1.
agora: the marketplace in ancient Greece
2.
augustus: First emperor of the Roman Empire. Julius Caesar's grand-nephew.
3.
cleopatra: 69-30 B.C. Ruler of Egyptian government in Alexandria who backed Caesar in the civil war he waged from 49 to 45 B.C.
4.
democracy: a political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them
5.
dynasty: powerful leaders in the same family
6.
emperor: The ruler of an empire
7.
epic: a long poem that tells a story
8.
erosion: condition in which the earth's surface is worn away by the action of water and wind
9.
famine: lack of food in a place; time of starving
10.
julius caesar: Made dictator for life in 45 BCE, after conquering Gaul, assinated in 44 BCE by the Senate because they were afraid of his power
11.
levees: raised banks along a stream channel that increase velocity, upstream risks and create false security to live by bodies of water likely to flood
12.
loess: Fine windblown yellow soil
13.
monarcky: goverment ruled by a king or queen
14.
noble: a person of high rank by birth or title
15.
oligarchy: a political system governed by a few people
16.
oracle bones: animal bones carved with written characters which were used for telling the future
17.
pax romana: Roman Peace
18.
pericles: Athenian leader noted for advancing democracy in Athens and for ordering the construction of the Parthenon.
19.
philosophy: love of wisdom
20.
plain: farmers along the haung river raised croops
21.
plato: Greek philosopher and student of Socrates
22.
polis: Greek city-state
23.
provinces: political divisions
24.
seismograph: a measuring instrument for detecting and measuring the intensity and direction and duration of movements of the ground
25.
socrates: Greek philosopher; socratic method--questioning; sentenced to death for corrupting Athens youth
26.
steppe: extensive plain without trees