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Today we went over our Roman test. I got an 83% on it. Not as good as I thought I did but at least it is not a failing grade. That took up most of the class time. He handed out another reading paper. That is for homework to night. We have to read answer 5 questions and define 10 words. Here are the Q's & A's, and vocab words:
Vocab:

1. Inflation- when there is a huge increase in prices
2. Diocletian- one of the greatest emperors; a strong-willed army leader & son of a slave, emperor of the eastern side
3. Constantine- one of the greatest emperors; First emperor of the western side
4. Eastern empire- ruled by Diocletian; rich
5. Western empire- ruled by Constantine; made of farms
6. Edict of Milan- freedom to follow the religion you want 
7. Constantinople- the new capital named after Constantine
8. Huns- a nomadic people from central Asia 
9. Attila- Hun leader; short man with a flat nose and thin, graying beard 
10. Leo I- first truly powerful pope of Rome

Questions:

1. What economic problems did the empire face in the third century?
2. By the third century, how had Rome's army changed since the days of the republic?
3. (a) What important religious change did Constantine bring about in the empire? (b) What political change did he bring about?
4. (a) Why did Germanic tribes invade the empire in the 400's? (b) Why was the empire unable to drive the invaders out?
5. (a) List three reasons why Diocletian should be considered a successful emperor. (b) List three reasons why he might be considered a failure. 

Answers:

1. Local officials usually lost money b/c they were required to bay for costly circuses and baths. Less and less money came in as taxes. The only groups actively interested in politics were the armies. 
2. Soldiers fought strictly for money, not for patriotism. To attract recruits into the army, the government promised ever higher cash awards. Emperors began to recruit barbarians. The loyalty of barbarian troops to the empire could hardly be trusted.
3. (a) freedom to follow the religion you want. (b) end of persecution of Christians
4. (a) ? (b) Because they were already weak. 
5. (a) stopped the decline of the empire, made the borders safe again, and made the emperor considered an exalted person again. (b) wages for the troops added to the already crushing load of taxes, price controls failed, Christianity continued its rapid growth