Hannah

Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome is a very interesting topic. I wanted my project to show how the Romans lived, what they ate, and what they did. I got information on everything about Rome. I selected Rome because it was a great empire. Many famous people lived in this period in history. Also, since there is so much to learn about Rome, I thought it would be a fruitful topic. I hoped to learn many great things about Rome. I hoped to learn how the Roman Empire rose and fell, as well as how people lived and how they were different from us. I was most interested in Ancient Rome's gods and goddesses. I learned that I hoped to learn. Everything turned out as I expected. I did most of my research out of books. The computer was the most difficult to use because it had a lot of unuseful sites or information that I already knew. Books were the most helpful because it was easy to find whatever I needed and the information was reliable. Books are the most helpful resource to my project. The Romans loved food. A typical feast consisted of a three course meal of an assortments of many foods. On special feast days,a rich Roman could have a nine course meal. The poor typically ate bread, porridge, and wheat. Food was cooked on charcoal stoves. Only rich Romans had kitchens in their villas. In apartments, you could not cook because it was too dangerous. The first course consisted of cooked dormouse, stuffed olives and prunes, and peacock's eggs with a sauce. The second course consists of deer, ostrich, chicken, lobster, doves, baby pigs, and a boar's head, the last course, of the meal, dessert was served. It consisted of a big glass bowl of fruit, stuffed dates, and honey cakes. After dinner, the Romans would drink wine for their health. The Romans traded by river. Most of the goods brought to Rome were wine from France, wool from Britain, animal hides from Germany, oil from Spain, pottery from Syria, perfumes from North Africa, horses from Eastern Europe, silk from China, ivory from East Africa, and grain from Egypt. Fruit, honey, olive oil, sheep, wild animals, jewels, gold, silver, bronze, furniture, glass, pottery, lamps, tin, lead, cloth, purple dye, parchment, and marble were the items that Romans traded. The Romans traded many things. Not every Roman child went to school. Some children just stayed at home and worked. If a child could go to school they would learn Latin and Roman numerals up to ten. ( I, II, III, IV, V, VI,VII, VIII, IX, X ). Usually Greeks were the school masters because the Romans thought that the Greeks were smarter than they were. Also, only boys had to go to school. Girls usually stayed at home. The Romans did not all get an education. Romans believed in many different gods and goddesses. They had a god for every problem they encountered. They even had a fever god! Jupiter was king of the gods. He controlled thunder and lightning. His wife, Juno, was goddess of women and childbirth. Venus, was goddess of love and beauty. Apollo was god of music, healing, and prophecy. Neptune was the god of the sea. Mars was the god of war. Apollo's sister, Diana, was goddess of hunting. Vulcan was god of forges and craftsmanship. Ceres was goddess of earth and agriculture. ( Most commonly known as mother earth). Dis of the under world, Bacchus of wine, and Minerva of crafts and war were the main gods. Each god or goddess usually had a special helper or guardian. Dis had a three headed dog that guarded the gates to the underworld. Mother Earth had wood fairies plant a special tree grove for her. Every other country or place laughed at Rome for all of its gods and goddesses. Those are some of Rome's gods and goddesses. Rome had a great army. It's army was one of the biggest armies in the world. It consisted of as many as 450,000 men. The army was usually divided into legions of about 5,000 men, six corborts of eight hundred man each, ten centures of eighty men each, and ten contuberinas of eight man each. The army was the reason Rome became a vast empire. Soldiers would serve for twenty five years, if they were full time. an armor would consist of a dagger, leather tunic, shield, leather sandals, metal armor, helmet, and spear. The Roman army was an important part of Rome. Roman people had many different jobs. A very popular job was the common foot soldier. They would serve for twenty five years and their wages were very high. Another popular job was being a tavern owner. A governor would not be a good choice and not many people got picked to be one. Jobs usually did not get good wages because most people were too poor to give wages and if someone got their hands on good money, they would keep it. Romans had many different jobs. The Roman baths were well known. In the baths, Romans did more that just wash themselves. They would wrestle, eat, swim, get a massage, or go into a sauna. When they did get into the baths, there were three different temperatures, all heated by a hypocast system. The three rooms were called the calldarium (hot), tepidarium (warm), and frigidarium (cold). Romans did not have soap, so they washed themselves by rubbing oil on their skin and scraping their skin clean with tools called strigites. Roman baths were very important to the lives of ordinary Roman people. Roman clothing always changed. Usually, what one wore depended on their rank. If one was a senator, he would have to wear a purple edged toga. Women wore brightly colored stolas and pallas. All women wore gold rings, hairpins, earrings, necklaces, brooches, anklets, and bracelets. Sometimes, the Roman women wore wigs from their slaves' hair. They lightened their faces, necks, and arms with powdered chalk because pale skin was thought to be beautiful. Women would color their lips with red plant dye. A fashionable man would oil and curl his hair. A young boy would wear a traditional toga. Roman clothing was status dependent. Rome was a great empire. It started out in Italy and stretched to the land surrounding the Mediterranean Sea and most of Europe. In 395 AD Rome became too big for one emperor to rule, so it was divided into an eastern and western empire. The western empire fell in 395 AD and the eastern empire fell in 1453 AD, which is when the Roman Empire ended. Rome was a great and vast empire in it's time. Romans had many myths about how Rome came to be. The most famous myth is the story of Romulus and Remus. When their mother gave birth to them their uncle threw them in a river. He was afraid that they might come to overthrow him, for he was king. While traveling down the river, a she-wolf