Good and Bad Roman Emperors Day 2

Page 149

Today we start working on your PBA. These will be the sources you will use as evidence.

Document A: Map

Document B: Coins

Context: The denarius was a silver coin used in the Roman Empire. On the front side of the coin is the head of Octavian and the inscribed word “CAESAR.” On the back is a Crocodile inscribed with “AEGVPTO CAPTA” which means “Egypt Captured.” This coin was used in celebration of Augustus’s victory in Egypt, specifically the Battle of Actium in 31 B.C.E.

Answer on page 149

• What words come to mind to describe Augustus based on the fact that he

  • Expanded the territory of the Roman Empire

  • Achieved an important military victory in Egypt

• Write a sentence on page 149 that describes Augustus based on these sources

  • Augustus was a _______ leader because ....

• List the evidence you would use to support this

  • map or coin

Multiple Choice

What significant structure did Hadrian build across Roman Britain to defend against Barbarians?

• Hadrian's Wall

• The Colosseum

• The Pantheon

• The Great Wall

Multiple Choice

What years did Marcus Aurelius rule as emperor?

• 161-180

• 150-160

• 170-180

• 160-170

Multiple Select

What were some of the significant actions taken by Commodus during his reign?

• He fought in gladiatorial contests

• He planned to rename Rome to Colonia Commodiana

• He had senators killed

• He increased the treasury

Multiple Choice

What were the common characteristics of the reigns of later emperors?

• Long reigns

• Short reigns

• Peaceful ends

• Stable governance

Multiple Choice

Which emperor wanted to share power with the senate?  Hint: he controlled the time known as Pax Romana?

• Julius Caesar
• Caligula
• Augustus
• Diocletian

Multiple Choice

Which emperor was known as the "mad emperor"?

• Trajan

• Octavian

• Caligula

• Commodus

Multiple Choice

Which emperor would start the tradition of having a peaceful turn of power to the next emperor?

• Octavian

• Diocletian

• Constantine I

• Nerva

Multiple Choice

Which emperor built a wall in Britain that would be named after him?

• Nero

• Hadrian

• Nerva

• Constantine I

Multiple Choice

Which emperor led the most peaceful period in Roman history?

• Antoninus Pius

• Marcus Aurelius

• Nerva

• Diocletian

Multiple Choice

Which emperor is known for being a stoic philosopher?

• Nerva

• Antoninus Pius

• Marcus Aurelius

• Domition

Page 134

Directions

1. Read the information about Pompeii and the Eruption of Mt. Vesuvius

2. Answer the questions in your notebook.

Pompeii and the Eruption of Mt. Vesuvius

On the afternoon of August 24, 79 AD the city of Pompeii’s 11,000 citizens looked up in shock as a huge cloud of steam and ash rose high above nearby Mt. Vesuvius. Soon, the sky grew dark and debris fell as the entire city below was soon in complete darkness. Many people waited in their homes, surely hoping that the shower of rock would come to an end.

For the next 6 hours, however, ash and rock fell from the sky and by the time midnight passed, the city of Pompeii was covered with over 20 feet of ash and rock.

Later that night, a fatal change in the eruption occurred. The cloud of ash no longer rose up into the sky out of the mouth of the volcano, but changed to glowing hot rock called lava that flowed down the volcano’s slopes, destroying everything in its path.

Pompeii and the Eruption of Mt. Vesuvius

With this change, the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum below were destroyed in a matter of minutes. The lava oozed out over both towns, sealing them off from the outside world for centuries to come.

It wasn’t until 1763 that Pompeii was finally rediscovered. When archaeologists began to excavate the town, they found many treasures intact. Much of what Pompeii looked like almost 1,700 years earlier was preserved by the fallen ash and rock. The lack of air or moisture preserved countless valuable artifacts for historians to study today.

Pompeii and the Eruption of Mt. Vesuvius

Archaeologists found shops, restaurants, two theaters, a gymnasium, and large amphitheater buried underground. Houses featured statues along with beautiful frescoes and often graffiti on walls and floors. The remains of food and wine have helped historians better understand Roman diets.

The victims of the Vesuvius eruption were “preserved forever” when their bodies left cavities in the fallen ash. These cavities were filled with plaster to create sculptures of how the victims appeared at the time of their death. The reconstruction of the city gives us much information about what life was like in Ancient Rome.

Multiple Choice

What does the author mean by a “fatal change” in the 3rd paragraph?

• The volcano stopped erupting

• Lava began to flow from the volcano into the city

• Everyone in the city was able to evacuate

Multiple Choice

Based on information in the 2nd & 3rd paragraphs, a reader can conclude that –

• Most people survived the eruption.

• The eruption was not very large.

• Many people likely died in the eruption.

• The eruption was over very quickly.

Multiple Choice

What do you think is the best definition of “cavities” as it is used in the last paragraph?

• Teeth

• Holes

• Damages

• Rocks

Multiple Choice

To learn more about Herculaneum, which of the following articles should a student read?

• Mt. Vesuvius’ Effect on Nearby Towns

• How Pompeii’s Citizens Survived Mt. Vesuvius

• The Hero Who Saved Pompeii

• How Pompeii Was Discovered

Multiple Choice

Why did the author most likely write this story?

• To entertain the audience.
• To convey a message or theme.
• To describe a historical event.
• To provide a detailed analysis.

Multiple Choice

From the last two paragraphs, the reader can best conclude that –

• Archaeologists and historians have learned a lot from studying Pompeii.

• Mt. Vesuvius will likely erupt again soon.

• The eruption of Pompeii took an entire day before it was over.

• Pompeii had many streets paved with stones.

Multiple Choice

Why do you think it took so long to discover Pompeii?

• Pompeii was never buried and remained visible throughout history.
• It was discovered quickly due to extensive archaeological efforts.
• The site was lost because of frequent earthquakes in the region.
• The site was buried under volcanic ash, which preserved it but also concealed it from view for centuries.

You have completed this activity!