Overview

From its founding in 625 BCE to its fall in 476 CE, the Roman Empire is revered as one of the most influential and advanced
civilizations of the ancient world. Through trade and cultural diffusion, the achievements of Ancient Rome were passed all the
way to Medieval Europe. Roman architecture, sculpture, literature, and philosophy were all built on Ancient Greek models, but
then developed their own distinct elements, and created a legacy for later periods of Western civilization to build upon. Ancient
Rome is responsible for our modern concept of representative democracy, tenants of our justice system, advancements in public
health, and the beginning of Christianity.
“Ancient Rome” refers to the actual city of Rome in central Italy and also the
vast empire it established, which covered the entire Mediterranean basin and
the majority of western Europe. At its greatest extent, the empire stretched
from present-day northern England to southern Egypt. Due to the close
proximity to the Mediterranean Sea, Romans came into direct contact with
the Greeks, Carthaginians, Phoenicians, and Lydians.
Ancient Roman history begins with the Period of Kings, in which there were
increases in its physical boundaries and military prowess. In 510 BCE, Rome
became a republic. No longer ruled by kings, the Romans established a new form
of government where the upper classes ruled, in the form of male citizens called
“senators.” However, the Roman constitution, another representation of Ancient
Greece’s influence, stated that a dictator could be nominated in times of crisis,
with full authoritative power, but for a limited time. In 451 BCE, Rome
established the Twelve Tables, which was a standardized code of laws that
introduced the concepts of “innocent until proven guilty,” and equity in the eyes
of the law.
Rome continued to expand and gained control over the entire Italian peninsula by 338 BCE. Control of the Mediterranean Sea followed
that, when Rome defeated Carthage in the Punic Wars. By 51 BCE, Julius Caesar had conquered Gaul and, spurred by this military
accomplishment, Caesar named himself “dictator for life.” With senators concerned about the power Caesar had taken, he was
assassinated in 44 BCE and replaced by his heir, Augustus, who ruled alongside Mark Antony in the second Triumvirate. In 31 BCE,
Rome conquered Egypt, resulting in the death of Mark Antony and leaving Augustus as the first emperor of Rome.
Rome was an empire from 31 BCE to 476 CE. During this period, Rome saw several decades of peace, prosperity, and expansion.
However, the size of Rome led to its eventual downfall. The borders were too large to adequately defend against constant attacks by the
Germanic barbarians, the cost of the military was too high, and it started to include mercenaries. Emperor Diocletian attempted to stave
off the impending collapse by dividing the empire into eastern and western sides. Rome continued to decline until 476 CE, when the
western Roman Empire came to an end. The eastern Roman Empire, or the Byzantine Empire, attempted to continue with Roman
traditions and survived until the Turks took control of its capital city, Constantinople in 1453 CE.

Essential Questions
a) How did the structure of the Roman Republic influence modern political systems?
b) How did Rome transfer from a Republic into an Empire?
c) Was Julius Caesar the savior of Rome or the destroyer of the Republic?
d) How has Roman culture affected the development of Western civilization?
e) How did Christianity begin and how did its relationship with Rome change over time?
f) What were the major causes for the fall of the Roman Empire?
g) How did the Byzantine empire try to create a “New Rome?”
 Geography of Ancient Rome
Directions: Color and label the bodies of water, countries/regions, geography, and cities on the map and on the key below. Trace the rivers in blue and label
alongside them. Draw evenly spaced slanted lines to show the geographical features. Draw a black dot and label for the cities. Be sure to color in the boxes
next to the countries/regions and geography in the map key.
What was the language the Romans used?

How similar is it to English?

How do you write Roman numerals? Give some examples.

Geography

• _____________________ – midway point of the Mediterranean

• Rome is located halfway b/n the ________________ & Italy’s southern tip
• ___________________ River – woven into the legend of Romulus and Remus
• Fewer mountains & less rugged than ____________________
• __________________ land

Early Settlers

Group Where they settled

Native to ________________________
Colonized southern ________________ and _________________
Built the original _________________ at Rome

People in Rome

Wealthy _______________ who held most of the _____________

Common _______________, artisans, & _______________ who
made up the majority of the population

Roman Contributions:
The Roman Republic

• Roman _________________ established in 509 B.C. E

• ____________________ = a form of government in which power rests with _____________ who
have the right to _________________ for their leaders.

