Year 9
Unit 3 - Ancient Rome
|
Lesson 1 - The founding of Rome - myth and reality
In ancient times, many different peoples occupied much of the land we now call Italy. Almost 3000 years ago, a town began to develop on the banks of the river Tiber. This city was Rome and it was to grow gradually in importance until it eventually became the centre of a powerful empire. Ancient Rome was to take over from Greece as the most powerful military and cultural force in Europe. Although the Romans easily conquered the Greeks; they admired and copied many aspects of Greek culture. The Romans, in turn, had a powerful influence on the development of the later culture of Europe. The founding of Rome - the myth The origins of Rome are most famously associated with the story of Romulus and Remus, the twins who were brought up by a friendly wolf. |
|
‘Long ago and in a faraway country lived Venus. She was the goddess of love and beauty. She had a son called Aeneas. She was very proud of him. He had fought bravely in defending his city, Troy, against its enemies. But when Troy was captured, Aeneas had to flee for his life. He made a long voyage by land and sea and eventually reached the beautiful plain of Latium in Italy. Here he married the King's daughter and founded a kingdom of his own.
Many, many years passed, and the kingdom entered troubled times. Numitor, one of Aeneas' descendants, was now King. His daughter Rhea had just given birth to twin sons called Romulus and Remus. Their father was Mars, the mighty god of war. It should have been a happy time for Numitor. But his wicked brother Amulius wanted his kingdom and drove Numitor out of the country. Amulius ordered his soldiers to throw the babies Romulus and Remus into the River Tiber. But the babies didn't drown. They were washed ashore. A she-wolf heard them crying, took them away and cared for them alongside her cubs. Later they were discovered by a shepherd, who carried the boys home and looked after them as if they were his own children.
The boys grew up strong and brave, and with their help their grandfather, King Numitor, won back his throne from his brother. Romulus then began to build a city of his own. He chose a place where the River Tiber could be crossed, surrounded by seven hills overlooking the river. But Remus made fun of him and the city he was building. The twins fought each other and Remus was killed. But Romulus carried on building. And when he finished his city he became its first King. The city was called Rome. After reigning as King for forty years, Romulus mysteriously disappeared in the darkness of a great storm and became a god.'
|
|
The founding of Rome - the reality
In fact, Rome developed gradually from several different villages, which were built by the Latin people at the side of the river Tiber about twenty five kilometres from the sea. These villages occupied the tops of seven small hills. They were situated near an island on the river, where the river became shallow enough to be crossed by foot and too shallow for ships to pass any further upstream.
In fact, Rome developed gradually from several different villages, which were built by the Latin people at the side of the river Tiber about twenty five kilometres from the sea. These villages occupied the tops of seven small hills. They were situated near an island on the river, where the river became shallow enough to be crossed by foot and too shallow for ships to pass any further upstream.
|
Activities
1. Copy and paste the text of the story of Romulus and Remus. In one colour, highlight three things in the story which might be true, and in a second colour, three things that are unlikely to be true.
2. Why do you think the myth of the founding of Rome was told to children? (Clue - think about your previous work on Sparta) What were children expected to learn from the myth?
3. Using the map and the text to help you, explain why in reality Rome was an ideal site for a settlement?
1. Copy and paste the text of the story of Romulus and Remus. In one colour, highlight three things in the story which might be true, and in a second colour, three things that are unlikely to be true.
2. Why do you think the myth of the founding of Rome was told to children? (Clue - think about your previous work on Sparta) What were children expected to learn from the myth?
3. Using the map and the text to help you, explain why in reality Rome was an ideal site for a settlement?
Lesson 2 – Politics and society in the Roman Republic
Rome did not become powerful all at once. It grew very gradually in importance until it became the most important city in the Italian peninsula and the centre of one of the most powerful empires of all time. The history of Rome is sometimes divided into three general periods:
The rule of the kings 753-509 B.C.
The Roman Republic 509-31 B.C.
The Roman Empire 31 B.C – 478 A.D.
The rule of the kings 753-509 B.C.
The Roman Republic 509-31 B.C.
The Roman Empire 31 B.C – 478 A.D.
|
The rule of the kings
For hundreds of years, Rome and the Latins were dominated by a people who lived both to the north and south of them. These people were known as the Etruscans and they were much more powerful than the Latins. For this reason all the kings of Rome were Etruscans. Rome became larger and much stronger under these kings; but many Latins hated having their city ruled by outsiders. The last king was a ruler called Tarquin the Proud or in Latin (and much more interestingly) Tarquinius Superbus. 
By this time the Etruscans were less powerful than they once had been and finally, in 509 BC, the Latins succeeded in driving Tarquin from their city. The people of Rome disliked Tarquin so much, that they vowed never again to have a king rule their city. They decided therefore to set up a government of the people, which they referred to as a republic.
|
|
The Republic
The word "republic" comes from the Latin phrase res publica, which, in effect, means 'common-wealth' or matter for the people. During most of the Republican period, Rome was ruled (officially at least) by its citizens. In the beginning and as in Greece, citizenship was restricted to adult males of Roman parents. Later, citizenship was also granted to certain foreign males, such as those who had served for many years in the Roman army. Also as in Greece women and slaves were also not citizens. In theory, all citizens had equal political rights and opportunities in the Roman Republic. In reality, however, there were two very different classes of citizens: Patricians and Plebeians.
The word "republic" comes from the Latin phrase res publica, which, in effect, means 'common-wealth' or matter for the people. During most of the Republican period, Rome was ruled (officially at least) by its citizens. In the beginning and as in Greece, citizenship was restricted to adult males of Roman parents. Later, citizenship was also granted to certain foreign males, such as those who had served for many years in the Roman army. Also as in Greece women and slaves were also not citizens. In theory, all citizens had equal political rights and opportunities in the Roman Republic. In reality, however, there were two very different classes of citizens: Patricians and Plebeians.
Patricians and Plebeians.
Patricians were of noble families; many of whom were descendants of the original founders of Rome. Because they were usually extremely rich and possessed many slaves and servants, Patricians did not have to work like ordinary people. They were usually very carefully educated and well trained in philosophy and speechmaking; two skills which were very important for political success.
