In what ways did the geography and topography of Rome and the Roman Empire impact the history of the ancient Roman world? What are the different periods of Roman history, and what are the chief defining characteristics of each period? What primary sources are available for the study of Roman history, and what are the limitations of these sources? What were the stages of Roman expansion? What were the key civic conflicts and civil wars of the Roman Republic? What did each of these conflicts demonstrate about the changing nature of Roman politics? When and why did the Roman Republic fall? What were some key differences between the Roman Republic and the Age of Augustus? What are some of the primary sources about the early Christians? What was revolutionary about early Christianity, from the Roman perspective? What were some of the problems with which areas in the periphery of the Roman Empire had to deal in the second century CE? What were the problems that the Roman Empire faced during the third-century crisis, and how did Diocletian attempt to resolve these? What changes did the Roman Empire experience in the fourth century CE, and what were the causes of these changes? How did the Romans’ view of Rome in Late Antiquity differ from their view of Rome in earlier periods?