Chapter 5 - The Roman Empire

Question 1

How do we know so much about the Romans?

Answer 1

Extensive remains found at Pompeii (ash + pumice) + Herculaneum (lava + mud)
(Ash + mud preserve objects)

Question 2

What was the class system in Ancient Rome?

Answer 2

Freeborn –> citizens
Citizens had the right to vote, find work + travel from place to place (two groups, Patricians + Plebeians)
Slaves were at bottom of social scale
Patricians wealth often show by number of slaves he owned
Slaves weren’t free, had to wear an identity tag with their masters name on it in case they tied to escape

Question 3

What work was done in Ancient Rome?

Answer 3

1. Patricians directed most work but did very little
2. Most wealthy Romans enjoyed free time + could spend afternoons at baths/attending games
3. Less well-off but educated Romans worked as doctors, architects + teachers
4. Plebeians worked in shops/as tradesmen e.g. carpenters/jewellers/bakers - had to work hard to make enough money to live off, could rarely afford a day off
5. Hardest and dirtiest work done by slave

Question 4

In what ways did people become slaves,

Answer 4

1. Many captured in battle 2. Others bought + sold by traders that captured them from far away lands
2. Sometimes criminals sentenced to life of slavery as punishment for serious offence
3. Other simply because born to slave parents

Question 5

What kind of work were slaves expected to do?

Answer 5

1. Depending on skills, could be trusted as child carers, teachers, cooks or doctors
2. Many Greek scholars bought as tutors for private education of rich children
3. Slaves with these kind of skills often treated with respect + were often able to earn freedom within certain period of time
4. Also quite common for masters to set slaves free in wills

Question 6

How were slaves freed?

Answer 6

A special ceremony called manumission

1. Slaves set free by being touched with special stick called vindicta
2. Also wore cap of liberty (strange looking straw cap) as sign of freedom

Question 7

What was life usually like for uneducated slaves without many skills?

Answer 7

Pure misery

1. Forced to carry out tough manual labour in salt quarries + mines - often died at young age because conditions were so bad
2. These workers usually bought at a slave market - paraded in front of masters to be bought/rejected, stronger + younger slaves always more expensive
3. Others chosen to become gladiators - offered better conditions during training + path to freedom for some, but most died before benefits

Question 8

Describe the house of a rich Roman

Answer 8

1. Called a domus, mostly one story
2. Beyond doorway was atrium with impluvium + opening in roof, usually peristyle at rear
3. Little furniture, mainly beds + benches to sit on
4. Beautifully decorated, with murals + mosaics inside, but plain from outside (walls often covered with graffiti) with small outside windows (partly to make House more difficult to break into)
5. Many private houses had own water supply by paying to have lead pipe connected to aqueduct system

Question 9

Describe the housing of most Romans

Answer 9

1. Most lived in high rise flats called insulate
2. Some in good condition + rented by reasonably paid tradesmen/government officials, but majority of romans weren’t rich + lived in appalling conditions in apartment blocks with no running water/toilets
3. Some could be 5/6 stories high - the higher you went, the cheaper the rent was
4. Rubbish + sewage carried down/thrown out window onto street below, so stepping stones placed along street at regular intervals so people could cross road

Question 10

Discuss arts and crafts in Ancient Rome

Answer 10

Ancient Rome had many skilled craftsmen

1. Mosaic-making needed great skill + practice, thought that artists would visit homes of rich romans w/ pattern book so they could choose design for mosaic/fresco in their house
2. Also skilled potters - thousands of red clay pots which would be sold in local shops/at the market in the forum
3. Romans discovered art of glass blowing - enabled them to shape glass into useful everyday items e.g. drinking glasses + bottles

Question 11

Name three popular pastimes of the Romans

Answer 11

1. Circus Maximus
2. The Colosseum
3. The Baths

Question 12

Describe the Circus Maximus + what happened there

Answer 12

1. The greatest venue for chariot racing in a Rome, had capacity for 250,000 spectators
2. 4 teams in Rome: Blues, Greens, Whites + Reds - each team had own group of fanatical supporters who wore colours with pride (football, rivals occasionally clashed)
3. Race consisted of 7 laps around oval shaped track - few rules, crashes common
4. Charioteers had to be strapped in to prevent falling out as chariot rounded sharp bends - but each driver carried knife to cut themselves free from wreckage after crash

