ROMAN ACHIEVEMENTS

Essential Question: What were the important contributions of Ancient Rome?

ROMAN ACHIEVEMENTS The Romans developed innovations that are still used today; what made them such influential innovators? Definition of “INNOVATION”: something new or original (such as an idea, an invention, a device, a method)

ROME: AN EMPIRE OF INNOVATION Rome’s location on the Mediterranean Sea allowed for trade and cultural diffusion (blending of cultures) with other people and nations

ROME: AN EMPIRE OF INNOVATION Through the cultural diffusion, the Romans were able to borrow the best ideas from other civilizations (especially the Greeks) and improve upon them

ROME: AN EMPIRE OF INNOVATION The wealth of the Roman Empire, especially during Pax Romana, enabled the Romans to promote culture and invention

1.Roman Architecture The Romans were tremendously skilled builders; they improved upon Greek designs with two new architectural features: arches and domes

Roman Architecture ARCHES: these are curved structures over an opening that can support its own weight; arches were used to create enormous buildings like the Coliseum and the Pantheon

Roman Architecture DOMES: they created vast open spaces and ceilings inside buildings (like the Pantheon) and magnificent exteriors

Roman Architecture The Romans built arenas (like the famous Coliseum in the city of Rome) so thousands of people could attend “circuses” (entertainments such as gladiator battles)

Roman Architecture What are three similarities between the Roman Coliseum and the Georgia Dome?

2.Roman Religion At first, Romans were polytheistic and required people they conquered to show respect for their gods During the time of Pax Romana (Roman Peace), Christianity began and spread along the roads and trade routes of the Roman Empire

Roman Religion Early Christians were persecuted for their beliefs; some sacrificed their lives rather than change their beliefs and were honored as martyrs

Roman Religion This changed when Christianity gained so much popularity that Roman emperors made it the Empire’s official religion

3.Roman Law Roman laws were made by the Senate and then publicly posted for all to see in displays called the Twelve Tables

Roman Law The Roman legal system included a criminal court system (with lawyers and juries) so people accused of crimes could defend themselves; witnesses could give testimony to tell of what they saw or heard Roman law allowed anyone (including the poor and slaves) to accuse others of crimes

4.Roman Government In 509 BCE, the Romans overthrew the last king and set up a new government called a republic, where the people elect their leaders The Romans created this republican system so no one person would gain too much power

Roman Government They elected a Senate, made up of 300 men, that made laws; they also elected two consuls, men who commanded the army and ran the day-to-day affairs of Rome

Roman Government The Romans’ republican government is very similar to the American government today

Roman Government Match each description of the U.S. government to its equivalent in the Roman Republic American Government Voters: The people elect their government leaders President: Runs the government and enforces the laws passed by Congress Senate: Lawmakers elected by the people; only 2 senators per state, so its a prestigious position House of Representatives: Lawmakers elected by the people; they serve 2 year terms, so it is not as prestigious as the Senate Roman Republic Consuls Senators Tribunes Citizen Assemblies

5.Roman Engineering: Roads The Romans built the largest and longest-lasting network of roads in the Ancient World At the height of the Empire, Roman roads stretched for 56,000 miles and included 29 major highways

Roman Engineering: Roads At first, the roads were built to move soldiers quickly, but eventually the roads served many people for many purposes, especially as trade routes

Roman Engineering: Aqueducts One of the Romans’ greatest engineering feats was channeling water to their cities throughout the Empire Roman engineers built the aqueducts to move the cold, clear water from springs to towns; sometimes they would be up to 250 miles long

Roman Engineering: Aqueducts Some Roman aqueducts are up and still in use today; one in Spain is 95 feet above the ground and 2388 feet long

Languages based in Latin are known as the Romance languages 6.Roman Language Roman conquest spread their language, Latin, through much of Europe; over time, different regions in Europe developed their own languages based in Latin Languages based in Latin are known as the Romance languages

Roman Language Words in the five major Romance languages often sound alike: for example, the Latin word for liberty, libertas, translates as liberta in Italian, liberte in French, libertad in Spanish, liberdade in Portuguese, and libertate in Romanian See how many modern languages come from Latin; try to figure each of the three words in the “Modern English” column ?

July was named after Julius because it included his birthday 7.The Roman Calendar This new calendar (called the “Julian Calendar” after Julius Caesar) had 365 days and one extra day every fourth year July was named after Julius because it included his birthday

8.Roman Art Sculptures Mosaics

Mosaics The Romans popularized an earlier type of floor art called mosaic. A mosaic is a picture made out of many small colored tiles or pieces of glass.

Sculptures The Greeks were the first to create statues based on realistic form. This style is seen today in the Statue of Liberty.

was also very highly regarded. Figure painting was also very highly regarded.

The Influence of the Greeks and Romans The influence that the Greeks and later on the Romans had on Western civilization cannot be overstated Many facets of modern American life can be traced back to the innovations of the Greeks and Romans: things like government, language, religion, law, education, entertainment, literature, art, mathematics, astronomy, engineering, science, buildings, customs, traditions, sports, philosophy and medicine all can trace their roots back to Greece and Rome

Essential Question: What were the important contributions of Ancient Rome?