Review Sheet for Exam 2
The exam will take place in our regular classroom and we will begin
promptly at the start of class. You will have the full class
period to complete the exam, but probably will not need it.
Assigned Readings for Exam 2
The Aeneid, Tacitus, Chapters 1-6 and TWTR pp. 43-106
THE SHORT ANSWERS WILL BE WORTH 40% OF YOUR EXAM GRADE
Here are 15 topics that you have learned about in your reading of These
Were the Romans. You will be given 10 of these questions on the
exam and asked to choose 8 of them and to write 2-3 sentences in
answer. Points will be deducted for the following: failure to write in
complete sentences and failure to provide a complete answer.
Why did the provincials complain about the Roman system of taxation?
What are Quintilian’s ideas about teaching?
Why did the Romans place great emphasis on speaking and oral exercises
as part of their education?
What were the Roman attitudes towards marriage?
What does the advice that Marcus Cicero gave to his brother Quintus
tell us about Roman politics?
Describe Roman funeral rituals and explain why the Romans attached so
much importance to their ancestors.
What is a Roman volumen and how did it differ from a modern book?
Who was Catullus and how did his work give insight into the Roman
social world of the Republic?
Explain the philosophy of Epicurus.
What are the two remarkable qualities of Cicero’s writing style?
How did the Romans celebrate a military triumph?
Why was Tiberius unsuited to a position of supreme power?
How did Claudius reorganize the civil service during his reign as
Why was Nero’s behavior so outrageous and why was he able to get away
with it for so long?
Describe two ways in which Vespasian demonstrated effective leadership.
THE ESSAY QUESTION WILL BE WORTH 60% OF YOUR EXAM GRADE
Essay Questions: You will see TWO of the following FOUR questions
on the exam. You will be asked to choose ONE of the TWO questions
and you will be expected to write a coherent essay that uses evidence
from the texts and what you have learned in class. Expect to
write 2-3 pages to answer the question completely.
Points will be deducted for the following: 1) failure to write in
complete sentences and 2) answers that use vague generalizations
instead of specific details. An example of a vague answer would
be “Aeneas was a hero because he demonstrated the qualities that Romans
consider heroic.” Instead, write an essay that makes an argument about
the qualities that the Romans would consider to be heroic and how
Aeneas demonstrated them.
1) Does Tacitus think that the past was better than
the present? Give at least four examples from your reading in the
Annals to explain your answer.
2) Compare the characters Dido and Camilla in
Vergil’s Aeneid. Do they demonstrate any Roman qualities or are they
barbarian-leaders? Is there a comparable woman in Tacitus’ Annals?
3) What kind of hero is Aeneas? Do you find any
character flaws in him that might hinder his ability to be a
hero? In particular, your answer should discuss Priam and Aeneas’
failed plans to murder Helen (in Book II). Find at least two
other episodes in Books I-VI in which Aeneas displays heroic behavior
and contrast it with his behavior in Book II.
4) Choose two events in which Tacitus depicts the
senatorial class losing freedom to the emperor. How was the
senatorial class’s power diminished at the end of each episode? In your
opinion, were the accomplishments of the Principate worth the price of