not have the resources to do this
B. He never did this
14. What group first embraced the Christian
message?
A. The poor
B. The Germans
C. The Imperial government D. “Mainstream” Romans
CORRECT ANSWER = A
B. The Germans were outside the Roman Empire and were only later converted.
C. The government only accepted Christianity as legal in 313 C.E.
15. What did not result from Justinian’s reforms?
A. The building of the Church of Hagia Sofia
B. Creating religious antagonisms that would open the door to Muslim conquests
C. Endorsing of the Monophysite ideas about Jesus D. Codification of the Roman Civil Law system
CORRECT ANSWER = C
A. Justinian financed its construction in 537 C.E. B. He persecuted the Monophysites
D. He codified it in four works known as the Justinian Code