Plebeians were 'ordinary' citizens, who were usually descended from farmers, traders or craftspeople. They far outnumbered the Patricians; though we never enjoyed as much political power or influence as did the Patricians.
Patricians were of noble families; many of whom were descendants of the original founders of Rome. Because they were usually extremely rich and possessed many slaves and servants, Patricians did not have to work like ordinary people. They were usually very carefully educated and well trained in philosophy and speechmaking; two skills which were very important for political success.
Plebeians were 'ordinary' citizens, who were usually descended from farmers, traders or craftspeople. They far outnumbered the Patricians; though we never enjoyed as much political power or influence as did the Patricians.
|
|
|
|
Activities
- Identify two similarities and two differences between the social and political system of the Roman Republic and that of ancient Athens. Use your previous work on Athens to help you.
- The word republic comes from the Latin res publica which means ‘a matter for the people’. What evidence is there that the republic represented all the people of Rome? What evidence is there that it did not?
- Why do think most of the magistrates and senators were members of Patrician class?
- How did the Romans make sure that no one man became too powerful? Why is it important that one man does not become too powerful?
Lesson 3 – Carthage, Hannibal and the Punic Wars
|
Across the Mediterranean Sea, just a few hundred miles away, lay the great North African city of Carthage which had been founded many hundreds of years earlier by a people called the Phoenicians. You can see the Carthaginian Empire marked on the map below.
The Carthaginians traded all over the Mediterranean. The Romans were trying to expand their trade, but the Carthaginians treated the Roman traders as pirates and sank their ships. The Carthaginians also controlled much of Sicily which was a fertile corn-growing area. It was only a matter of time before Rome went to war against Carthage. The Romans referred to these wars as the Punic Wars. Punic was the Latin word for Phoenician. 1. Watch the short video opposite. Why were the Carthaginians such an important power in the ancient world? |
|
|
|
The first Punic war, 264 - 241 B.C.
The Romans had become skilful soldiers during their conquest of Italy. They had a large army of 100,000 soldiers. But they were faced with an enemy which had an excellent navy. To win the war, the Romans had to win control of the sea. They had no navy and little experience as sailors. However, they began building a huge battle fleet. They also invented new tactics. On each ship they built a kind of drawbridge, called a corvus, with a huge iron spike on the end. The corvus stood upright by the mast. When an enemy ship was close it was lowered so that the spike sank into the enemy's deck. The Roman soldiers then charged across onto the enemy ship.
The Romans had become skilful soldiers during their conquest of Italy. They had a large army of 100,000 soldiers. But they were faced with an enemy which had an excellent navy. To win the war, the Romans had to win control of the sea. They had no navy and little experience as sailors. However, they began building a huge battle fleet. They also invented new tactics. On each ship they built a kind of drawbridge, called a corvus, with a huge iron spike on the end. The corvus stood upright by the mast. When an enemy ship was close it was lowered so that the spike sank into the enemy's deck. The Roman soldiers then charged across onto the enemy ship.
After over twenty years of war, Carthage was finally defeated and Rome took control of Sicily. As well as losing Sicily, Carthage also had to pay a huge sum of money (called an indemnity) to compensate Rome for the cost of the war. After this war, however, Rome continued to expand and took control of Carthaginian lands on the islands of Sardinia and Corsica. This, along with the loss of Sicily and the payment of the indemnity, made the Carthaginians angry and anxious to avenge themselves on Rome. The struggle between Rome and Carthage was far from over.
2. What were the causes and consequences of the first Punic war?
|
The second Punic war, 218 - 201 B.C.
The second war was dominated by the deeds of a famous Carthaginian general named Hannibal. Since he was a boy, Hannibal dreamt of punishing Rome for its harsh treatment of Carthage in the first Punic war. Now, as leader of the Carthaginian army in Spain, he planned a daring attack on Italy and against the city of Rome itself. Hannibal got together a great army of 100,000 men and 37 war elephants. But how could he successfully attack a heavily defended republic such as that of Rome? 3. Look at the diagram below. What problems did Hannibal face in trying to attack Rome? |
The River Rhone
Hannibal first sent a small advance force of his best soldiers to cross the river secretly. Hannibal then filled small boats and canoes with the light soldiers. The large boats were placed upstream of the light boats to protect them from the full force of the current. Horses were towed behind the boats. One man on each side of the stern guided the horses. As they crossed, the Gaulish tribesmen poured out of their camp - just as Hannibal had expected. But Hannibal's advance party rushed in to attack them and the tribesmen ran away. The elephants then crossed, on huge rafts covered with earth and grass.
Hannibal first sent a small advance force of his best soldiers to cross the river secretly. Hannibal then filled small boats and canoes with the light soldiers. The large boats were placed upstream of the light boats to protect them from the full force of the current. Horses were towed behind the boats. One man on each side of the stern guided the horses. As they crossed, the Gaulish tribesmen poured out of their camp - just as Hannibal had expected. But Hannibal's advance party rushed in to attack them and the tribesmen ran away. The elephants then crossed, on huge rafts covered with earth and grass.
|
The Alps
Hannibal could not march along the well guarded coast road to Italy. So he took the only possible route, over the Alps, even though it was winter. It was a treacherous path. Neither the soldiers nor the animals could tell where they were treading in the deep snow. Those that stepped wide of the path fell down the cliff to certain death. Hannibal got his soldiers to cut a path out of the snow. After a day the path was wide enough for the packhorses and animals. It took three days to get the elephants through. Hannibal had started his campaign with 100,000 soldiers; 60,000 climbed the Alps with him, but only 23,000 reached Italy. 4. Do you think that Hannibal's crossing of the Alps was a success? Explain your answer. |
|
Hannibal knew his army might not be strong enough to attack Rome, and he had no siege engines. He marched south until he was within three days' march of Rome. The people of Rome were nervous, but didn't panic. They waited. Hannibal decided against attack. Instead he continued south, looking for supplies and trying to persuade the people of other cities to join him against Rome.