was attracted to the babies cries. Instead of eating them, she fed them with her own milk until a shepherd came and took them home. When they grew up, and realized who they were, they overthrew their uncle and reclaimed their kingdom. The twins soon grew bored of being princes of their kingdom and decided to build their own city. Romulus and Remus had a fight about what to name it. Romulus killed Remus and said, "That is what will happen to anyone who crosses my cities border." He named the city Rome, after himself. Roman's myths usually were not true but they are fun to read about. Romans had many different myths. How a Roman was treated depended on their rank in society. A very wealthy and highly respected person was called patricians. All citizens were called cives and non-citizens were called periginis. Plebeians were usually farmers or traders. The highest rank possible would be the emperor. The lowest rank possible was a slave. Slaves had no rights, and were usually prisoners of war. Freed slaves, or freedmen, were usually shop owners or they had regular jobs, such as being a carpenter. The next highest rank was a knight. Knight's were rich equites or businessmen who had important jobs in the army and government. Senators were very rich and important men. The emperor was the highest rank possible. The most rich and powerful in Rome was the most important citizen. While rich Romans are carried in litters, poor Romans walk around with out any shoes. Roman houses varied greatly . Most Romans did not have their own home. they lived in apartments owned by landlords. The best rooms were on the bottom floor and the worst were an the top floor. Only rich Romans, such as senators, could have their own house, which is called a villa. Very rich Romans could have a well or kitchen in their home. Wells were very expensive because most Romans got their water water source from public wells and other bodies of water. Most homes had shops or taverns in the front of them with the living space in the back. Roman houses could be very different. Romans made many inventions. One such invention is something that construction workers use today. Concrete was a Roman invention. Romans were smart with other things as well. Since Romans used so much water, they needed a way to transport all of that water to the bath houses. What solve the problem was something called an aqueduct. One of these aqueducts used to transport clean water all the way to the people of Nimes, which is now France, from over twenty five miles away. Romans had many different inventions. There were many different people who lived in Rome. One of the most famous Romans was Julius Caesar. Though he was murdered in 44 BC, he is still alive in our minds. Julius Caesar became well-known for his amazing life and brutal death. Even in Ancient Rome, Julius Caesar was thought to be a god, because he was an aqueduct. One of these aqueducts used to transport clean water all the way to the people of Nimes, which is now France, from over twenty five miles away. Romans had many different inventions. There were many different people who lived in Rome. One of the most famous Romans was Julius Caesar. Though he was murdered in 44 BC, he is still alive in our minds. Julius Caesar became well-known for his amazing life and brutal death. Even in Ancient Rome, Julius Caesar was thought to be a god, because he was Caesar's place as the new emperor. Civil war soon broke out and finally Octavian, Caesar's adopted son, was given rule of Ancient Rome. After he became emperor in 30 BC, he was given the mew name of Augustus Caesar. Julius Caesar was a great Roman. I chose to do a short biography of Julius Caesar because he had such an interesting life. He was very determined but he did not listen and became ignorant to the other senators,who killed him. He was very rich and powerful, but mostly respected after he became a senator. His greatest accomplishment was becoming a well known senator and his untimely death. By reading about him, I looked at the way of Roman life a little differently. That helped my project because I could see a different point of view of Roman life. Julius Gauius Caesar was an important part of Roman history. There are many different jobs linked to to the study of Ancient Rome. A very important job is that of an archaeologist. Archaeologists uncover many artifacts to learn more about ancient life. All of these artifacts help unlock another door to this ancient civilization. Professors teach others different characteristics about this Ancient World. They have to study and go to a special college for at least four years. They need at least a bachelors degree and probably a masters as well. Archaeologists have to learn how to dig up fragile objects without hurting them. They also have to learn about different Ancient civilizations or just one that they will focus on. They also have to go to college on the field of archaeology for at least four years and get a masters degree. Ancient Rome has many different jobs connected to it. This project has done many things for me. I learned so much from this project about Ancient Rome. When I started, I thought this project would be easy, I found out that researching Rome is no walk in the park. If I had more time to work I probably would make all the paragraphs on my report longer, though I am happy with the results of this project. I would learn a lot more about common Romans and put more energy into doing that. This project has done many things for me, as a person.   Glossary Amphitheater - An arena for gladiator fights. Ancient Rome - One of the greatest empires there ever was. Bulla - A golden good luck charm a child is given at birth toward off evil spirits. Citizen - Roman men born in Rome. Equites - Business men Hypocast - A furnace that spreads hot air to the floors of the bath houses and Roman villas. Latin - The language of Ancient Rome. Litter - A special covered chair for rich man and women. Mosaic - A pattern of brightly colored stone or tile. Palla - A colorful robe on top of a stola. Perigini - A foreigner. Senate - Rome's parliament, made of senators. Stola - A simple Roman dress for women.   Bibliography Ardagh, Philip. (2000). The Romans. New York. Bietsy, Stephen. (2003). Rome. Oxford. James, Simon. (1990). Ancient Rome. Great Britain. Malam, John. (1999). The Traveler's Guide To Ancient Rome. New York. Unknown Author. History For Kids. [Online] Available http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/romans/index.htm, December 17, 2004 .

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