Branches of Government

• _____________________
• _____________-makers
• 300 members
• Proposed _________________
• _____________________ term
• Nominated __________________
• Consul
• ___________ officials
• ____________________ term
• During ________________, one was chosen to act as a _______________

A Dictator for Rome

• _____________________: elected during a crisis to rule for ________ months

• Could be appointed by ___________________ or magistrate
• Had __________________ authority

The 12 Tables

• Until _________________ there were no written laws

• What are the disadvantages of an unwritten law code?

• The Twelve _________________ or _________________ were created

• Written _________________ that was carved on 12 tablets.
• Established the idea that all free _________________ had a right to protection of the law.
Plebeians Rising

• Tribunes were _________________ to protect _________________ interests

• Had ____________ power.
• Veto is a Latin word meaning “_________________________”

Legacy of Trubunes

• _________________ gained access to high offices & senate

• Didn’t have to use war or _________________ to gain power
• _________________ adopts senate, veto, & checks on power
Name: ___________________________________

Early Rome: A Blend of Cultures

Italy is a peninsula in the Mediterranean Sea to the west of Greece. Greece and Rome
share similar climates of warm, dry summers and mild winters. Unlike Greece,
Italy does not have very good mineral resources or harbors. Italy, however, is
less mountainous than Greece, is easier to travel through, and has much
fertile land. It is no surprise that Rome was founded as an agricultural
society while Greece had to rely on trade and the seas to survive.

The Italian Peninsula is more closely linked to the rest of Europe

than Greece is. While a mountain range known as the Alps to the
north is a natural barrier, many tribes crossed into Italy or sailed
and established colonies on its shores (including the Greeks!). The
early Romans developed a strong military to defend against raids
and a navy to defend ships using the Mediterranean for travel.

It is believed that, after Rome was

founded by Romulus, the Romans began
to expand and conquer neighboring tribes called the Latins and Etruscans. While
Greeks sought to spread their own culture, early Romans were very adaptable
and borrowed ideas from everyone they met. They learned metalworking
and architecture (especially using arches) from the Etruscans, learned how to
grow grapes and olives from the Greek colonies, borrowed the alphabet and
language from the Latins, and even developed a religion based on Latin and
Greek deities.

Rome gradually expanded but was still controlled by Etruscan kings. Romans
wanting their own identify and unhappy with paying tribute to a harsh ruler
overthrew the Etruscan king in 509 BCE and founded a new government called a
republic. They swore to never again be ruled by a king and instead let the
people elect leaders to lead and serve the best interests of Rome. This was
the beginning of what is known as the Roman Republic.

Vocabulary
Peninsula (noun): a body of land jutting into and nearly surrounded by water.
Deities (noun): gods/goddesses
Republic (noun): a form of government in which power is held by citizens who vote on their leaders
 Early Rome: A Blend of Cultures
1. What is the main idea of this passage?
The Greeks and Romans share a common history.
The Romans developed their identity by learning from those around them.
Italy is a harder place to live than Greece.
Romans learned to overthrow their kings from the ideas of the Greeks.

2. Why did the Romans develop a military and navy?

To conquer the Greeks and Gauls to the north
To teach young men the skills they need to survive
To lead pilgrims to the Holy Lands east of Greece
To defend against raiding tribes in Italy

3. Complete the Venn Diagram below with at least 3 facts in each space based on your prior knowledge
and the passage:

Greek Geography Roman Geography

4. How did the Italian Peninsula’s geography allow a large civilization such as Rome to develop and grow?

5. According to the passage, what was the main difference in how the Greeks and Romans conquered other
peoples?
Introduction: The Twelve Tables stood at the foundation of Roman law. The Tables consolidated earlier
traditions into an enduring set of laws and were written about 450 BCE after the expulsion of the last king of
Rome and a long social struggle between patricians and plebeians. Displayed in the Forum, The Twelve
Tables stated the rights and duties of the Roman citizen. The following laws have been excerpted and
reworded from the original Twelve Tables of Ancient Rome.

• If you are called to go to court, you must go. If you don’t show up, you can
be taken to court by force.

• If you need a witness to testify and he will not show up, you can go once
every three days and shout in front of his house.

