Agriculture and Technology

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AP European History › Agriculture and Technology

Questions 1 - 10
1

Aqueducts were vital for __________.

conveying water to cities in the Roman Empire

ensuring a reliable supply of grain in the Roman Empire

maintaining the Roman postal service

the construction of Roman roads

the housing of the poor during times of catastrophe

Explanation

Aqueducts were vital for conveying water to cities in the Roman Empire. Aqueducts were a notable accomplishment of Roman engineering, because they required precise measurements and intricate detail. Some historians contend that the Roman use of lead in their aqueducts caused widespread poisoning in the Roman Empire, which might have contributed to the decline of the Roman Empire, but this argument is heavily disputed.

2

Which of these most accurately describes a denarius?

A unit of currency in the Roman Empire.

A governor of a province in the Roman Republic.

A poorly equipped, frontline unit in the army of the Roman Empire.

A legislative act passed by the Roman Senate.

A ship designed to sail in the coastal waters of the Mediterranean.

Explanation

The Denarius was a silver coin, a unit of currency, first used in the Roman Republic and then used in the Roman Empire. It was the most common unit of currency in the Roman Empire.

3

Historians credit the Romans for having best utilized the ______________ as an architectural feature.

arch

stone wall

embedded statue

engraving

balcony

Explanation

The arch is considered a signature feature of Roman architecture. Although many other civilizations used the design before them, the Romans applied it masterfully in their structures. As a result, many modern buildings still use a similar design. The other answers are incorrect, as they are minor architectural features.

4

The Acta Senatus was made available to the Roman people by __________.

Julius Caesar

Gaius Marius

Scipio Africanus

Augustus Caesar

Romulus Augustus

Explanation

The Acta Senatus was a Roman newspaper which documented the actions and decisions of the Roman Senate. It was initially only available to patricians and politicians, but was made available to the common people by Julius Caesar as part of his populist reform program.

5

Roman mastery of __________ has ensured that buildings such as the Coliseum and the Pantheon survive even to this day.

concrete

vulcanization

steel

electricity

bronze

Explanation

The Romans invented concrete in the latter years of the Roman Republic. The Romans developed concrete from volcanic ash and slaked lime; an innovating that allowed the Romans to construct monumental buildings that have stood the test of time.

6

Which of these inventions encourage literacy in the Roman Empire?

the codex

he phalanx

the archway

the Julian calendar

the printing press

Explanation

A codex is a stack of pages bound together to form a rudimentary book. The invention of the codex encouraged literacy in the Roman Empire by making information more accessible and easier to disseminate.

7

This Roman ruler created a calendar that continues to be useful today.

Julius Caesar

Augustus Caesar

Caligula

Gaius Marius

Marcus Aurelius

Explanation

The Julian Calendar was created by Julius Caesar, and his scientific advisors, in 46 BCE. The Julian Calendar was incredibly reliable and was in continuous use for another 1,600 years before it was replaced by the slightly more accurate Gregorian Calendar.

8

Hadrian’s Wall is found in __________.

northern England

western Germany

northeastern Spain

central Turkey

Eastern Europe

Explanation

Hadrian’s Wall is a defensive fortification that was built in northern England. It marked the northernmost boundary of the Roman Empire, in the British Isles, at the time of Hadrian’s rule around 120 CE. It was constructed to deter the barbarian Picts (who lived in modern-day northern England and Scotland) from attacking the Roman Empire.

9

This region was known as the breadbasket of the Roman Empire.

Egypt

Greece

Gaul

Iberia

Britain

Explanation

The population of the city of Rome (and other notable imperial cities) grew dramatically in the early years of the Roman Empire. So much so that it became impossible to feed the population based on what could be grown locally. As a result, much of the grain in cities like Rome, Syracuse, and Constantinople was shipped from more fertile lands. Most of the grain that arrived in Rome came from Roman occupied Egypt, which is sometimes referred to as “the breadbasket of the Roman Empire.”

10

A professional corps of army medics was created during the reign of __________.

Augustus Caesar

Julius Caesar

Tiberius

Titus

Vespasian

Explanation

Augustus Caesar is responsible for creating a professional standing army and is known for making countless reforms of the Roman military to try and improve its fighting capacity. It, therefore, seems logical to speculate that he would also be responsible for creating a professional corps of army medics, and this is indeed the case. The Romans made numerous notable innovations in battlefield surgery including arterial surgical tools to prevent death from loss of blood. Due to the skills of these army medics, Roman soldiers could expect to live as long or even longer than Roman civilians.

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