New
New
Year 4
The rise of the Emperors
I can explain the difference between the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire.
New
New
Year 4
The rise of the Emperors
I can explain the difference between the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- The Roman Republic continued to expand, conquering places like Ptolemaic Egypt.
- Julius Caesar rose to power as a general and then as dictator of Rome, but was murdered by jealous senators in 44BCE.
- Augustus was victorious in the subsequent civil war and became Rome's first emperor.
- The empire retained a senate which awarded the emperors their power.
- The Roman Empire expanded under the emperors as they used conquest to legitimise their rule.
Keywords
Dictator - a dictator is a person with complete power and control over a country
Civil war - a civil war is a war between different groups of people from the same country
Emperor - an emperor is the ruler of an empire
Common misconception
Julius Caesar was an emperor of the Roman Empire.
Julius Caesar was not an emperor of the Roman Empire but a dictator of the Roman Republic.
Stage a debate for Task C: what is the main difference between the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire?
Teacher tip
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of serious crime
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on
Open Government Licence version 3.0
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
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Starter quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
Before Rome became a republic, it was ruled by ...
emperors
queens
gods
Q2.
Who was the last king of Rome?
Romulus
Remus
Q3.
In Roman society, a free citizen could own a , a person who did not have freedom.
Q4.
The wars between Rome and Carthage are known as the __________ Wars.
Roman
Tunisian
Macedonian
Q5.
The Roman Republic grew by adding Macedonia and Carthage as ...
Q6.
Order these events chronologically.
Exit quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
Which of the following was not a province of the Roman Republic?
Macedonia
Carthage
Egypt
Q2.
Which country was known as Rome's breadbasket?
Q3.
Julius Caesar was __________ because he had complete power and control over Rome.
an emperor
a king
a senator
Q4.
Which territory did Julius Caesar conquer?
Macedonia
Egypt
Carthage
Q5.
The Roman Empire was ruled by ...
a king
a dictator
a consul
Q6.
Match the people to their descriptions.
first Roman Emperor
ruler of Ptolemaic Egypt
consul (leader) of Rome
military general and dictator
senator who plotted to murder Julius Caesar
Additional material
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