Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome

​Geography, Rise of the Roman Republic, From Republic to Empire, Daily Life, Spread of Christianity, Legacies

Geography & Early Settlement

• The Roman civilization flourished from about 700 B.C.E. to about 476 C.E. It began in the ancient city of Rome.

• Rome is located in Italy, which includes a peninsula and islands in southern Europe.

• Perhaps around 700 B.C.E., a Latin tribe built the village that eventually became Rome.

• As Rome grew, Roman culture was greatly influenced by two of Rome's neighbors, the Etruscans (eh-TRUH-skans) and the Greeks.

Multiple Choice

Who first lived in the area that would become Rome?

• Latins

• Greeks

• Etruscans

• Macedonians

Rise of the Roman Republic

• Between 616 and 509 B.C.E., the Etruscans ruled Rome.

• Upper-class citizens, called patricians, came from a small group of wealthy landowners.

• Free non-patricians called plebeians, who comprised about 95 percent of Rome's population, were mostly peasants, laborers, craftspeople, and shopkeepers.

Multiple Choice

Who first ruled early Rome?

• Military consuls

• Etruscan kings

• Roman senators

• Plebeian assemblies

Multiple Choice

In the Roman Republic, patricians referred to

• everyone except enslaved people.

• every adult male citizen.

• people with Greek ancestors.

• wealthy landowning families.

Rise of the Roman Republic

• In 509 B.C.E., a group of patricians, led by Lucius Junius Brutus, rebelled and drove out the last Etruscan king. They developed a republic, in which elected officials govern for the people.

• The patricians placed most of the power in the hands of the Senate, which was a group of 300 patricians elected by patricians.

• The creation of the republic gave Rome a more democratic form of government.

Rise of the Roman Republic

• Even though Rome was now a republic, the patricians retained all the power.

• The plebeians had to unite and fight for what they wanted.

• The plebeians' revolt led to a major change. The plebeians could now elect officials

• Finally, in 287 B.C.E., the plebeians earned the right to pass laws for all Roman citizens.

• Rome became an example of a type of government ruled by a set of basic laws, or a constitution.

Multiple Choice

Why were plebeians unhappy when the Roman Republic was first set up?

• They had lost the right to vote.

• They preferred living in an empire.

• They had no say in making the laws.

• They preferred being ruled by a king.

Multiple Choice

Plebeians became nearly equal to patricians when they won the right to

• put laws in writing.

• choose their own king.

• serve as priests and soldiers.

• pass laws for all Romans.

Daily Life in the Roman Empire

• The expansion of Roman power occurred over approximately five hundred years, from 509 B.C.E. to 14 C.E.

• At its height, the Roman Empire included most of Europe, together with North Africa, Egypt, much of the present-day Middle East, and Asia Minor.

• By 14 C.E., the republic was just a memory. Power was in the hands of a single supreme ruler, the emperor.

Daily Life in the Roman Empire

• Although Rome was full of beautiful temples, stately palaces, and flowering gardens, most of its people lived in tiny apartments crammed into narrow, dirty streets.

• To keep the poor from turning into an angry, dangerous mob, Roman emperors donated food and provided entertainment, such as gladiator contests and chariot races.

• At Rome's many temples and shrines, people made offerings and promises to the gods.

Multiple Choice

Why did the Roman emperors give the poor “bread and circuses”?

• so the poor would not rebel

• so the poor could learn to read

• so the poor would not eat meat

• so the poor could make more money

Daily Life in the Roman Empire

• Family life in Rome was ruled by the paterfamilias, or “father of the family.” When a man's own father died, they took on the role as head of the family.

• Many poor children in Rome were sent to work instead of to school in order to learn trades, such as leatherworking and metalworking

• In wealthier families, boys and girls were tutored by their fathers, or often by enslaved people, until they were about six years old.

• Roman boys learned Latin, Greek, math, science, literature, music, and public speaking. They typically became soldiers, doctors, politicians, or lawyers. Girls might become dentists, real estate agents, or tutors.

Multiple Choice

When did a man become a paterfamilias?

• when he got married

• when his own father died

• when he became a grandfather

• when he gave his toys to the gods

Learning about World Religions: Christianity

• Based on the life and teachings of Jesus, a man who lived from about 6 B.C.E. to about 30 C.E.

• The birthplace of Christianity was a remote territory at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea, referred to as Judea by the Romans

• This area had once been a part of the ancient kingdom of Israel.

• Jesus based his teachings on traditional Jewish beliefs. However, the Gospels claim he put special emphasis on love and mercy.

• By 380 C.E., Christianity was the official religion of the Roman Empire.

Multiple Choice

What is the main source of early information about the life of Jesus?

• the Latin writings of Roman historians

• Egyptian scrolls found near the Dead Sea

• Gospels written in Greek by his followers

• scribes who recorded his deeds in Hebrew

Multiple Choice

According to the earliest written accounts, what did Jesus emphasize in his teachings?

• love

• justice

• revenge

• obedience

The Legacy of Rome on the Modern World

• Roman frescoes often illustrated three-dimensional landscapes and other scenes.

• The Romans learned how to use the arch, the vault, and the dome.

• They were the greatest builders of roads, bridges, and aqueducts in the ancient world.

• The Romans also set a new standard for developing aqueducts. Although they did not invent the aqueduct, the Romans once again learned the technique and improved upon it. They created a system of aqueducts for Rome. The aqueducts brought water from about 60 miles away to the homes of the wealthiest citizens, as well as to the city's public baths and fountains.

The Legacy of Rome on the Modern World

• One legacy of Rome that affects modern society every day is the Roman language, Latin.

• English speakers use the Latin alphabet, although Roman Latin used 23 letters, and English uses 26.

• Several modern European languages developed from Latin, including Italian, Spanish, and French.

• Finally, Roman numerals are often still used in the modern world.

Multiple Choice

Which statement is true of Rome’s roads, bridges, and aqueducts?

• They were usually made of wood.

• They were weak and fell apart quickly.

• They were copied from those of the Greeks.

• They were the greatest in the ancient world.