DTW GED PREP

The Roman Empire, which spanned from 500 BCE to AD 476, stands as one of the most significant political achievements in ancient history. With the help of its sophisticated bureaucracy and powerful military, Rome unified the diverse cultures of the Western world, creating a cohesive empire that allowed individual cultures to thrive. The term “Western Civilization” is often used to describe the shared history, culture, and worldview derived from the Roman Empire and its Greco-Roman heritage, which influenced the development of many Western nations

A major factor in Rome’s success was its policy of tolerance. Roman rulers allowed for a diversity of cultures, religions, and customs within the empire, demanding only three things from its subjects: obedience to Roman law, payment of taxes, and loyalty to the Roman state. Although worship of Roman gods was compulsory, people were free to continue worshiping their own gods. Rome itself borrowed many elements from the cultures of the Greeks and the Etruscans, blending them with its own traditions.

Rome’s greatest achievements were in law, government, and engineering. The Roman legal system became the foundation of legal principles in many Western countries, and Latin, the language of Rome, remained the language of educated people in Europe for over a thousand years after the empire’s fall. Rome initially functioned as a monarchy but transitioned to a republic in 509 BCE. In the republic, the Senate represented both patricians (aristocrats) and plebeians (commoners), with plebeians holding veto power over the patricians. By 100 BCE, however, the republic had degenerated into a dictatorship, though the Senate continued to play a role in governance.

Christianity emerged during the Roman Empire as a sect of Judaism, with revolutionary ideas that differed from the polytheistic beliefs of the time. Jews worshiped a single god, and their moral code, known as the Ten Commandments, applied universally to all people. Christianity, while rooted in Jewish tradition, developed its own identity, particularly through the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, who Christians believe was the Messiah, or Christ. After Jesus’ crucifixion, his follower Paul spread Christianity across the Roman Empire, blending Jewish beliefs with elements of Greek philosophy and culture, such as the concept of the Trinity. Christianity rapidly gained followers throughout the empire, eventually becoming a dominant force in Western Europe.

By the 4th century AD, the Roman Empire had grown too vast to be governed effectively from a single city, leading to its division into two parts. The eastern half eventually became the Byzantine Empire, with its capital in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), founded in AD 330. This division was not just political but also cultural, as the Western Roman Empire was Latin-speaking and culturally Roman, while the Eastern Roman Empire was Greek-speaking and culturally Greek. Disagreements over Christian doctrine further deepened the divide, leading to the establishment of Roman Catholicism in Rome and Eastern Orthodoxy in Constantinople. Economic difficulties, combined with threats of invasion from northern tribes, contributed to the eventual fall of the Western Roman Empire in AD 476.

Directions: Choose the best answer to each of the following questions. Questions 1 and 2 are based on the following map:

1. In which period did the Roman Empire extend to include Spain?
   A. before 264 BCE
   B. 241–218 BCE
   C. 201–133 BCE
   D. after 133 BCE

Which of the following statements is correct?
A. By 133 BCE, the Roman Empire spanned two continents.
B. The Roman Empire reached the Atlantic Ocean by 264 BCE.
C. Britain became part of the Roman Empire in 133 BCE.
D. Gaul was incorporated into the Roman Empire before 264 BCE

1. In which period did the Roman Empire extend to include Spain?

✅ C. 201–133 BCE
🟩 Explanation: The map is titled “Expansion of Roman Power from the End of the Hannibalian War to the Beginning of the Revolution (201–133 B.C.)”, and Spain is shaded to show Roman control during this period.

2. Which of the following statements is correct?

✅ A. By 133 BCE, the Roman Empire spanned two continents.
🟩 Explanation: The Roman territories by 133 BCE covered parts of Europe (Italy, Spain, Greece) and Asia (Asia Minor/modern-day Turkey). Africa was also influenced, but the question asked for the minimum, which is two continents.