Ancient Rome

2. Rome began as a small village on the Italian peninsula in Europe. Rome grew into an empire. The little white dot on this map is the city of Rome.

3. The orange-colored land shows all the territory that Rome controlled. This territory was broken up into smaller pieces called “provinces.”

4. Ancient Rome In ancient times, you could apply to become a Roman citizen. Would you have wanted to be a citizen? You might have! Like Greece, Rome was a lively place. But the Romans were very different than the Greeks.

5. Ancient Rome The Romans were realists, not idealists. If a Roman leader had a big nose, that’s how Roman artists made him look. The Greeks would have given him a perfect nose.

6. Ancient Rome The Romans were great builders. Everywhere they went, they built great roads. All roads led to Rome.

7. A New Home It all started around 2750 years ago, when the early Romans found the land of the seven hills on the Tiber River, near the Mediterranean Sea.

8. A New Home Wow! What a place! • Seven hills • Tiber River • Mediterranean Sea • Fertile land

9. A New Home They built homes on top of one of the seven hills.

10. Protection Wall: They built awall around their city to defend against attack. Bridge: They builta bridge across the Tiber River to reach their farmlands easily.

11. Romulus and Remus The early Romans boasted that the city of Rome had been founded by the twin sons of the war god Mars. The boys were named Romulus and Remus. As the legend goes...

12. Romulus and Remus Once upon a time, a beautiful princess heard about a plot to harm her children, twin sons of the war god Mars. She put the boys adrift on the river, hoping someone would find them and love them.

13. Romulus and Remus First they were found bya she-wolf who fed them.Then a shepherd and hiswife adopted the twins. The boys did not want to take care of sheep. They wanted to be kings.

14. Romulus and Remus The boys left home in search of a place to rule. Many people came with them. One day, they entered the land of the seven hills. They settled down immediately and began to build a town.

15. Romulus and Remus Both boys wanted to be king. The twins quarreled. In a fit of rage, Romulus picked up a rock and killed his brother. Romulus declared himself king of Rome.

16. Early Roman Kings The ancient Romans believed that to be a king, you had to be related to a god. According to the legend of Romulus and Remus, Rome was started by two sons of a god and a princess.

17. Right to Rule All the kings thereafter proved their “right to rule” by claiming they were descendants of Romulus and Remus, twin sons of the war god Mars.

18. Roman Republic The Roman people vowed never to be ruled by a king again. Men from influential families set up a new form of government—a republic.

19. Republic Rulers Rome was ruled by • The Senate (men from Rome’s important families) • Two consuls (elected by the Senate; each consul served a term of one year)

20. SPQR They chiseled the letters SPQR on Roman monuments, armor, coins, and park benches. SPQR means the Senate and the People of Rome. SPQR

21. Twelve Tables The Senate created a new set of laws called theTwelve Tables. First, citizens voted oneach law to determineif the law was fairor not.

22. Twelve Tables The laws voted “fair” were then written down on metal tablets and put on display. Rich or poor, everyone had to obey the law.

23. Twelve Tables Here are two of the new laws: • If you are called to go to court and do not show up, you can be taken to court by force. • If it’s your tree, it’s your fruit, even if it falls on another man’s land.

24. Great Builders More homes: As time went on, they built homes and streets on all seven hills. Big wall: To protect their city, they built a new wall that encircled all seven hills.

25. Rome Grew Rome was a crowded, noisy, dusty city with beautiful temples, gracious homes, and apartments for the workers. Shops lined the streets. The republic was a lively place!

26. Roman Classes Two groups of people lived in Rome: • Patricians—rich nobles • Plebeians—everyone else, including well-to-do workers, all the way down to the poor

27. Roman Families The oldest male was head of the family. In ancient Rome, everyone in a family lived together—kids, parents, and grandparents.

28. Roman Families The head of the family had great power. He had the power to sell a family member into slavery. A woman’s job was to care for the kids and the house. Under the republic, women had little freedom.

29. Rome Daily Life The ancient Romans started their day with breakfast. The rich ate fresh fish,fruits, vegetables, bread,and honey. The poor ate bread, olives, cheese, and raisins.

30. Togas and Tunics Then they got dressed to go out. Only nobles could weara toga. But togas were troublesome. They kept falling off. Most Romans wore a tunic instead. Toga Tunic

31. Roman Men Men: Noblemen wore white tunics. Workers wore black tunics. Rings were the only jewelry worn by Roman men. It was considered good taste to wear only one ring. Some men wore as many as sixteen rings anyway.

32. Roman Women Women: Women wore long tunics, leather sandals, and big red or blonde wigs. Necklaces, pins, earrings, bracelets,and rings were popular. They carried fansand parasols made of peacock feathers.

33. Roman Girls Girls: Girls wore a simple tunic with a belt at the waist. When they went outside, they wore a second tunic that reached their feet. Around 200 BCE, many girls started to attend school outside the home.

34. Roman Boys Boys: Boys wore a white tunic down to their knees with a crimson border. At about age 16, a boy became a man. From then on, he wore an all white tunic, which signified that he was a citizen of Rome.

35. Roman Bulla Bulla: Children wore a locket called a bulla, which was given to them at birth. The Romans believed a bulla protected a child from evil. A girl wore her bulla until her wedding night. A boy wore his until he became a citizen.

36. Roman Slaves Slaves: Slaves had no rights. They were property and were bought and sold. Some slaves were well treated. Others were not.