Hannibal is defeated
Hannibal spent the next fifteen years in Italy. The Romans sent a number of armies to fight him, but he defeated them every time. Finally the Romans changed their tactics. Instead of fighting him, they decided to wear him down. They stopped any extra soldiers or supplies getting through to him and they refused to fight any more big battles. Hannibal's army grew weaker with every year that passed. He had already decided that he was not strong enough to attack Rome, and few of the Italian tribes joined him. They all stayed loyal to Rome. Meanwhile, the Roman army concentrated its efforts on attacking Carthage. After fifteen years in Italy, Hannibal was ordered home to help defend Carthage from the Romans.
In 202 BC, near Carthage, Hannibal was defeated by the Roman general Scipio. The Carthaginians were beaten. Their lands in southern Spain were taken by Rome. After his defeat by Scipio, Hannibal remained on in Carthage. But the Romans accused him of trying to start another war and forced him to go into exile. Hannibal went to Syria and Asia Minor, where he helped the rulers there to resist Roman domination. When his allies were finally defeated, Hannibal refused to surrender to the Romans. He avoided capture by taking poison which he carried in a ring on his finger.
5. How was Hannibal finally defeated?
The third Punic War (149-146 B.C.)
Many important Romans were determined that Carthage should be destroyed forever. In 149 B.C. a great Roman fleet laid siege to the North African city. Carthage resisted as well as it could for three years, but was finally captured by the superior forces of its enemy. The Carthaginian people were murdered or forced into slavery. Their city was burned and then dismantled stone by stone. The land on which Carthage stood was ploughed with salt so that nothing could grow on it. What remained of Carthaginian territory became the Roman province of ‘Africa’. Nothing remained but memories of ancient Carthage.
Rome was now the strongest power around the Mediterranean Sea, and her Empire grew rapidly. In the 70 years after the defeat of Hannibal, Macedonia (now south-east Europe), Greece and Asia Minor (part of modern Turkey) came under Roman rule. Egypt was under Rome's influence. The defeat of Carthage meant that Rome was the master of the whole Mediterranean area.
6. What happened to Carthage after the defeat by Rome?
Hannibal is defeated
Hannibal spent the next fifteen years in Italy. The Romans sent a number of armies to fight him, but he defeated them every time. Finally the Romans changed their tactics. Instead of fighting him, they decided to wear him down. They stopped any extra soldiers or supplies getting through to him and they refused to fight any more big battles. Hannibal's army grew weaker with every year that passed. He had already decided that he was not strong enough to attack Rome, and few of the Italian tribes joined him. They all stayed loyal to Rome. Meanwhile, the Roman army concentrated its efforts on attacking Carthage. After fifteen years in Italy, Hannibal was ordered home to help defend Carthage from the Romans.
In 202 BC, near Carthage, Hannibal was defeated by the Roman general Scipio. The Carthaginians were beaten. Their lands in southern Spain were taken by Rome. After his defeat by Scipio, Hannibal remained on in Carthage. But the Romans accused him of trying to start another war and forced him to go into exile. Hannibal went to Syria and Asia Minor, where he helped the rulers there to resist Roman domination. When his allies were finally defeated, Hannibal refused to surrender to the Romans. He avoided capture by taking poison which he carried in a ring on his finger.
5. How was Hannibal finally defeated?
The third Punic War (149-146 B.C.)
Many important Romans were determined that Carthage should be destroyed forever. In 149 B.C. a great Roman fleet laid siege to the North African city. Carthage resisted as well as it could for three years, but was finally captured by the superior forces of its enemy. The Carthaginian people were murdered or forced into slavery. Their city was burned and then dismantled stone by stone. The land on which Carthage stood was ploughed with salt so that nothing could grow on it. What remained of Carthaginian territory became the Roman province of ‘Africa’. Nothing remained but memories of ancient Carthage.
Rome was now the strongest power around the Mediterranean Sea, and her Empire grew rapidly. In the 70 years after the defeat of Hannibal, Macedonia (now south-east Europe), Greece and Asia Minor (part of modern Turkey) came under Roman rule. Egypt was under Rome's influence. The defeat of Carthage meant that Rome was the master of the whole Mediterranean area.
6. What happened to Carthage after the defeat by Rome?
Extension activity. Watch either of these documentaries to find out more about Hannibal.
|
|
|
Lesson 4 – Julius Caesar and the end of the Roman Republic.
After the destruction of Carthage, Rome became stronger and stronger and soon came to control most of the lands bordering the Mediterranean Sea. See the map below.
|
Have a close look at the map of the Roman Republic. All the place names are in Latin, as the Romans would have called them. Most of the names are similar or even identical to the names we are familiar with today. This shows the long term influence of Rome and the Latin language. But there are some names that are very different to today.
Activity 1 See if you can find out what the Romans called: Cadiz, Lyon, Marseille, the Black Sea and the River Rhine. Do you know what the Romans called Nyon? Rome's territories grew in size as a result of successful wars. But wars and conquests brought their own set of problems. |
|
During The Punic Wars, many poor farmers had to leave their land to fight for Rome. Many were killed or injured. Those who were not, often found on their return that their farms had become neglected and had fallen into ruin. All this forced many poorer Roman families to sell their land to rich people and to abandon their homes and go to live in the poor parts of the city. The numbers of poor people grew, as did the gap between rich and poor. The politicians in the Senate gradually came to be the most powerful governing body in Rome. Many people felt that the Senate favoured the rich and pointed out that most senators were themselves of rich families. This made the Senate very unpopular with some Romans.
In contrast to the unpopularity of the Senate, the army generals became more and more popular and with each victory increasingly powerful. The Romans faced challenges from the Germanic tribes in the north, from Asia Minor (modern Turkey) in the east and even pirates in the Mediterranean. Some of these problems caused Rome to rely more and more on its armies to protect its territory. Many people began to think that such generals could rule Rome well and could save it from further difficulties.
By 50 BC, two Roman army generals had become greater than all others and powerful rivals for power. One of these was Pompey. The other was Julius Caesar.
In contrast to the unpopularity of the Senate, the army generals became more and more popular and with each victory increasingly powerful. The Romans faced challenges from the Germanic tribes in the north, from Asia Minor (modern Turkey) in the east and even pirates in the Mediterranean. Some of these problems caused Rome to rely more and more on its armies to protect its territory. Many people began to think that such generals could rule Rome well and could save it from further difficulties.
