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Humanities 6 » Roman Empire
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Roman Empire
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Rome The Colosseum Roman Colloseum facts--------- Size: 6 acres of land. If all the 1 cubic foot blocks were lined up it would =700 miles First time ever: To use concrete (Secrets of concrete died with the fall of the Roman Empire....re-born in the Renaissance) Used Fired Bricks Drinking fountains Idea of a Zoo first used: exotic animals were killed to show Roman domination over the rest of the world. Some animals faces extinction because of mass killings. VOMITORIA-easy emergency escape routes so crowds can "spew out" Perfume used to sweeten the smell of death in the air Lifts, elevators, trap doors, and tunnels used for entrances Valerium-Awning to protect from sun. Used 1,000 men in unison to lower with use of drum beat (like in BEN HUR slave scene on ship). Seating: The closer you were to the killings, the better the seats (social classes) The Emperor got the "best seats"and was part of the show (thumbs up or down). Third day of grand opening: flodded for Naval battles (used aqueducts for water transport) Special Effects had to be perfect----or those putting on bad show was torn apart by animals As well as games, executions of criminals were staged (crucifixions and animals used to kill), Martyrdom for Christians or Jews (but made Christianity even more strongly popular) Big attraction of any event---THE GLADIATORS!! They fight to the death, 4 schools nearby to train the good ones and keep supply up, slaves used for exibition (freedon or death) Female gladiators also fought to the death Perhaps more than any other civilization the Romans are famed for their incredible constructions There appeared almost no limit to what they could do with stones, bricks, mortar and wood. | Colosseum Under the emperor Titus the Colosseum, which his father Vespasian had begun, was completed. It was indeed the most magnificent amphitheatre in the world. Often it is confused with the Circus Maximus (which was used for the chariot races). The Colosseum was the venue for gladiatorial and animal fights, rather than races. One thinks, the arena could even be flooded for purpose-built ships to enact naval battles. | | Roads Roman roads ran to every corner of the Roman empire. Well built, stone-covered roads laid on proper foundations. The Romans learnt early on that to control their territories they needed easy access to them. Also trade prospered (and brought in taxes) wherever there was reliable roads. Sooner or later all towns and cities of the empire were connected by an elaborate road system, which meant that from any place within the empire you could travel to Rome by road - leading to the famous phrase; 'All roads lead to Rome' | | | Aquaducts When the Romans required more water for a large town or city, but couldn't find it where it was needed, they simply built a channel to carry water from elsewhere to where it was required. Emperor Claudius even had a tunnel built through the hills to carry water from a lake into Rome. Sometimes though a valley could lie in between the place from where the water came and where it needed to go. Here the Romans simply constructed bridges for the channel to cross the valley. Mostly we refer to these as aquaeducts. Though really, the whole channel, be it such a spectacular bridge or just a pipe in the ground, is an aquaeduct. | The Empire Naturally the most obvious achievement of the Romans was their vast empire, which spread over three continents. It lasted for a long, long time.
From 625 BC to AD 476 = 1101 years ! - And if one includes the eastern Roman empire which lasted until AD 1453 it would even be 2078 years !
In comparison the United States of America only exists since 1776 - less than 250 years. | The Roman Army The Romans achieved world fame with their incredible army. It defeated pretty much everybody.
The Roman Legion was perhaps the most powerful army ever. Sure, they didn't have airplanes, tanks and battleships like today. But they were capable of defeating armies far larger than themselves, despite being equipped with the same basic weapons: shields, spears and swords. | | Founding Fathers of many Cities Europe would not be the same without the Romans.
All over the continent they founded cities which still stand today. The great city of London for example, the capital of the United Kingdom, was founded by the Romans under the name Londinium. Also the great German city of Cologne is Roman (Colonia Agrippina). In fact, the list of towns and cities founded by the Romans seems endless. | | The great Builders of Old No civilization is so identified with constructing and building things (see also The great Builders), than the Romans. Aquaeducts, roads, baths, walls, theatres, temples, arches, cities, palaces... They built a world from which later peoples still benefitted for a long time to come.
Some of their old roads are even still in use today. So too, some of their great amphitheatres. Latin, the eternal Language As the Romans conquered their empire so did they bring with them their language. The language of their army was Latin, so too was it the language of the governors and office workers in the provinces of the empire. Lasting witness to this language which was once spoken all over the ancient empire, are the many languages which in time developed from it. French, Italian, Portuguese, Rhaeto-Romantsch (spoken in the Canton Grison in Switzerland), Rumanian, Spanish... All these languages have developed out of Latin.
The Catholic church still speaks and prays in Latin today. Its head, the Pope, is still today called the Pontifex Maximus (the greatest high-priest). | Alphabet The Roman alphabet is what most of us still use today in the western world. We have added a few letters to it, like W, but it is much still the same alphabet used by the Romans.
Their numerals are not any longer in every day use. It is Arabic numbers we use today. But for inscriptions on public buildings and some other things Roman numerals are still sometimes used. | |
Ms. Hernandez
St. Francis-St. Stephen School
17 Elmwood Ave.
Geneva, NY 14456
315-789-1828
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