1. Essential Question:
What were the important contributions of ancient Rome?

2. Roman Achievements
The Romans developed innovations that are still used today because:
Rome’s location along the Mediterranean Sea allowed for trade & cultural diffusion (sharing) with other cultures
The wealth of the Roman Empire, allowed the Romans to promote culture & invention

3. The Romans developed inventions that are still used today because:
Through cultural diffusion, the Romans borrow ideas other civilizations like the Greeks and improved upon these ideas
Rome’s location along the Mediterranean Sea allowed for trade & cultural diffusion with other cultures
The wealth of the Roman Empire, especially in the Pax Romana, allowed the Romans to promote culture & invention

4. Roman Health/Medicine
Romans were mainly concerned with public health because of poor hygiene (bathing).
Each head of the household knew about herbal (plant) and medicinal cures to treat illnesses.
Projects that provided clean water were very important to the Romans.

5. Roman Health/Medicine
Station Activity:
Public baths were used by rich and poor. Why do you think the Romans focused on public health for everyone?
Toilets and sewer systems were spread throughout Rome. How could this help public health?

6. Roman Architecture
The Romans were tremendous builders who were improved upon Greek designs with one major new architectural features: arches
Arches – curved structures over an opening that can support its own weight – were used by the Romans to create enormous building like the Coliseum and the Pantheon.
The Romans built arenas so thousands of people could attend “circuses” (entertainment events).

7. Architecture
Pay attention to the Roman Buildings in this video, how do they look?
If video does not load- youtube, “Gladiator (2000) – Commodus Enters Rome”

8. Compare the images of the Roman Coliseum & the football stadium
Roman Architecture
Station Activity:
Compare the images of the Roman Coliseum & the football stadium
1. Write three similarities that you can see (or can assume) about their architecture
Who influenced the Romans in architecture?
What is one unique characteristic of Roman building?
Sketch an arch.

9. Roman Aqueducts
One of the Roman’s greatest and most practical engineering feats was the channeling of water to their towns and cities
Roman engineers built the aqueducts to move the cold, clear water from springs over 250 miles into towns.
Some of the aqueducts are still standing and in use. One in Spain is a two-tiered aqueduct that is 95 feet above the ground and is 2,388 feet long!

10. Roman Aqueducts Station Activity:
If the curvy line between the lake and the Roman city represents hills and valleys, how would the Romans get the water to the city? draw an aqueduct that connects the lake and city (see the black and white pic of a Roman Aqueduct).

11. Roman 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.
At first the roads were built to move soldiers quickly, but eventually the routes served many people and purposes, including trade.

12. Roman Roads Station Activity:
Look at these two maps of roads in Rome, and roads in Detroit
What is 1 way you use roads in Detroit today?
What is 1 way a system of roads could help an empire to grow?

13. Roman Games Romans were very much into athletics.
They were involved in swimming, jumping, wrestling, boxing, racing, and throwing.
Girls and women did not participate.
Gladiators would fight in an arena. Most were slaves, but some were free men, and seen as celebrities.
Chariot races were held in a large oval called a circus.

14. Gladiators
Warning – There is graphic violence in this clip. You must skip it if you feel uncomfortable.
I show you these scenes because there was violence in history, and you have a right to know that.
If video does not load- youtube, “Gladiator | First Battle In The Arena | Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix”

15. Answer these questions:
Roman Games
Station Activity:
Answer these questions:
Why do you think gladiators and chariot races were popular with Romans?
How do you think gladiators would feel about their lives, being celebrities and slaves?

16. Roman Latin/Language
Roman conquest spread their language- Latin- throughout dozens of countries in the empire.
Languages today based on Latin are known as Romance languages.
Words in the five major Romance languages often sound alike – for example, the Latin word for “freedom”, libertas, translates as liberta in Italian, and liberte in French

17. Roman Latin/Language Station Activity:
Notice how many modern language come from Latin. Guess two of the three words in the “Modern English” box (bottom right).
What would be one advantage of having a single language across an entire empire? ?

18. Exit Slip
Describe 2 specific ways Detroit would be different without these accomplishments of the Roman Empire.
3-4 sentences.
Your answer must include 2 of the following terms:
Architecture
Roads
Hygiene or bathing or aqueducts
Entertainment or games