By 50 BC, two Roman army generals had become greater than all others and powerful rivals for power. One of these was Pompey. The other was Julius Caesar.
As we saw earlier, there were usually two Consuls, each elected for one year only and not allowed to be Consul again for another 10 years. This was meant to stop any one individual from becoming too powerful. But in 52 BC, the Senate asked Pompey to become Consul on his own; a position which would make him extremely powerful. The Senate then demanded that Caesar give up his army, which he refused to do. Pompey then had no alternative but to declare war on Caesar; a war which most senators seemed to think that Pompey would win. In 49 BC, Caesar marched on Rome.
|
|
Recently the BBC produced a dramatic reconstruction of the life of Julius Caesar. (See left)
Activity 2 Watch the first 15 minutes of the film. This deals with Julius Caesar's military successes in Gaul and his decision to return to Rome to 'reform' the republic. How accurate (reliable) do you think this film is likely to be? Try to think of two reasons why it is likely to be quite accurate but also two reasons why it might not be completely accurate. |
If you've watched the rest of the film you will know that Julius Caesar defeated the armies of Pompey and the Senate. When Caesar marched into Rome the people gave him a great welcome. Caesar's many reforms made him very popular and he was soon declared to be leader for life.
The death of Julius Caesar and the end of the Roman Republic
But not every one was content during Caesar's five-year rule. Many senators disliked him intensely. Others were afraid that he was becoming a tyrant who wanted to destroy the Republican system of government. Early in 44 BC, a group of senators under the leadership of Brutus and Cassius plotted to rid Rome of its unelected ruler. Brutus, Cassius and the other conspirators hoped that by killing Caesar they would save the Roman Republic from dictatorship. It was perhaps the most famous assassination in world history; many books and films have been made about it and even Shakespeare wrote a famous play that includes Caesar's murder.
But not every one was content during Caesar's five-year rule. Many senators disliked him intensely. Others were afraid that he was becoming a tyrant who wanted to destroy the Republican system of government. Early in 44 BC, a group of senators under the leadership of Brutus and Cassius plotted to rid Rome of its unelected ruler. Brutus, Cassius and the other conspirators hoped that by killing Caesar they would save the Roman Republic from dictatorship. It was perhaps the most famous assassination in world history; many books and films have been made about it and even Shakespeare wrote a famous play that includes Caesar's murder.
Activity 3
Watch this famous scene from a 1970 filmed production of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. As an interpretation of history, how reliable do you expect it to be?
Watch this famous scene from a 1970 filmed production of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. As an interpretation of history, how reliable do you expect it to be?
|
|
'On 15 March, 44 BC Caesar was due to speak to the Senate. Despite feeling so ill that morning that he almost could not attend, Caesar entered the Senate house at the time appointed. As was usual, all the senators rose to their feet as a mark of respect for their leader. While this was happening, Brutus and some other senators took up positions behind Caesar's chair, while others approached as if to greet him. Suddenly, a senator named Cimbar grabbed Caesar's robe, while Casca stabbed him in the neck. Most senators looked on in shock while the rest of the assassins suddenly produced knives from under their cloaks. The assassins surrounded Caesar. They pushed him this way and that and began to stab him furiously. Brutus, whom Caesar had loved as a son, stabbed him in the groin. The dying Caesar was then pushed against the statue of his old rival, Pompey, which was soon covered in blood. Caesar had received a total of twenty-three stab wounds.'
Source: Greek writer, historian and philosopher, Plutarch writing in the century after the death of Caesar. He is considered to be reliable source of information. |
Compare and contrast Shakespeare's version of the death of Caesar with that of Plutarch.
1. In what ways are the two accounts similar and different?
2. Why do you think Shakespeare's account is different?
3. Is Shakespeare's version of the story completely unreliable? Explain your answer.
1. In what ways are the two accounts similar and different?
2. Why do you think Shakespeare's account is different?
3. Is Shakespeare's version of the story completely unreliable? Explain your answer.
What happened next?
The plans of the assassins began to go terribly wrong. A huge, angry crowd turned out for Caesar's funeral. After the funeral, the people rioted. They burned the houses of those who had plotted against Caesar, murdered some of the plotters and forced the rest to flee. Caesar's friend Mark Anthony, together with Caesar's eighteen year old adopted son Octavian, gathered a strong army against Brutus and his forces. Brutus committed suicide when his army was completely defeated in 42 AD. Octavian soon became the sole ruler of Rome. He ruled successfully for forty years and became known as Augustus (meaning 'the revered one'). Augustus was too clever ever to refer to himself directly as 'king' or 'emperor' but that, in fact, was what he had become. Jesus was born during the reign of Augustus. The Republican system of government - which Brutus and others had killed Caesar to preserve - was gone forever. The Roman Republic became the Roman Empire.
The plans of the assassins began to go terribly wrong. A huge, angry crowd turned out for Caesar's funeral. After the funeral, the people rioted. They burned the houses of those who had plotted against Caesar, murdered some of the plotters and forced the rest to flee. Caesar's friend Mark Anthony, together with Caesar's eighteen year old adopted son Octavian, gathered a strong army against Brutus and his forces. Brutus committed suicide when his army was completely defeated in 42 AD. Octavian soon became the sole ruler of Rome. He ruled successfully for forty years and became known as Augustus (meaning 'the revered one'). Augustus was too clever ever to refer to himself directly as 'king' or 'emperor' but that, in fact, was what he had become. Jesus was born during the reign of Augustus. The Republican system of government - which Brutus and others had killed Caesar to preserve - was gone forever. The Roman Republic became the Roman Empire.
Lesson 5 – The city of Rome
|
At the height of its Empire, Rome became one of the largest, most beautiful and most powerful cities in the world. It contained up to one million people, which was a huge population by the standards of the time. It also contained numerous magnificent public buildings. Most of these were constructed during the early period of the empire. Augustus, the first emperor, boasted that he found Rome a city of bricks and changed it into one of marble.
