⭐ *CBSE SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER

SECTION A – VERY SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS (1 × 10 = 10 Marks)

Q1–Q10: Answer each in 20–30 words.

1. What was the geographical extent of the Roman Empire?
2. Who was the supreme political authority in the early Roman Empire?
3. Define “province” in the context of Roman administration.
4. Mention any two major causes of the third-century crisis.
5. What was the role of women in elite Roman households?
6. Name two main languages used in the Roman Empire.
7. What were the major agricultural products of Roman lands?
8. What were ‘Equites’ in Roman society?
9. Why were slaves important to the Roman economy?
10. What was the Edict of Caracalla (212 CE)?

SECTION B – SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS (3 × 6 = 18 Marks)

Q11–Q16: Answer each in 60–80 words.

11. Describe the administrative structure of the early Roman Empire.
12. What were the main features of Roman trade and commerce?
13. How did the third-century crisis affect the economy of the Empire?
14. Write a short note on literacy and education in Roman society.
15. Explain the hierarchy of Roman social structure.
16. What major changes occurred during the phase of Late Antiquity?

SECTION C – LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS (5 × 4 = 20 Marks)

Q17–Q20: Answer each in 120–150 words.

17. Discuss the importance of the Roman army in the expansion and maintenance of the Empire.
18. Examine the reasons behind the rise of Christianity and its impact on the Roman world.
19. Describe the economic expansion of the Roman Empire.
20. Discuss the significance of gender roles and family structure in Roman society.

SECTION D – SOURCE BASED QUESTIONS (4 × 3 = 12 Marks)

Passage for Q21–Q23
“In the Roman Empire, cities were centres of political authority, economy, and culture. They had forums, temples, amphitheatres, and marketplaces. The countryside produced food, but the cities consumed, administered, and controlled the resources.”

21. What were the main functions of Roman cities?
22. Why were forums important in Roman urban life?
23. How did the city–countryside relationship shape Roman economic life?

SECTION E – LONG ESSAY QUESTIONS (8 × 2 = 16 Marks)

Q24–Q25: Answer each in 200–250 words.

24. Analyse the third-century crisis. How did political instability, economic decline, and external invasion collectively weaken the Roman Empire?
25. Describe the phase of Late Antiquity. What major transformations occurred in administration, religion, economy, and society during this period?

SECTION F – MAP SKILL (4 Marks)

Q26: On the outline map of Europe and the Mediterranean world, locate and label the following:

1. Rome
2. Alexandria
3. Carthage
4. Constantinople

TOTAL: 100 MARKS

⭐ ANSWER KEY / MARKING SCHEME

SECTION A – Very Short Answers (1 mark each)

1. It extended across Europe, North Africa, and West Asia around the Mediterranean Sea.
2. The Emperor was the supreme political authority.
3. A province was an administrative unit governed by a Roman-appointed official.
4. Political instability and economic inflation (any two).
5. Elite women managed households and could own property and participate in social events.
6. Latin and Greek.
7. Wheat, barley, olives, grapes (any two).
8. A wealthy class of merchants and cavalry-origin elites.
9. Slaves provided labour for agriculture, mining, construction, and domestic services.
10. It granted Roman citizenship to all free subjects of the Empire.

SECTION B – Short Answers (3 marks each)

11. The Empire was divided into provinces, governed by officials; the emperor held supreme authority; administration included tax collection, law enforcement, and military control.
12. Roads and sea routes supported trade; items traded included wine, olive oil, metals, and luxury goods; Mediterranean ports connected Europe, Asia, and Africa.
13. Agriculture declined, food shortages occurred, currency value fell, trade routes weakened, and taxation increased.
14. Literacy was limited to wealthy classes; books were hand-written; education focused on grammar, rhetoric, and philosophy.
15. Hierarchy included senators, equites, common citizens, freedmen, and slaves, with power concentrated in upper classes.
16. Late Antiquity witnessed Christianisation, urban decline, economic ruralisation, and administrative reforms.

SECTION C – Long Answers (5 marks each)

17. The army expanded territory, protected borders, maintained internal order, built roads, and collected taxes in provinces. It ensured stability and enforced imperial authority.
18. Christianity spread due to its moral teachings and support for poor; Constantine’s acceptance legitimised it; it transformed religious and political structures.
19. Economic expansion occurred through agriculture, trade networks, industries, and extensive use of labour (slave + free workers). Roads and ports supported commerce.
20. Family was patriarchal; fathers held legal authority; women had limited political rights but could own property; domestic roles structured social life.

SECTION D – Source Based (3 × 4 = 12)

21. Centres of administration, economy, culture.
22. Forums were public spaces for trade, governance, and social life.
23. Cities consumed agricultural goods and controlled rural production.

SECTION E – Essay Answers (8 marks each)

24. Third-century crisis

• Political instability: rapid succession of emperors, civil wars.
• External threats: Germanic tribes, Sasanian Empire attacks.
• Economic decline: inflation, heavy taxation, currency devaluation.
• Social effects: urban decline, reduced trade, weakening agriculture.
• Conclusion: crisis weakened imperial authority and forced later reforms.

25. Late Antiquity

• Emergence of Christianity as state religion.
• Administrative reforms: division of empire, new capital at Constantinople.
• Economy: ruralisation, decline of long-distance trade.
• Society: church gained influence, classical culture blended with new traditions.
• Conclusion: period of transformation shaping medieval world.

SECTION F – Map (4 marks)

Correctly marking Rome, Alexandria, Carthage, Constantinople earns 4 marks.