Question 13

Describe the Colosseum + what happened there

Answer 13

1. Most impressive amphitheatre, could sit 50,000 + was used to stage gladiator fights
2. Audience used to watch from simple wooden stands, but later large oval stone stadiums known as amphitheatres built
3. Gladiators usually slaves/criminals/men who owed money, + were trained in special schools to fight each other
4. Sometimes made to fight blindfolded/against wild animals to make contests more interesting (so many lions imported from North Africa they became extinct in those areas)
5. Crows often decided fate of defeated - cheered = live to fight again, emperor would give thumbs up; booed = kill him, thumbs down
6. But successful gladiators received money + were treated like modern day sports stars - names written on walls of houses
7. Could win freedom following many victories - presented with wooden sword (no longer needed to fight for life)

Question 14

Describe the Baths + what happened there

Answer 14

1. Built throughout Rome, offering quieter form of relaxation - people went to relax, talk + meet friends
2. Frigidarium (cold room), tepidarium (warm room), caldarium (hot room) - heated rooms had underfloor heating, wooden sandals worn to avoid burning
3. Rubbed oil on skin + dead skin removed with strigil (wooden stick) instead of soap
4. Had palaestra (gym, exercise yard), barber shops, bars, restaurants, libraries

Question 15

How did children live up until the age of 12?

Answer 15

1. Mothers usually raised until 7
2. From then boys accompanied fathers to learn to be farmers/craftsmen/soldiers
3. Children from wealthy families usually attended school where taught to read + write
4. Write on wax tablets (easier to wipe out mistakes)
5. Very strict, beaten if failed to learn lessons

Question 16

How did rich children live between 12-16?

Answer 16

1. Very few girls continued with formal education past 12
2. Rich teenage boys usually attended grammar school until 16
3. Studied Greek, history, geography, maths; + works of great authors such as Plato + Aristotle
4. Also learned oratory (public speaking) - especially important for those who sought career as politician/lawyer

Question 17

What did children do after school on a daily basis?

Answer 17

1. Free to go to baths/play games

2. Played with marbles/rolling hoops/ pigs bladder blown up to play football

Question 18

What happened after childhood ?

Answer 18

1. Only lasted for short period in Ancient rom, boys married at 14 +girls married at 12
2. Marriages usually arranged by fathers for political power/to set up business deals
3. Night before wedding: young girl would return bulla (birth charm of gold/leather) to father + give away toys to other family members - statement that childhood was over + she was becoming member of husbands family

Question 19

What was religion like in Ancient Rome?

Answer 19

1. Believed in many gods (Jupiter, Juno, Mars (war), Venus (love), Neptune (sea), Mercury (messenger) - each had own temple, Jupiter most important
2. Religious services not held like today, people came to pray fro favours from gods + left sacrifices of animals/money outside main temple entrance
3. Here sacrifices of animals offered to gods on holy days
4. Priest called haruspex would examine liver for signs of disease, considered to be bad omen + gods were angry
5. Very superstitious (good sign if chickens feeding well, bad sign if weren’t; bees sign of better times + hooting owl = danger)

Question 20

Describe the burial customs in Ancient Rome

Answer 20

1. Rich person died: laid in atrium of house where friends + family could pay final respects
2. Coin placed in dead persons mouth to pay for ferry fare across Styx to next world
3. Following day body carried on litter to forum, speech given in praise of person then body burnt + put in urn/placed in sarcophagus (special coffin)
4. Roman law people had to be buried outside city walls, so large cemeteries surrounded city + graves lined roadsides leading into city
5. Rich romans sometimes buried in tombs, graves beautifully decorated
6. Funeral processions rarely held for poorer citizens, usually buried in unmarked graves
7. First christians persecuted by Romans - many tortured + executed, forced to practice religion in secret
8. Christians build network of passageways called catacombs under ground on outskirts of cities, built small churches here + buried dead in shelves cut into walls of passageways
9. Life for Christians improved in 4th century AD when Constantine covert d to Christianity + persecution was brought to end

Question 21

What was the Roman republic and how did it come about?

Answer 21

1. At first, kings ruled Rome - but last king, Tarquin, was so unpopular that people overthrew him in 510 BC + Rome became republic (country where people choose government)
2. Parliament called the senate appointed people called consuls to run country - lasted over 400 years

Question 22

How was the Roman Empire established?