1. Arriving in Rome Many visitors to Rome arrived by boat at the port of Ostia. To most visitors it would have been busier than anything they will have experienced before. The writer Aelius Aristides described the scene in the 2nd century AD: ‘So many merchant ships arrive in Rome with cargoes from everywhere, at all times of the year that the city seems like the worlds warehouse. The arrival and departure of ships never stops -it's amazing that the sea, not to mention the harbour, is big enough for all these merchant ships’. |
The visitor entered ancient Rome through one of the guarded ‘gates’ in the surrounding walls. These led into the city, much of which was a maze of small streets. Many of these streets contained people selling hot food. They were also littered with all kinds of household waste, which was thrown on to the streets from the street-side houses and apartments. Much of Rome must have been full of many different kinds of smells - not all of them pleasant. The streets seem also to have been very crowded and noisy. A Roman poet Juvenal described it as follows: ‘The streets are filthy and your legs will be plastered in mud. No matter how you try to hurry, there is a great crowd ahead of you and behind you is a mob shoving and pushing.... You will get poked in the ribs by somebody's elbow -and a soldier's big boot is sure to come crashing down on your toe. "
|
|
2. Aqueducts, public baths and toilets
As Romans of old walked through some of their streets, they occasionally passed under high stone arches which supported what might appear to be bridges. These were not bridges, but aqueducts. They carried on them thick, cement pipes which brought water from the hills into the city. There were at least nine of these remarkable structures running through ancient Rome. The longest was over sixty kilometres long and all the aqueducts combined are thought to have brought more than half a million litres of water per minute into the city. When the water reached the city, it was stored first in large tanks called cisterns. |
There were hundreds of public bath houses in ancient Rome. Many of these were quite small, but a few were very large indeed. The baths built by one emperor named Diocletian covered over fourteen hectares and are said to have been able to hold three thousand bathers at one time. Both rich and poor people attended the public baths. They went not merely to bathe, but also to meet and chat with their friends, to play games or even to make business deals.
The baths usually opened at about ten-thirty in the morning and stayed open until the late afternoon. Entry was cheap and children got in free. You could hire a masseur to give them a massage. In the course of a massage, a special blunt, hooked knife called a strigil was used to scrape dirt and sweat from one's body; which would then be rubbed with sweet-smelling perfumes. Very many Romans enjoyed attending the public baths. But not everybody liked them, as you will see from the account quoted below from Seneca, the famous Roman writer.
'I live above a public bath house. It is dreadful. We have the muscle-men doing their physical exercises and grunting and groaning as they swing heavy weights around. I can also hear the slap-slap of the lazy ones taking a cheap massage. Then there is the fellow who loves to sing in the bath, as well as the ones who make great splashes as they jump noisily into the water. '
Romans also went to toilet in public which was a popular meeting place. (see below)
|
|
|
3. The Forum
It was said that "all roads led to Rome". This phrase came to be used because, in Roman times, every milestone on every principal road in Italy indicated the distance to the Forum of Rome. The Forum was the very heart of the city. It was a large, flat area where people gathered to buy and sell things, to worship their gods and goddesses, to attend government meetings or simply to meet and gossip with their friends. In Roman times it was a bustling place, which was full of splendid buildings. It contained several important temples, such as that dedicated to Apollo. There stood also the Law Courts, where trials were held and the City Hall, from which the city was organised. These two computer generated reconstructions give you a good idea about the impressive nature of this architecture:
It was said that "all roads led to Rome". This phrase came to be used because, in Roman times, every milestone on every principal road in Italy indicated the distance to the Forum of Rome. The Forum was the very heart of the city. It was a large, flat area where people gathered to buy and sell things, to worship their gods and goddesses, to attend government meetings or simply to meet and gossip with their friends. In Roman times it was a bustling place, which was full of splendid buildings. It contained several important temples, such as that dedicated to Apollo. There stood also the Law Courts, where trials were held and the City Hall, from which the city was organised. These two computer generated reconstructions give you a good idea about the impressive nature of this architecture:
|
|
|
At the edge of the Forum was the Senate House. At the centre of the Forum stood a large covered market, at which food and all kinds of household goods could be bought. Through the centre of the Forum ran a road called The Sacred Way Important religious processions passed through here; as, occasionally, did Roman generals and their soldiers on triumphant returns from military campaigns. The Forum was often so crowded with people that there was hardly enough space to move about. But at least the area was free of carts and other such traffic. A law during the early days of the Empire made the Forum one of Europe's first pedestrianised city areas.
|
4. The Colosseum
At the edge of the Forum stood a public building next to a huge statue, called "Colossus". Therefore, this building was referred to as the Colosseum, though its official name was Amphitheatrum Flavium, as it had been the Emperor Titus Flavius Vespasianus, who had ordered its construction. This was the largest amphitheatre in all of the Roman Empire. Like all amphitheatres, it was the venue for public "games", which usually took the form of gladiators fighting each other - and wild animals - to the death. The Colosseum is another reminder of the extraordinary building skills of the ancient Romans. It could hold 50,000 people. All of these could be evacuated in a little over three minutes through eighty separate exits called vomitoria. The floor of the amphitheatre could be flooded with water, so that even mock sea battles took place to entertain the crowd. A huge cloth canopy, suspended on poles from the tops of the walls, was used to shade spectators and performers from the heat of the sun. This reconstruction gives you a good idea of how it worked. |
|
|
5. The Circus Maximus
Not far from the Colosseum was an even larger sporting venue. This was the Circus Maximus, in which up to 250,000 people were known to attend chariot racing - ancient Rome's most popular sport. Everybody from the Emperor to the poorest Roman might attend the races (though of course the Emperor and other important people would have special track-side seats). Unlike in the Colosseum, women and men were allowed to sit together, so it was a good place to go on the ancient Roman equivalent of a ‘date’. But chariot racing could sometimes be rather dangerous - and not only for the charioteers. Different teams of charioteers had fanatical supporters who sometimes fought each other after the races. Accidents could also happen. The worst accident took place during the reign of the Emperor Nero, when a huge section of the tiers of timber seating collapsed. It was said that 1,112 people died in the accident and in the stampede for the exits which followed. |
|
Activity
For this activity you are going to investigate how interpretations are created in history. First complete the interpretations table about ‘Rome – the City’. For each of the five places that you visit, there are three boxes to complete. In the first box you should describe the place that you visited. In the next two boxes you will provide an interpretation that is both optimistic and pessimistic about the experience. You should select aspects of the experience that can be portrayed in a positive light and then in a negative light. You cannot make things up or invent things that could not have happened.
