Ancient Rome Keywords:

Aqueduct - A manmade channel used for delivering water to Roman towns. Public fountains
and baths made water available to everyone. Wealthy Romans had running water in their
homes.

Barbarian - A term used by the Romans to refer to people who lived outside the Roman
Empire.

Censor - A government official who counted the people of Rome. He also was responsible
for public morality and some of the government finances.

Century - A division of the Roman army made up of 80 soldiers and led by a centurion.

Circus - A large oval shaped stadium used for chariot races.

Citizen - A Roman citizen had certain rights and privileges including the right to vote. Only
freeborn men were fully Roman citizens.

Cohort - A cohort was a division of the Roman army. It was made up of six centuries or 480
men. There were 10 cohorts in a Roman legion.

Consul - The highest position in the Roman government. There were two consuls elected
each year for a one-year term.

Dictator - A ruler that has absolute power.

Dynasty - When a family passes down the leadership of a country from generation to
generation.

Emperor - The leader of an empire. The first emperor of Rome was Augustus.

Forum - The area of a Roman town that was the center of Roman life. Government meetings,
public speeches, and business all took place in the forum.

Gaul - What the Romans called the lands to the north and west of Italy.

Gladiator - A person who fought for the entertainment of Roman audiences. Gladiators
sometimes fought to the death.

Gladius - A short sword used by Roman soldiers.

Legion - The main unit of the Roman army. It generally had around 5400 soldiers and was
divided up into groups of men called cohorts and centuries.

Mosaic - A type of art using small tiles made of glass or stone to create a picture.

Orator - A talented public speaker. This was an important skill for Roman leaders.

Paterfamilias - The man who was leader of the Roman family. He had complete power over
his wife and children.

Patrician - A member of the original elite land-owning families of Rome.

Plebeian - A common person or person not of the patrician class.

Praetor - A high ranking official in the Roman government.

Province - An area of the Roman empire that was outside Italy.

Quaestor - An official of the Roman government who supervised various financial affairs.

Republic - A country where the government is run by elected officials rather than by a king
or emperor.