The Romans
The Roman Empire was vast and stretched from Hadrian’s Wall in the north of England across to Turkey and right down into North Africa. Perhaps as many as 60 million people lived within the Empire and one of the greatest tasks facing the Emperor was how to rule such a huge number of people in such a vast amount of land.
This great Empire lasted for hundreds of years until it finally collapsed in 476 AD. There is a huge amount of archaeological and written evidence available so we are able to get a good idea of what life was like in the Roman Empire.
The Romans were great builders and much has survived. They carefully planned their towns which included some very impressive building such as an amphitheatre where contests between gladiators took place.
The houses of the rich (patricians) and the poor (plebeians) were very different. The Romans had a very effective and well trained army and they built roads to every corner of the Empire where permanent forts were located.
The Empire began to grow weak because of in-fighting between various rivals for leadership and because of the constant attacks from outsiders such as the people who lived in an area north of the Rhine and Danube rivers.
Even today the influence of the Roman Empire is still evident. Many famous public buildings and Churches all over the world were built using the columns, arches and domes of ancient Rome. It is also a fact that many of our modern European languages owe their origins to the language used by the Romans, Latin
Learning Objectives:In this Unit you are expected to know -
What a typical Roman town/city was like
Name and describe some of the main buildings
Describe the typical home of both rich and poor
What type of clothes people wore
What was their main food and drink
How the young received an education
What people did for leisure and entertainment
What were the religious beliefs of the Romans
Describe a typical Roman soldier
A Person living in Ancient Rome
You lived in larger city of Rome - from a patrician family
Your ruler is called an Emperor
Your Roman Empire stretches all the way to border with Scotland
Excellent road system built to keep Empire united
You admire the great Roman army
Very well trained soldiers - all are professional soldiers
Use weapons such as pila, sword and a shield
Soldiers fight wars but also build roads etc.
Centre of your city called the Forum
Very busy market-place there
Also important buildings - Courts, Temples, Senate house
Very good place to meet people an to shop
You are rich and live in a beautiful domus
The central room called the Atrium
Have a beautiful enclosed garden - the peristylium
All walls painted and mosaics on floors
Very little furniture
Your father is head of family
Attend a school each day
Begin very early and finish at noon
Main subjects: Maths, writing, reading
Your clothing and food
Tunic worn always
Toga worn in public by wealthy men
Main meal of day in evening - cena
Some people over-ate - got sick into a vomitorium
Your family own some slaves
Slaves often captured in wars
Worked as builders, street sweepers, house servants
Sometimes slaves rebelled
Your entertainment - many choices in Rome
Great Chariot Races held at the Circus Maximus
Public baths - good place to meet people
Games at the Colosseum - usually exciting gladiator contests
1. Which two brothers in legend are supposed to have founded Rome?
2. Who was the first Emperor of Rome?
3. In the Roman army, how many men made up a Century?
4. What were some of the main weapons used by Roman soldiers?
5. Who built the roads of the Empire and why were they so important?
6. Why is the city of Pompeii of such importance?
7. Why was the Forum such an important part of Ancient Rome?
8. In a Roman house, what was the atrium?
9. What was the house of a rich person called?
10. Where did the poor people live?
11. Where did Roman children receive their education?
12. What was the most common form of clothing worn by the Romans?
13. How did the Romans get their slaves?
14. What type of work did the slaves do?
15. Who led a famous slave revolt in Ancient Rome and what happened as a result?
16. What was an aqueduct?
17. What was the most famous amphitheatre in Rome and why was it so important?
18. What took place at the Circus Maxima?
19. Who was the King of all the Roman Gods?
20. Who was the God of war?
21. What did the very first Christians do in order to avoid arrest?
22. What was the language of the Romans?
23. What two months of the year are named after Roman Emperors?
Useful Websites:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/romans/
http://www.roman-empire.net/children/index.html
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