For this activity you are going to investigate how interpretations are created in history. First complete the interpretations table about ‘Rome – the City’. For each of the five places that you visit, there are three boxes to complete. In the first box you should describe the place that you visited. In the next two boxes you will provide an interpretation that is both optimistic and pessimistic about the experience. You should select aspects of the experience that can be portrayed in a positive light and then in a negative light. You cannot make things up or invent things that could not have happened.
|
|
|
|
Download a copy of the worksheet here
Next imagine you and a friend are visitors to ancient Rome in 2nd century AD. Using your completed table to help you, describe a day’s visit to the city. One of you should be an optimist and write a positive account about what you have seen. The other should be pessimist who can only see the negative. Afterwards you should compare your accounts and prepare a role play of your city break in Rome! The example on the right should give you some ideas about what to say, what you might argue about and how you might dress and add props. |
|
Lesson 6 – Pompeii
|
Pompeii was a prosperous Roman town of about 20,000 people. Surrounded by strong walls, it contained shops and bars, public baths and temples, houses and beautiful villas. Its streets were typically Roman - straight and well paved. At the heart of the town was the Forum - a great open space which was kept free from carts and other wheeled traffic. Near one corner of the Forum was a fine basilica (which was used as a law court and a trading centre). Across the street from the basilica stood a beautiful temple to the god Apollo. Nearby was an even finer temple dedicated to Jupiter, leader of the Roman gods. At one corner of the town stood a large amphitheatre, where the inhabitants were entertained by gladiator fights and other such events. |
Pompeii was a fashionable town within sight of an attractive flat-topped mountain then called Mons Vesbius. Educated people believed that this mountain was a volcanic one. But it was, they felt sure, an extinct volcano, since it had never erupted in the lifetime of the Roman Republic or Empire. Throughout much of August in the year 79 AD, the people of Pompeii enjoyed prosperity and fine summer weather. What the citizens of Pompeii did not know was that Mons Vesbius was not extinct but dormant this means that, although it had not erupted for a very long time, it was liable to erupt again.
The twenty fourth day of August began quite normally, with the people of Pompeii going about their usual business. Then, early in the afternoon, a terrible roar was heard throughout the city. Mons Vesbius (Vesuvius) was erupting. The eruption was so bad that one side of the old volcanic mountain burst open suddenly. A dark cloud rose from the mountain, showering down hot ashes, stones and pieces of lava. All light disappeared behind the huge cloud of ashes and it stayed dark as night for three days. The ashes fell like dense snow, making it hard to breathe or even to move. Then a heavy cloud of poisonous sulphur fumes came tumbling down the mountain. This deadly gas seeped through every part of Pompeii, killing those who sought shelter indoors. Many of those who tried to escape by running away were killed by the falling hot stones and lava fragments. From one side of the mountain came a great flood of lava and hot volcanic mud. For three long days it poured out of the open wound of the mountain. Then, after the third day, the sun began to shine again on a destroyed landscape. Pompeii had practically disappeared beneath layers of volcanic material.
The twenty fourth day of August began quite normally, with the people of Pompeii going about their usual business. Then, early in the afternoon, a terrible roar was heard throughout the city. Mons Vesbius (Vesuvius) was erupting. The eruption was so bad that one side of the old volcanic mountain burst open suddenly. A dark cloud rose from the mountain, showering down hot ashes, stones and pieces of lava. All light disappeared behind the huge cloud of ashes and it stayed dark as night for three days. The ashes fell like dense snow, making it hard to breathe or even to move. Then a heavy cloud of poisonous sulphur fumes came tumbling down the mountain. This deadly gas seeped through every part of Pompeii, killing those who sought shelter indoors. Many of those who tried to escape by running away were killed by the falling hot stones and lava fragments. From one side of the mountain came a great flood of lava and hot volcanic mud. For three long days it poured out of the open wound of the mountain. Then, after the third day, the sun began to shine again on a destroyed landscape. Pompeii had practically disappeared beneath layers of volcanic material.
Pompeii Today
For almost 1800 years Pompeii lay buried and forgotten. Then, in 1860, the ancient city was rediscovered by a group of archaeologists and workmen led by a famous Italian architect named Fiorelli. Slowly and carefully Fiorelli and his workers began to uncover the almost perfect remains of the Roman town. To this day you can visit the ruins of Pompeii and see it as it had been in Roman times. The disaster of 79 AD had the effect of preserving the city up to the present time.
Terrible remains - the dead of 79 AD.
When such victims died, their bodies were covered in fine ash which hardened gradually around the bodies. The bodies rotted slowly, but left their exact imprints in the hardened ash. Fiorelli and his archaeologists probed the ground for the hollow spaces where the dead bodies once existed. Then they pumped a type of liquid plaster into the spaces. When the plaster hardened, the archaeologists carefully removed the volcanic ash around it to reveal perfect plaster casts of those who died in Pompeii.
Terrible remains - the dead of 79 AD.
When such victims died, their bodies were covered in fine ash which hardened gradually around the bodies. The bodies rotted slowly, but left their exact imprints in the hardened ash. Fiorelli and his archaeologists probed the ground for the hollow spaces where the dead bodies once existed. Then they pumped a type of liquid plaster into the spaces. When the plaster hardened, the archaeologists carefully removed the volcanic ash around it to reveal perfect plaster casts of those who died in Pompeii.
The objects buried beneath Pompeii were remarkably well-preserved for almost two thousand years. The lack of air and moisture allowed for the objects to remain underground with little to no deterioration, which meant that, once excavated, the site had a wealth of sources and evidence for analysis, giving remarkable detail into the lives of the Pompeiians. Unfortunately, once exposed, Pompeii has been subject to both natural and man-made forces which have rapidly increased their rate of deterioration. Today, Pompeii is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most popular tourist attractions of Italy, with approximately 2,500,000 visitors every year.
