The Story of Rome

Rome began its rise by conquering all of Italy 250BC.
Eventually, the Roman Empire expanded to stretch from Hadrins Wall, controlling all lands around the Mediterranean.

Roman towns were designed in a grid pattern.
Major buildings included:
- Forum: A central public space in ancient Rome where various activities took place.
- Amphitheatre: A large venue for entertainment events.
- Public Baths: Facilities for socializing and hygiene.

The Roman society was divided mainly into two classes:
- Patricians: Wealthy Romans who controlled the Senate and made laws.
- Plebian: The majority of the population, comprising laborers and craftsmen.

Housing: Patricians lived in two types of residences:
- Domus: Urban house in the city.
- Villa: Countryside estate.
Atrium: An open courtyard often featuring a pool to catch rainwater, serving as the center of the home.
- Behind the atrium was often a Peristylium: A garden surrounded by columns.
Hypocaust: An underground heating system often found in wealthier homes.

The father held full authority within the household.
The mother's primary roles included:
- Bearing children.
- Ordering slaves.
Marriage Customs:
- Marriages were usually arranged to increase wealth, with girls marrying as young as 12.

Attire:
- Men wore short sleeve, knee-length tunics, often with a toga for the wealthy.
- Women wore a Stola over their tunic.
Dining:
- Meals typically consisted of three courses, including foods like eggs, sea urchins, pork, and dormice.
- Slaves served food, and magicians would entertain during meals.

The majority of Romans (Plebeians) lived in Insulae, tall apartment blocks made of wood.
- The poorest families occupied upper floors, which were less desirable because of poor living conditions.

:Amenities

Tenants had to use public toilets and collect water from public fountains supplied by aqueducts.
Rubbish disposal involved throwing waste out of windows onto the streets.
Fire Hazards: Insulae posed significant fire risks.

Thermopolia: Shops that sold hot food, serving as a convenient meal option for the public.
Emperors provided a Dole: A monthly free grain supply for citizens.

Poor women often worked in marketplaces, shops, and public baths.
Wealthy women managed their households,
Educated daughters from rich families attended primary school and were prepared for marriage at 12.
The bride's family was responsible for providing a Dowry to the groom's family, which had to be returned in the case of a divorce.

Gained military prowess by joining the Roman army, expanding the empire to include Belgium and Britain.
Elected himself as dictator of Rome.
Reformed the calendar, changing the year from 355 days to 356
Assassinated by the Senate in 44 BC.

The Roman army consisted of approximately 150,000 soldiers, divided into 30 legions, each legion comprising about 5,000 soldiers (legionaries).
Military leadership was under the command of Centurions.
Uniforms: Soldiers had to fund their own uniforms from their wages.
Training: Included physical fitness activities, such as running, javelin throwing, and sword fighting, often in armor.
Discipline: Disobedience could lead to flogging, and suspected mutineers faced severe punishment, where every tenth man could be executed.

Slaves made up about 20% of the population.
Slaves could be purchased in markets or acquired through warfare, while many were born into slavery.
Common tasks performed by slaves included labor on farms and in urban households, particularly in the domus.
Slave owners had the power of life and death over their slaves, with some experiencing harsh treatment while others could attain freedom through Manumission.
Notable slave rebellions occurred, such as that led by Spartacus.

Rome was known for its public spectacles.
Gladiator Fights: Held in amphitheaters, large structures with seating for up to 80,000 people (e.g., the Colosseum).
- Gladiators were often slaves or criminals who fought each other or animals using various weapons such as swords, nets, tridents, shields, and daggers.
- Fights sometimes resulted in death.
Chariot Racing: Took place in the Circus Maximus, which could host up to 250,000 people. Teams were identified by colors: red, blue, green, and white, racing seven times around the track.
Attendance was from both plebeians and patricians.

Roman baths were a common daily routine for many citizens, featuring:
- Tepidarium: A medium warm room.
- Caldarium: A hot room.
- Frigidarium: A cold room for cooling down after bathing.
Romans applied oil to their bodies, which was subsequently scraped off with a tool known as a Strigil.

At the age of seven, the children of patricians attended Ludus primary schools:
- They used wooden tablets coated in wax for writing and an abacus for calculations.
Boys could continue to secondary school to learn subjects such as history, geometry, and philosophy, as well as the works of prominent Greek and Latin authors.
Some students were specifically trained in public speaking, particularly for political purposes.

Roman religion was polytheistic, featuring a pantheon of gods and goddesses, similar to those of Greek mythology, although often with different names.
Houses, especially domus, featured a Lararium: a household shrine dedicated to a guardian spirit.

Some Romans believed that spirits were ferried across the River Styx to the underworld by Charon, the ferryman.
Upon death, a coin was placed in the deceased's mouth as payment to Charon.
Patricians were typically dressed in a toga, carried by relatives, and then cremated. The ashes were placed in an urn in the lararium.

Romans initially viewed Christianity as a threat due to its divergence from traditional Roman beliefs.
Early Christian practices included holding ceremonies and funerals in underground passageways known as Catacombs.
Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity, legalizing it and leading to its establishment as the predominant religion in the Roman Empire by the 4th century AD.