Answer 22

1. 46 BC, two political rivals, Caeser + Pompey, struggled for control of the republic. Pompey murdered, Caesar emerged as dictator
2. 2 years later, Caeser assassinated by group of old political rivals who feared he was trying to end the republic + rule like the old kings
3. Rome torn apart by civil war following death, until grandnephew Octavius took over + became Emperor Augustus (31 BC - 14 AD) (emperor was really king under different name)
4. Augustus was good leader, restored order –> long period of prosperity + success with many new lands coming under control of Romans
5. At first, conquered all lands around city of Rome to make city safe from enemy attack, the gradually went on to take over other lands: built huge empire covering most of Europe + parts of Middle East + North Africa
6. Latin became common language throughout Empire

Question 23

Briefly describe the Roman army

Answer 23

1. Many enemies, Empire had to be protected by large + well organised army
2. Divided into legions of 4000 men, which were broken into smaller groups of 100 men called centuries
3. Only Roman citizens could become legionaries (members of regular army), non-citizens could join reserve force called auxiliaries/helpers

Question 24

Briefly describe life of a Roman soldier

Answer 24

1. Any male citizen between 17-46 could be called on to serve, normally served for 20-25 years
2. Most went into battle on foot, only small number of cavalry (horseback)
3. Had to participate in 30km road march 3x monthly to keep fit to prepare for battle
4. Lived in large barracks under strict discipline - broke the rules meant flowed in front of fellow soldiers
5. If legion failed to perform well, rations reduced
6. Any attempt at mutiny (overthrowing command) severely punished - every 10th soldier killed (latin word for this: decimatio)
7. When soldier finished time of service, gouvernement usually gave him plot of land to farm/some money, which could be used to set up a business

Question 25

What did soldiers wear/carry?

Answer 25

1. Each soldier wore steel helmet, wool tunic, protective leather vest with strips of metal to the front (no armour on back as never expected to turn away from enemy), + hob-nailed sandals on feet
2. Weapons included 2 javelins, sword, dagger + wooden shield
3. Each carried own food + water, enough for two weeks - ate plenty, it meals consisted mainly of beans, cheese, bread, + gruel made from barley; drank water/cheap wine

Question 26

How did the Roman Empire come to an end?

Answer 26

1. Made many enemies despite strength of Roman army, empire constantly attacked by forces from north + east throughout 4th century - eventually defeated Roman, empire split into small kingdoms
2. Empire came to end in 476 AD

Question 27

What areas did the romans make contributions to modern living in?

Answer 27

1. Building + architecture
2. Roads
3. Aqueducts
4. Central heating
5. Shopping centres
6. The calendar

Question 28

What contributions did the romans make to building + architecture?

Answer 28

1. Were great engineers + builders, discovered concrete by mixing lime, water + ash from volcanoes + were therefore able to make stronger + longer lasting buildings

Question 29

What contributions did the romans make to roads?

Answer 29

1. Wonderful road builders; “all roads lead to Rome” (over 20 main roads built from Rome stretching out in different directions)
2. Engineers made sure proper foundations were laid; thick layer of sand placed on bottom covered in large stones which in turn were covered by gravel, then smooth paving stones fitted on top
3. Milestones placed along side of roads so people would know how far they’d travelled

Question 30

What were aqueducts?

Answer 30

1. Looked like large sloping bridges, romans built them to bring water from mountains to towns + cities
2. Without aqueducts would have been no supply of water to fountains + baths
3. Rich romans would pay to have pipe connected to aqueduct to supply them with running water

Question 31

What contributions did the romans make to central heating?

Answer 31

1. Installed a system of underfloor central heating in houses (hypocaust)
2. Wood-burning furnace lit in cellar under house, warm air from furnace rose + circulated in gaps between floors/within walls of house, creating cosy environment during winter

Question 32

What contributions did the romans make to shopping centres?

Answer 32

1. Trojan’s Forum (central Rome) is be,is Ed to be worlds first shopping centre
2. Built on 5 different levels, had 150 shops as well as open spaces for traders to set up stalls

Question 33

What contributions did the romans make to the calender

Answer 33

1. Roman year originally began on 1 March, but was changed to 1 January in 153 BC
2. Year divided into 12 months (named after gods + emperors