C6.3 – Roman Society and Culture
Objectives What social and cultural factors influenced life in imperial Rome? What achievements shaped Rome’s cultural legacy to the modern world? Main Idea The Romans developed a complex society and pioneered cultural advances that, even today, affect life all over the world C6.3 – Roman Society and Culture
I. Life in Imperial Rome
A. Life for the Rich and Poor Pax Romana meant prosperity: wealthy owned city homes and villas, most were involved in politics
A. Life for the Rich and Poor Roman poor lived in crowded multi-storied apartment buildings; fire a constant threat
A. Life for the Rich and Poor Free food and public entertainment kept poor from rebelling “panem et circenses” Bread and Circuses
B. Public Entertainment Variety of entertainment: chariot races held in Circus Maximus, theater, acrobats, etc.
B. Public Entertainment Bloody spectacles in amphitheaters: wild animals and gladiator contests in Colosseum
B. Public Entertainment Public baths used for hygiene, relaxing, and socializing Roman bath, Bath England
C. Family, Education, and Religion Oldest male was head of family - the paterfamilias; simplicity, religious devotion, and obedience emphasized
C. Family, Education, and Religion Women had few rights. Adoption an important way to carry on family name
C. Family, Education, and Religion Education highly valued – taught by tutors or sent to exclusive schools
C. Family, Education, and Religion Romans adopted religion from Greeks, Egyptians, others; families worshipped penates Shrine to the Penates, patron deities of the household The Pantheon
C. Family, Education, and Religion Believed gods sent signs/warnings; nothing important undertaken without consulting augurs Roman augur foretells the future by observing the behavior of hens
II. Rome’s Cultural Legacy
A. Science and Engineering More interested in collecting/organizing information than original scientific research
A. Science and Engineering Galen summarized all medical knowledge Galen, Physician Born: 130 AD, Turkey Died: 200 AD, Rome, Italy Full name: Aelius or Claudius Galenus, better known as Galen of Pergamon Prominent Greek physician, surgeon and philosopher
A. Science and Engineering Ptolemy synthesized astronomical knowledge into single theory Claudius Ptolemy Born: c. AD 90 in Egypt, Roman Empire Died: c. AD 168 (aged 77–78) in Alexandria, Egypt Occupation: Mathematician, Geographer, Astronomer, Astrologer
A. Science and Engineering Pliny the Elder wrote about Mount Vesuvius Mount Vesuvius, AD 79
Pyroclastic flow boiled the brains and vaporized the flesh of Herculaneum's inhabitants Pompeii's victims were preserved by the falling volcanic ash
A. Science and Engineering Applied knowledge to city planning, building water/sewage systems, roads, aqueducts, etc.; invented concrete Roman sewerRoman aqueduct
B. Architecture, Language, Law Important advances – the round arch and the vault allowed construction of larger buildings Interior of the Pantheon
B. Architecture, Language, Law Romance languages developed from Latin
B. Architecture, Language, Law Roman civil law was based on a written code of law Corpus Iuris Civilis the body of civil law c1647. The system of Roman juris purdence compiled and codified under the direction of the emperor Justinian in AD