• Females shall remain in guardianship even when they have attained their
majority.

• Should a tree on a neighbor's farm bend, crooked by the wind and lean
over your farm, you may take legal action for removal of that tree.

• If it’s your tree, it’s your fruit, even if it falls on another man’s land.

• If anyone sings or composes an incantation [a magic spell] that can cause

dishonor or disgrace to another ... he shall suffer a capital penalty.

• A person who had been found guilty of giving false witness shall be hurled
down from the Tarpeian Rock.

• No person shall hold meetings by night in the city.

• A dead man shall not be buried or burned within the city.

• Marriages should not take place between plebeians and patricians.*

*As time went on, this law was changed. When the tables were first written, this was the law.

Source: The Avalon Project. https://avalon.law.yale.edu/ancient/twelve_tables.asp

 Introduction: The Babylonian King Hammurabi is best known for his code of laws, which were written
between 1792 to 1750 BCE. Hammurabi used the code of laws to unify his empire in Mesopotamia and to
preserve order. He based the laws not just on his own authority, but on the word of the gods. He claimed
that the gods had told him to create the laws that applied to everyone in the empire. Because they were
based on the gods’ will, the laws could not be changed. The following laws have been excerpted and
reworded from the original.

22. If any one is committing a robbery and is caught, then he shall be put to death.

23. If the robber is not caught, then shall he who was robbed claim under oath the
amount of his loss; then shall the community, and . . . on whose ground and territory
and in whose domain it was compensate him for the goods stolen.

117. If a man be in debt and is unable to pay his creditors, he shall sell his wife, son, or
daughter, or bind them over to service. For three years they shall work in the houses of
their purchaser or master; in the fourth year they shall be given their freedom.

143. If a wife has been… neglecting her house and belittling her husband, they shall
throw that woman into the water.

195. If a son has struck his father, they shall cut off his hand.

196. If a man put out the eye of another man, his eye shall be put out. [An eye for an
eye ]

198. If he destroyed the eye of a peasant, or broken a bone of a peasant, he shall pay one
mina of silver.

199. If he destroyed the eye of a man’s slave, or broken a bone of a man’s slave, he
shall pay half his value.

229. If a builder builds a house for a man and does not make its construction sound, and
the house which he has built collapses and causes the death of the owner of the house,
the builder shall be put to death.

Source: The Avalon Project https://avalon.law.yale.edu/ancient/hamframe.asp

Name _____________________________________

1. Based on the laws included here, what are some of the problems you imagine that existed in
these societies?

2. How did the laws attempt to solve these problems?

3. Compare the two codes of laws using the Venn Diagram below:
 Vocabulary
Directions: Write the definition for each word in the middle column and draw a picture to represent each in the 3rd column.

12 Tables

Aqueduct

Consul

Disciple

Pax Romana

Patrician

Plebeian

Republic

Tribune
 Timeline of Ancient Rome & the Byzantine Empire
Directions: Place the following events on the timeline and draw images or symbols for at least four of them.
Western Roman Empire falls (476 CE) Justinian builds Hagia Sophia (523 CE) Twelve Tables are established (449 BCE)
Rome sacks Carthage (146 BCE) Jesus crucified by Roman government (30 CE) Augustus becomes 1st emperor (27 BCE
Edict of Milan (325 CE) Caesar declared Dictator for Life (45 BCE) Empire divided by Diocletian (285 CE)
Aqueducts first built (312 BCE) The Hippodrome is completed (330 CE) Rome becomes a Republic (509 BCE)
500 BCE 400 BCE 300 BCE 200 BCE 100 BCE 0 CE 100 CE 200 CE 300 CE 400 CE 500 CE 600 CE
In what era do you feel that Ancient Rome reached its peak? Explain your selection.
What did the ancient Romans eat? If your answer is pasta or “Before the dinner proper came sea
pizza, you are in for a surprise! hedgehogs; fresh oysters, as many as the
guests wished; large mussels…field fares
Back in the old days, the Romans ate three times a day, just with asparagus; fattened fowls; oyster
like us. Both their breakfast and lunch were quite simple. For and mussel pasties; black and white sea
their first meal, they would usually have bread with honey or acorns…boar's ribs; fowls dressed with
watered down wine. (The Romans thought it rude to drink flour; becaficoes [songbird]; purple
wine straight up.) For their second meal, they would eat bread shellfish of two sorts. The dinner itself
with cheese, dates, fruits, and occasionally, some meat. The consisted of sows' udder; boar's head;
two modest fares were enough to aid them for a day of hard fish-pasties; boar-pasties; ducks; boiled
work. At dusk, they headed back home to enjoy their main teals; hares; roasted fowls; starch pastry;
meal, dinner. and Pontic pastry.”
The Romans loved to hold dinner parties. Before their guests - Microbius, describing a Roman feast
arrived, they would have their servants arrange three couches
around every low dining table. Each couch could hold up to
three people. The Romans had an interesting dining habit. They liked to eat while lying down!

