Ancient Roman Culture

Ancient Roman Culture By: Bailey Copas, Brooklyn Bryant, Ariel Emberton, & Megan Pennington

Family • The father was the head of the household. • The father was responsible for the actions of any member of his household. If anyone in his family committed a crime he could be punished for something they did.

Education • There were 2types of schools in Rome. The first type was for children about 11 or 12. They learned to read, write, and do basic mathematics. • For writing, they used a stylus and a wax tablet. • Older children would go to more advanced schools where they did studies on topics such as public speaking. • Girls rarely went to these schools as they were allowed to get married at the age of 12, where boys had to wait until they were 14 to get married.

Social Classes • Ancient Rome consisted of Upper, middle, and lower class people. • In the Upper class there were: wealthy landowners, nobles, and priests. • The middle class was mostly: farmers, traders, and city workers. • In the lower class were enslaved people.

Sports and games • Roman Men excercised and practiced riding, horse racing, wrestling, boxing, archery and swimming. • The gambled with ivory dice and played games similar to chess.

Leisure • Chariot racing was Rome’s most popular pastime. • The public baths were something Romans enjoyed doing. People from nearly every class could attend the thermae(public baths) similar to modern day fitness clubs.

Clothing • Both men and women wore leather sandals, or leather boots in cold weather. • Women wore wooden hairsticks or wooden combs in their hair, that they could also use to comb their hair. • Also men wear togas, also called tunics.

Houses • They made houses with sundried brick on heavy timber. • Roman houses were built around an open courtyard. The open roof vented smoke and let the rainwater in. The open center usually contained a leisure area with a bath, chairs, and sometimes a garden. • The inside of the house contained rooms for the family, a dining room, and indoor bathrooms.

Food • Meals were centered around corn, oil and wine. • Bread was the single most often eaten food in Ancient Rome. • Fish and oysters were especially popular and meat was in high demand as well. • Breakfast was often nothing more than a piece of bread. • For the poor, meals consisted of porridge or bread with meat and vegetables. • For the wealthy, the meal was divided into three courses. The main course consisted of cooked vegetables and meats.

Reference Slide • http://www.hadrians.com/rome/romans/fun/roman_games.html • http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/romans/clothing/index.htm • http://rome.mrdonn.org/families.html • http://library.thinkquest.org/26602/diet.htm • http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/roman_education.htm • http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/cultural/oldworld/europe/ancient_roman_culture.html • Human Heritage Book

Julius Caesar By: Ariel Emberton, Bailey Copas, Brooklyn Bryant, & Megan Pennington

Family • Father- Gaius Julius Caesar. • Mother- Aurelia. • First marriage to Cornelia Cinnilla, from 83 BC until her death in childbirth in 69 or 68 BC. • Second marriage to Pompeia, from 67 BC until he divorced her around 61 BC. • Third marriage to Calpurnia Pisonis, from 59 BC until Caesar's death.

Childhood • He was born in Rome in July in the year 100 B.C. • His father Gaius Caesar, died when Caesar was 16 years old.

Julius Caesar • Caesar married Cornelia, daughter of Lucius Cornelius Cinna in 84 B.C. • However, in 82 B.C., Caesar was ordered to divorce his wife by Lucius Cornelius Sulla, an enemy of the radicals. Caesar refused and left Rome for military service in Asia and Cilicia. • In 78 B.C. he returned when Sulla died and began his political career as a prosecuting advocate.

Military and War efforts • In 60 B.C. political power passed that a group of 3 people also known as a triumvirate was to rule Rome. • Julius, Marcus Licinius Crassus, Gnaeus Pompeius were in the 1st triumvirate.

The fall of Roman Republic • He wanted to defend tribunes that were recently casted out of Rome. • Pompey had to leave Rome with senators to escape from Caesar’s army. • Labienus abandoned Julius during the war. • Pompey’s army either retreated or joined Caesar’s. • Pompey escaped to Egypt where he was murdered by Ppolemeus.

Caesar and Cleopatra • There was a civil war in Egypt between Cleopatra and her brother at the same time as the fall of Roman Republic. • Cleopatra wanted Caesar on her side knowing he had a huge army. • They weren’t as successful as they planned because when they met at Alexandria’s Palace, they were surrounded by a mad local population. • Shortly after Caesar left Egypt, Cleopatra gave birth to Caesar’s son-Cesarion.

Achievements • He was named governor of the Roman province in 58 B.C. • He built large and strong armies. • In 7 years he conquered Northern France and Belgium. • He invaded Britain. • In 50 B.C., the senate told Caesar to break up his legions because they thought he was beginning to become too strong, he didn’t and took over Rome.

His Death • Romans were afraid that Caesar planned to make himself king. • About 60 men, thought and worked out a plan to kill him. • He got 23 stabs by a dagger but only one killing.

Reference Slide • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Caesar • Human Heritage Book • http://www.ancient-rome.biz/julius-caesar-biography.html

Ancient Roman Culture