Chapter 9: Roman Civilization Mr. Flynn

Section 1: Life in Ancient Rome Roman Culture The Romans admired and studied Greek statues, building, and ideas They copied the Greeks in many ways, but changed what they borrowed to suit their own needs Romans admired Greek art and architecture Greek statues were perfect, but Roman statues were more realistic and included the imperfections They also used the much of Greek architecture, but added arches and domes They were also the first to use concrete in their buildings. Concrete made buildings sturdier and allowed them to build taller

Roman Literature Roman writers based most of their writing on the writing of Greek authors Virgil drew some of his ideas from Homer’s Odyssey, the Aenid describes Aeneas’ travels and the “story of Rome” The poet Horace wrote satires-these works poked fun at human weakness, he also composed odes- or poems that express strong emotions about life Like the Greeks, the Romans had historians that recorded the events of their civilization- Livy- wrote his “History of Rome” in 10 BC, Livy greatly admired early Romans and he believed people should know their history The most lasting of the of the things from Roman culture may be their language, Latin, which shaped the languages of many civilizations, including our English words today

Daily Life in Rome By the time of Augustus, a million people lived in Rome and the city was planned out carefully into roads that crossed at right angles At the center of Rome was the Forum, this served as a marketplace and public square Wealthy Romans lived in large, comfortable houses The city of Rome was crowded, noisy, and dirty. Most people were poor and lived in apartments made of stone and wood To keep the people happy, the Roman government “bread and circuses” or free grain and entertainment The biggest attractions were chariot races and gladiator contests. Gladiators fought animals or each other and admired like our sports heroes today

Roman Science and Engineering The Romans also learned from Greek science. A Greek doctor named Galen brought many medical ideas to Rome; including anatomy, the study of body structure Another important scientist of the Roman Empire was Ptolemy. He studied the sky and mapped over 1000 different stars Roman engineers built an impressive system of roads and bridges to connect the empire They also used advanced engineering to supply their cities with freshwater. Engineers built aqueducts, or long troughs supported by arches that brought water from the hills to the cities

What was family life like? Family life was important to the Romans, their families were large, they included not only parents and children, but also married children and their families, other relatives, and enslaved servants The father was the head of the household. He was called paterfamilias or “father of the family”- had complete control over family members Wealthy families hired tutors to teach their younger children at home, some older boys did go to schools where they learned reading, writing, and rhetoric, or public speaking. Girls did not go to school, they learned reading and writing at home, they also learned household duties Between ages 14 and 16, a Roman boy celebrated becoming a man. He would burn his toys as offerings to the household gods. He would put on a toga, join his family business, became a soldier or begin a career in government

Women in Rome Roman women did not become adults until they were married Women in early Rome had some rights, but they were not full citizens The freedoms that a woman enjoyed depended on her husband’s wealth and standing Wealthy women had a great deal of independence. They could own land, run businesses, and sell property. Women with less money, had less freedom. They spent most of their time working in their houses or helping their husbands in family-run shops

How did Romans Treat Enslaved People? Slavery was a part of Roman life from early times Thousands of prisoners from conquered lands were brought to Italy. Most spent their lives performing clave labor. By 100BC, about 40 percent of the people in Italy were enslaved.