Life in Ancient Rome

Life in Ancient Rome

The story of Rome:

• The story of Rome began in the Eight century
  • 799-700 BC
• Two villages joined together to create Rome in 753 BC
• Rome expanded and conquered Italy in 250 BC
• Then they conquered all the land around the Mediterranean Sea
• The Roman Empire stretched from Turkey to Hadrian’s
  • Hadrian’s wall was built between Scotland and England
• They also controlled North Africa
• Rome collapsed after 600 years in 476 AD

How do Archaeologists Excavate Sites?

We know about Life in Ancient Rome because of documents and the work of Archaeologists

Archaeologist have excavated sites connected to Rome, such as in Italy and Britain.

What do we know about Roman Life from the Excavations of Pompeii and Herculaneum?

What happened at Pompeii and Herculaneum?

In 79 AD, both towns were buried under volcanic ash and lava from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius

Pliny the Younger

Over time the locations of the two towns where forgotten but letters by Pliny the Younger described what happened at the volcano

This is the only primary source of the eruption

How does this help the work of the archaeologist?

Since both towns and the people were frozen in town under layers of ash and lava.

How were the towns rediscovered?

They were discovered by accident when men were sinking a well shaft.

How were they excavated?

• The first excavations began in the 18th century
• The finds were not reported and many artefacts were taken into private collections
• Soon organised methods were used and artefacts were recorded
• Today new technology can be used to provide evidence of the people who lived in ancient Rome

Roman lives: The patrician

• Wealthy and powerful Romans
• Controlled the Roman Senate
• Lived in private houses: Domus
  • Shops were often at the front of the shop
  • Also had country villas

Patrician families

• Large family
• Father was fully in charge of the family
• Main job of the mother was to run the household
  • She gave orders to the slaves
• Marriages were usually arranged to increase family’s weath

Clothes

• $Tunic$: Worn by men and women
• $Toga$: worn by wealthy Romans
• $Stola$: worn by wealthy women

Entertainment

Public entertainment was payed by the government to keep the people happy

Colosseum

• Gladiators fought
  • Used nets, tridents, shields, swords and helmets
• Held 50,000 people

Circus Maximus

• Chariot racing
• Hippodrome

Roman baths

• Warm room
• Hot room
• Cold room

Roman lives: The Plebeian

• Lived in $insulae$
  • apartment blocks => 5-6 stories high
  • No water supply
  • No toilets
  • Great danger of fire
• Average Romans
• $Thermopolia$: take-away shops that sold hot food
• $Public fountains$ with water from $aqueducts$
• $Dole$: free supply of grain to the poor
• Ate bread and wheat biscuits

Roman lives: Roman Women

• Woman’s place => $in the home$ => under control of husband
• Job was to have children
• $Ideal woman =$> $hard-working$ and $obedient$ to her husband
• Main role was to run the house hold
  • In richer homes => gave orders to slaves
  • In poorer homes => worked in shops, markets and public baths
• Girls were allowed to $marry at 12 years of age$
• $Dowry$: money or property
• given to husbands

Roman lives: Julius Caesar

• Born in 100 BC
• Joined the army

Life and Conquests

• Married 3 times => helped his rise to power
• Created $alliances$
• Went to Spain as Governor
• Spent 8 years in Gaul
• $Conquered$ modern Belgium
• $Invaded$ Britain

Reforms

• $Changed the calendar$
  • Added 10 days
  • Created July
• $Giving land to the poor$

Roman Lives: Spartacus

Slaves in Ancient Rome

• $1.5-2 million slaves$ in Italy
• $20$
• Bought and sold at markets
• $Treatment$ varied on owner
• Slaves $rebelled$
• $Spartacus$ => lead one of the rebellions

Spartacus’s Rebellion

• Rebelled in 73 BC at $Mount Vesuvius$
• $90,000$ joined
• Defeated 2 armies sent against him
• 6,000 rebels were $crucified$

Rome: The Achievements

Concrete

• Romans mixed $lime$ with and $volcanic ash$ and $rocks$
• Reason why the $Colosseum$ and $Pantheon$ are still standing

Architecture

• $Pillars$
• $Domes$
• $Rounded Arches$

Aqueducts and water supply

• $Round arches$ => could support great wight
• $Aqueducts$ provided water for towns and cities
• $Public fountains$ so people could access water

Towns and Cities

Founded:

• Paris
• London
• Lyons
• Cologne

Used a $grid pattern$ when planning towns

• Washington and New York was based on a grid system

Language

• Spread $Latin$ everywhere they went
• Many $modern European languages$ based on Latin
  • French
  • Italian
  • Portuguese
  • Spanish

Politics

• $Democracy$

Religion

• $Latin$ used at church ceremonies

Art

• $Frescoes$
• $Sculptures$

Calendar

• $Julian calendars$ replaced $Georgian Calendar$
• Divided 365 days over 12 months