Pompeii in the news - 2020
Pompeii in the news - 2020
|
|
Activities - How useful is the film as evidence about what happened in Pompeii in August A.D.79?
Watch the BBC documentary ‘Pompeii: the Last day’.
|
Lesson 7 – The Roman Empire - Traders and Soldiers
By the middle of the first century, most of what Rome needed was imported from various parts of its enormous Empire. Italy did not produce goods of its own. Instead, the provinces of the Empire either paid for Rome’s supplies by taxes or supplied it with goods. The map below shows you how Rome was supplied in the first century AD.
|
Activity
1. Where did timber, wine, fishpaste and papyrus come from? Did most goods come by water or by road? 2. Make a table with four columns. At the top of each column write the words food, building, clothing and luxuries. Read through each of the imports and decide which, if any of the four columns it goes into. |
|
By AD100 the Roman Empire stretched almost 3000 miles, from Scotland to the Middle East. It had a population of about 50 million people from many different races, who spoke many different languages and all worshipped their own gods.
Organising the Empire
The Romans divided their Empire into provinces. Most provinces were controlled by a governor, who made regular inspections of his province and held courts of law. He had a staff of 30-40 officials to help him. They included lawyers, clerks and tax collectors. Each province paid taxes to Rome. These had to pay for the running of the province and leave Rome with a profit. Taxes were often paid in goods such as grain.
The Romans divided their Empire into provinces. Most provinces were controlled by a governor, who made regular inspections of his province and held courts of law. He had a staff of 30-40 officials to help him. They included lawyers, clerks and tax collectors. Each province paid taxes to Rome. These had to pay for the running of the province and leave Rome with a profit. Taxes were often paid in goods such as grain.
|
Good communications between Rome and the provinces were essential. They were provided by sea routes and the roads the Romans built. Such an efficient road system meant that the Roman army could travel very quickly to a trouble spot, or to put down a rebellion. When Julius Caesar was leading his Roman army to conquer Gaul, he travelled 800 miles in just eight days.
The army One army was organised into legions. There were about 30 in the whole Empire. Each legion was made up of 60 centuries, each with 80 men called legionaries. |
|
|
Centurions were in charge of the centuries. Each legion also had 120 cavalry. There were 150,000 legionaries in total. The soldiers in the legions served for sixteen years. They had to be Roman citizens, and most of them were volunteers. More and more, recruits came from the provinces where the legions were serving. Many were the sons of ex-soldiers who had settled there. For all these reasons, men became very proud of their legion.
The auxiliaries were army units were made up of conquered armies and friendly tribes. The soldiers served for 25 years. They were not Roman citizens, but received citizenship at the end of their service. Many were volunteers, recruited in the province where the unit was stationed. Their armour and weapons were similar to the legionaries’, but of inferior quality. Altogether, there were about 227,000 auxiliaries in the Empire, including some cavalry. |
|
|
|
Activity - Why was the Roman army so powerful? 3. Watch the film about the Roman legionnaire. It contains a lot of details about various aspects about the Roman army and the life of its soldiers, but I want you to focus on one question in particular, 'why was the Roman army so successful. As you watch the film, make some notes and use these notes write the following paragraph: Five reasons why the Roman army was so successful. You might need to watch the film a couple of times because it does cover a lot of information very quickly. |
Lesson 8 – A web-quest exploration of Noviodunum, the Roman settlement of Nyon
Lesson 9 – The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire
Hundreds of years of warfare and conquest resulted in the Roman Empire growing larger and larger. By the time of the death of the Emperor Trajan in AD 117, this huge Empire was at its largest. By then it stretched from the modern borders of England and Scotland in the north to the edge of the Sahara desert in the south. From west to east it lay between the Atlantic Ocean and modern Syria. The map below shows the fullest extent of the Roman Empire by A.D. 117.
|
How the Empire grew
As we have seen, the Roman army was very large and highly disciplined. For many centuries it was almost unbeatable in battle. Roman soldiers, when they were not at war, were employed to build a great network of high quality roads. These Roman roads held the Empire together. They encouraged trade and allowed Roman legions to move rapidly throughout the Empire. The Romans always strengthened the lands they conquered with forts, strongly defended towns and even long and high stone walls. (See right, Hadrian's Wall today in the north of England) The Romans were usually very effective rulers of the territories they conquered. The empire was divided into provinces, each of which was ruled by a Governor. The Romans, through often ruthless rulers, were usually wise enough not to try to force conquered peoples to abandon their own customs, religions and languages. Once people in the provinces had paid their taxes to Rome and obeyed the Emperor, the Romans would usually allow them to pursue their own ways of life. Conquered lands provided heavy taxes and soldiers for Rome and its rulers. As Rome conquered more land, its finances and armies grew larger. This allowed it to conquer even more territory and resulted in the empire growing larger and larger. |
|
Activity 1 - Discussion
Historians like to group ideas together under big headings. The reasons for the growth in the Roman Empire can be divided into political, economic, social and military. Read again through the text above and find examples of reasons which fit under each of the four big headings.
Historians like to group ideas together under big headings. The reasons for the growth in the Roman Empire can be divided into political, economic, social and military. Read again through the text above and find examples of reasons which fit under each of the four big headings.
Why the Empire declined (and more big headings)
|
Political reasons - From AD 180, Rome was ruled by a line of emperors who were mostly weak rulers. Because the emperors were weak, the Roman army began to interfere in the running of the state. Army leaders even began to murder emperors, to choose new ones and later to murder them. In one eighty-year span, more than forty emperors ruled. Some survived only for a few months and many were murdered. Such chaos in government was partly responsible for the decline and fall of ancient Rome.
|
|
Economic reasons - Taxes increased, especially to pay for the army which had begun to interfere more and more in the running of the empire. Ordinary Romans eventually found themselves paying about a third of their incomes in taxes and another third on rent. Some farmers abandoned their land because they could not afford to pay their taxes. Food production fell, so the price of even basic food rose rapidly. When the barbarians finally invaded, people did little to defend the empire. Many preferred to be under barbarian rule.
|
|
Social reasons - The size of the population began to decline due to disease and food shortages (see above). The difference between the lives of the rich and those of the poor became more noticeable. The rich became richer and poor, poorer. Rome didn't seem as fair as it once had been and people became less proud of being Roman, they felt less patriotic. This was increasingly true of soldiers who were less and less likely to be Roman citizens and more interested in simply earning money.
|
|
Military - With no strong emperor to take charge, armies made up of foreign soldiers and rivalry for power, civil wars became common within the empire. As these wars weakened the empire, outside enemies dared to threaten its boundaries. The Romans called these people barbarians. The Franks attacked Gaul. The Persians raided Asia Minor. Tribesmen attacked the Roman cities of North Africa. Far to the east, in the continent of Asia, lived a warlike tribe called the Huns. About AD 360, this tribe had begun to move west, conquering all before them.
|
Reaching the end.