Just as each dressed-up guest took up a spot on the couches, the servants began to bring out food and lay it
on the tables. On the menu were three courses - appetizer, main course, and dessert. Each course could
consist of several dishes. The Romans ate all sorts of vegetables, fruits, and meats. They liked olives,
asparagus, mushrooms, beans, and broccoli. They liked apples, pears, figs, dates, and grapes. They liked
fish, oysters, lobster, eggs, poultry, and pork. They rarely ate beef. And they did not know about potatoes
or tomatoes. The Romans put a lot of sauce in their food. They especially liked garum. Garum was a
condiment made from fish, salt, and herbs. It could be bought ready-made from a marketplace. At dinner
parties, the guests were often served exotic food. They might have boiled ostriches. They might have
roasted flamingoes. Or they might even have stuffed dormice sprinkled with honey and poppy seed.

No matter what was on the menu, the guests could always count on having a tasty treat. When the feast
finally began, everybody dug in - truly. As there were no table knives or forks back then, people ate
mostly with their hands. Sometimes, they ate with spoons, too.
Dinner parties in ancient Rome could go on for hours. And they cost a lot of money. Besides the food, the
hosts would need to prepare many varieties of wine. They would also need to hire clowns, dancers, or
musicians to perform in between courses. When the guests finally rose to leave - hopefully all stuffed,
drunk, and well entertained, the hosts were left with piles of dirty dishes and high bills.

Since dinner parties were costly, only a few in ancient Rome could
afford them. Most people were poor. They lived on government
subsidies. Without even having kitchens in their apartments,
many ate take-out or used communal ovens. For the
commoners, bread was their staple food. Meats were
for special occasions only. For them, boiled
ostriches, roasted flamingoes, or stuffed
dormice were things far beyond their
wildest imagination!
Name ___________________________________

1. Which meal was the most important one for the ancient Romans?

2. Which of the following did the ancient Romans not eat?

a. Grilled fish
b. Boiled chicken
c. Mashed potatoes
d. Roasted pork

3. If a host invited 15 people to a dinner party, how many couches did he need to prepare?
a. 3
b. 5
c. 9
d. 15

4. Which of the following about the ancient Romans' dinner parties is true?
a. The guests ate while lying down on couches.
b. Each guest was served one type of appetizer, one main course, and one dessert.
c. The guests needed to bring their own wine.
d. The hosts would ask the guests to share some expenses.

5. Compare a Roman dinner to your dinner on the Venn Diagram below:

Roman Legions
• All __________________citizens who owned land required to serve in army
• __________________: group of 6000 men
• Well-trained, __________________
• Treated conquered people pretty well
The First Punic War
• __________________– competing with Rome for trade, control
• Carthage has strong __________________, Rome builds one to fight it
• Rome wins, gains _____________
The Second Punic War
• __________________
• General from __________________
• Went through ___________& ___________to attack Rome by land
• Terrorized the __________________countryside
• Finally defeated by ______________back in ______________
The Third Punic War
• Romans still not __________________after 50 years of peace
• “Carthago delenda est”
__________________must be destroyed!
• Romans attack AND burn __________________, __________________people
• Rome now controls the __________________
Problems in the Republic
• ________________complain of corrupt officials
• Wealthy ________________take land from small farmers
• ________________are used on big farms (__________________)
• Pushes small __________________and __________________into cities
• Gap between __________________and __________________widens
• The _____________revolt
• ______________revolt too
• _________________led rebellion of 70,000 slaves against Rome
•
Reform Attempts
2 ______________try to help

• __________________Gracchus
• Wanted to give _____________to the poor
• BUT, he was _____________by the ______________
• __________________Gracchus
• Same reforms, same fate
The Army Changes
• Paid, equipped soldiers (___________________)
• Gave land to _______________
• This is the beginning of a __________________fighting force
• Soldiers become more loyal to __________________than __________________!!
 Roman Society Document Analysis
Directions: Read the following documents then complete the chart to help you address
the document analysis task - Evaluate the positive and negative aspects of Roman
society.

