Arts and Culture - AP European History

Kafka and Lord Byron were prominent authors, however they lived many centuries after the fall of Rome, so they would not be good choices. Homer was the Greek poet who composed The Odyssey and The Iliad, but he did not write the poem in question, so he would not be a good choice. Marcus Aurelius was a Roman emperor and wrote some of the most important works in Stoicism, however he did not write the Metamorphoses, so he would not be a good choice. Lastly, Ovid is most famous for the poem in question, so he would be the best choice.

Early Roman society was divided up into two major classes - plebeians and patricians.

Patricians were the 'noblemen' or aristocrats of Ancient Roman society. They held most of the positions in Roman assemblies, were the only group allowed to be part of the priesthood, and generally held far more power than most others. One could only become a patrician through birthright.

The plebeians included everyone else, excluding slaves. They comprised the lower and working class folk. Compared to the patricians, they held very little power in the early Roman empire, and had to work much harder to attain wealth and social status.

Livy, also known as Titus Livius, lived in Rome in the first century BCE. He is one of the most famous Roman historians and is most notable for comprehensive history he wrote on the development of the Roman Republic.

The Aeneid is an epic poem written by the Roman author, Virgil, around 20 BCE. In The Aeneid, Virgil tells the story of the foundation of Rome by refugees fleeing the Trojan War.

Claudius Ptolemy lived in Alexandria, in Roman Egypt, in the second century CE. The key to understanding this question is to know that the last name Ptolemy was a name associated with Hellenistic or Roman rule in Egypt.

The Latin phrase Mare Nostrum translates as “Our Sea.” It was the Roman name for the Mediterranean, and reflects their hegemonic desires. We might compare the Roman belief in their ownership of the Mediterranean with the American concept of Manifest Destiny.

Emperor Tiberius, the second Emperor of the Roman Empire, is partially remembered for his gloomy disposition and the lack of enthusiasm he felt for ruling. Tiberius’ reputation as a melancholic individual probably stems from the writings of Pliny the Elder. Pliny’s writings provide a great deal of the primary history of this time period.

Marcus Agrippa was a close friend of Octavian (later Augustus Caesar). Agrippa contributed to Octavian’s rise to power by leading part of his navy at the Battle of Actium. After Augustus Caesar became Emperor in 27 BCE, Marcus Agrippa was charged with leading the renovation of Rome. He led the construction of the Pantheon, as well as aqueducts, temples, and numerous public baths and houses.

The first Roman pantheon was constructed on the orders of Marcus Agrippa. Agrippa was a military commander, architect, public works manager, and close friend to the first Roman Emperor, Augustus Caesar. The pantheon was a monumental temple to the Roman Gods. It would later become a Catholic church.

Kafka and Lord Byron were prominent authors, however they lived many centuries after the fall of Rome, so they would not be good choices. Homer was the Greek poet who composed The Odyssey and The Iliad, but he did not write the poem in question, so he would not be a good choice. Marcus Aurelius was a Roman emperor and wrote some of the most important works in Stoicism, however he did not write the Metamorphoses, so he would not be a good choice. Lastly, Ovid is most famous for the poem in question, so he would be the best choice.

Early Roman society was divided up into two major classes - plebeians and patricians.

Patricians were the 'noblemen' or aristocrats of Ancient Roman society. They held most of the positions in Roman assemblies, were the only group allowed to be part of the priesthood, and generally held far more power than most others. One could only become a patrician through birthright.

The plebeians included everyone else, excluding slaves. They comprised the lower and working class folk. Compared to the patricians, they held very little power in the early Roman empire, and had to work much harder to attain wealth and social status.

Livy, also known as Titus Livius, lived in Rome in the first century BCE. He is one of the most famous Roman historians and is most notable for comprehensive history he wrote on the development of the Roman Republic.

The Aeneid is an epic poem written by the Roman author, Virgil, around 20 BCE. In The Aeneid, Virgil tells the story of the foundation of Rome by refugees fleeing the Trojan War.

Claudius Ptolemy lived in Alexandria, in Roman Egypt, in the second century CE. The key to understanding this question is to know that the last name Ptolemy was a name associated with Hellenistic or Roman rule in Egypt.

The Latin phrase Mare Nostrum translates as “Our Sea.” It was the Roman name for the Mediterranean, and reflects their hegemonic desires. We might compare the Roman belief in their ownership of the Mediterranean with the American concept of Manifest Destiny.

Emperor Tiberius, the second Emperor of the Roman Empire, is partially remembered for his gloomy disposition and the lack of enthusiasm he felt for ruling. Tiberius’ reputation as a melancholic individual probably stems from the writings of Pliny the Elder. Pliny’s writings provide a great deal of the primary history of this time period.

Marcus Agrippa was a close friend of Octavian (later Augustus Caesar). Agrippa contributed to Octavian’s rise to power by leading part of his navy at the Battle of Actium. After Augustus Caesar became Emperor in 27 BCE, Marcus Agrippa was charged with leading the renovation of Rome. He led the construction of the Pantheon, as well as aqueducts, temples, and numerous public baths and houses.

The first Roman pantheon was constructed on the orders of Marcus Agrippa. Agrippa was a military commander, architect, public works manager, and close friend to the first Roman Emperor, Augustus Caesar. The pantheon was a monumental temple to the Roman Gods. It would later become a Catholic church.

The Aeneid was written by the Roman poet, Virgil, in the first century BCE. It tells the legendary story of Aeneas, a refugee fleeing the conflict caused by the Trojan War. According to Virgil, Aeneas fled to Italy where he established the city of Rome. The Romans were great admirers of Greek literature and culture and The Aeneid represents how the foundational myths of Rome were associated with the continuation of Greek legacy.

Cicero was a politician, philosopher, political theorist, linguist, and orator who lived in Rome during the waning years of the Roman Republic. He is primarily remembered by contemporary history as a skilled orator. He notably opposed Julius Caesar when Caesar took control of the Roman Republic and he issued a series of diatribes against Mark Antony when the latter tried to take power for himself after Caesar’s death. Cicero was executed for his troubles, but history remembers him as a great public speaker, an important contributor to the development of European language, and a principled defender of republicanism.