By the year AD 400, the empire was split into a western empire ruled from Rome and an eastern empire ruled from Constantinople. In AD 455 an army of Vandals sailed from North Africa, invaded Italy and destroyed Rome. Famine followed and the city's population - once more than a million - fell to less than 20,000 people. The end was not long coming. In AD 476, the last Emperor of the West was overthrown by a German leader. The German's name was Odoacer. The last emperor's name was Romulus Augustulus. The Western Empire was gone forever.
While the western empire declined, the eastern empire became richer and survived for almost a thousand years. After the fall of the West, the eastern empire became known as the Byzantine Empire. Its capital city, Constantinople, became a great centre of trade, art and culture. As the centuries passed, the Byzantine Empire gradually lost its old links with Rome. For example, Greek replaced Latin as its most important language. It was not until the eighth century AD that the Byzantine Empire began slowly to lose ground to the followers of a new religion called Islam. Members of this religion, known as Muslims, followed the teachings of the prophet Mohammed. Very slowly the empire began to crumble under Muslim pressure. Finally in AD 1453, Constantinople was captured by a Muslim army.
While the western empire declined, the eastern empire became richer and survived for almost a thousand years. After the fall of the West, the eastern empire became known as the Byzantine Empire. Its capital city, Constantinople, became a great centre of trade, art and culture. As the centuries passed, the Byzantine Empire gradually lost its old links with Rome. For example, Greek replaced Latin as its most important language. It was not until the eighth century AD that the Byzantine Empire began slowly to lose ground to the followers of a new religion called Islam. Members of this religion, known as Muslims, followed the teachings of the prophet Mohammed. Very slowly the empire began to crumble under Muslim pressure. Finally in AD 1453, Constantinople was captured by a Muslim army.
|
Activity 2 - How could the decline of the Roman Empire have been prevented?
Having studied how the Empire grew and why it declined you are now an expert! Imagine you could go back in time to AD 117, what four pieces of advice would you give the new Emperor Hadrian in order to avoid the decline of his empire? It is important that you provide political, economic, social and military advice. When you have finished you can watch John Green explain the decline of the Roman Empire. Crash Course is made for older students and you will find it difficult, how much can you understand of the first five minutes? |
|
Lesson 10 – What did the Romans ever do for us?
|
Our concluding lesson looks at the long-term consequences of the Roman Empire and the ways in which it still influences our world today. As Monty Python famously illustrated (right) the Romans were responsible for many significant contributions to civilisation. For example, many roads in Europe still follow the old lines of Roman roads which really did all lead to Rome.
|
Some of our most important cities were founded by the Romans like Lausanne or Seville in Spain, Maastricht in the Netherlands, or Bratislava in Slovakia.
Some places still take their names from their Roman name, e.g. London from Londinium, Florence from Florentia and Pamplona from Pompaelo. |
|
|
In this video Adam Hart-Davis looks at a range of things the Romans developed, some of which we have already studied. He examines the military innovation and war machines. He looks closely at the roads and we find out what it actually takes to build one of these. The programme covers how they built amphitheatres and race tracks and spread sports throughout the empire. He looks at how they pioneered the mass production of glass and double glazing, and as we have already seen, they created enormous aqueducts that fed water from distant sources into the heart of their cities and bath houses, created clever heating systems, and flushing toilets.
|
But perhaps their one invention that has had the biggest impact on the modern world more than anything else is concrete (beton in French), they used it everywhere from houses to bridges, (it would set hard under water), and without it they couldn't have built the Pantheon and its vast domed roof – unsurpassed in size until the 19th century. (See below images of the Pantheon today both inside and outside.)
|
|
Perhaps the most important but least noticeable impact of the Roman Empire has been the influence on European culture. And because from the 18th century Europe dominated the World, this influence has been global.
|
For example, the calendar we use today, with 365 days in a year, is based on the one developed by Julius Caesar, the Julian calendar, introduced in 46 BC. The Julian calendar split the year for the first time into 365 days, divided into 12 months, with a leap day added to February every four years. It was revised in 1582 to the Gregorian calendar. In many languages months of the year take their names from the Roman months and some days of the week are named after Roman gods. (See right)
|
|
You can see on this example of the Roman calendar above October, November and December and also the star signs from the horoscope. Latin has influenced the way European languages such as French, Spanish, Italian and even English have developed. In science, plants, animals, insects and even mushrooms are known officially by Latin names.
Christianity was adopted as the official religion of the Roman Empire in AD 337 and remains the dominant religion in most countries which once formed a part of the Empire. In our next unit of study, the spread and influence of Christianity is going to be very important.
Christianity was adopted as the official religion of the Roman Empire in AD 337 and remains the dominant religion in most countries which once formed a part of the Empire. In our next unit of study, the spread and influence of Christianity is going to be very important.
Activity - What have the Romans ever done for us?
Using the information above and your own research, produce a two to three minute film that answers the question 'what have the Romans ever done for us?' As with your previous film, we must hear your voice and you must illustrate your film with carefully selected images/video, but otherwise you are free to use whatever film making techniques you wish. You should look to include at least three important Roman innovations that have impacted on the world today.
Using the information above and your own research, produce a two to three minute film that answers the question 'what have the Romans ever done for us?' As with your previous film, we must hear your voice and you must illustrate your film with carefully selected images/video, but otherwise you are free to use whatever film making techniques you wish. You should look to include at least three important Roman innovations that have impacted on the world today.
Some examples of student work from 2020
|
|
|
|
|