Document 1
Source: Epitaph [tombstone inscription] of Cornelius Scipio Hispanus, member of the
patrician class, c. 135 B.C.E.

By my good conduct, I heaped honor upon the honor of my family;

I had children, and I tried to equal the deeds of my father;
I won the praise of my ancestors and made them glad I was born;
My own virtue has made noble my family tree.

Document 2
Source: Diodorus, Greek historian, The History of the World, 30 B.C.E.

Their bodies are worn down from working in the mine shafts both day and night.
Many die because of the terrible treatment they suffer. They are given no rest or
break from their work but are forced by the whiplashes of their overseers to endure
the most dreadful hardships….They often pray more for death than for life.

Document 3
Source: Seneca the Younger, philosopher, Letters, 60 C.E.

There is nothing more harmful to one’s character than going to one of these
[gladiatorial games]. … When I come home from one, I find that I am greedier and
more aggressive….I am more cruel.

1
 Document 4
Source: State Regulation on the sale of surplus grain, circa 97 C.E.

Whereas the [officials] of the most illustrious colony of Antioch have written to me
that on account of the severity of the winter the price of grain has soared…all who
are either citizens or residents of the colony of Antioch shall declare…within thirty
days after this edict of mine is posted in public, how much grain he has and in what
place…and he shall make all the remaining grain available to purchasers of the colony
of Antioch….it is most unjust for anyone to profiteer from the hunger of his fellow
citizens, I forbid the price to exceed…

Document 5
Source: Livy, Roman historian, writing about an event sometime in the 1st century
C.E. about an event that happened around 200 B.C.E.

The law said that no woman might own more than half an ounce of gold nor wear a
multicoloured dress nor ride in a carriage in a city or in a town within a mile of it,
unless there was a religious festival [Note: the law was passed to raise money in
order to defend from Hannibal’s attacks during the Second Punic War]. The
tribunes…said that they would not allow its repeal….The matrons, whom neither
counsel nor shame nor their husbands’ order could keep at home, blockaded every
street in the city and every entrance to the Forum. As the men came down to the
Forum, the matrons besought to let them, too, have back the luxuries they had
enjoyed before, giving as their reason that the republic was thriving and that
everyone’s private wealth was increasing with every day. This crowd of women was
growing daily, for now they were even gathering from the towns and villages. Before
long they dared go up and solicit consuls, praetors, and other magistrates [officials].

2
 Document 6
Source: Juvenal, Roman writer, about his friend’s decision to leave Rome, 112 C.E.

Since at Rome there is no place for honest pursuits, no profit to be got by honest toil
– my fortune is less today than it was yesterday, and tomorrow must again make that
little less….It is that the city is become Greek…that I cannot tolerate; and yet how
small the proportion even of the dregs of Greece! Syrian Orontes has long since
flowed into the Tiber, and brought with it its language, morals, and the crooked harps
with the flute-player, and its national tambourines, and girls made to stand for hire at
the Circus. Go thither, you who fancy a barbarian harlot with embroidered turban.”

Document 7
Source: Fan Yeh, Chinese traveler, upon visiting the Roman city of Antioch, circa 150
C.E.

The defences of cities are made of stone. The postal stations and mile-stones on the
roads are covered with plaster. There are pine and cypress trees and all kinds of other
trees and plants. The people are much bent on agriculture, and practice the planting
of trees and the rearing of silk-worms. They cut the hair of their heads, wear
embroidered clothing, and drive in small carriages covered with white
canopies…They are honest in their transactions, and there are no double prices.
Cereals are always cheap. The budget is based on a well-filled treasury.

3
 SOAPS-Tone Chart for Roman Society Document Analysis
Directions: Complete the chart based on your analysis of the documents

Document # Subject Occasion Audience Purpose Speaker Tone