A Child in Ancient
Rome
Mothers usually reared their children until they reached the
age of seven. From then on, boys accompanied their fathers where they learned
to be farmers, craftsmen or soldiers. Boys and girls from wealthy families
usually attended a school where they were taught to read and write. Children
did not write on paper but on wax
tablets. This made it easy to wipe out mistakes. School was very strict and
children were often beaten if they failed to learn their lessons.
Very few girls continued with formal education beyond the
age of 12. However, teenage boys from rich families usually attended a secondary
school known as a grammar school until they reached 16. Here they
studied Greek, History, Geography and Maths. They also studied the work of
great authors such as Plato and Aristotle. Young men also had to learn oratory or public speaking. This was
especially important for those who sought a future career as a politician or a
lawyer.
After school, children were free to go to the public baths
or play games. They played with marbles
or rolling hoops, sometimes they
even used a pig’s bladder blown up like
a balloon to play football.
Childhood lasted for only a short period in ancient Rome.
Boys could marry at the age of 14, while girls tended to get married, from the
age of 12 onwards. Roman boys and girls from rich families could not choose
their marriage partners. Marriages were
usually arranged by their fathers in order to gain political power or to
set up business deals. On the night before her wedding, a young girl would
return her bulla (a birth charm of
gold or leather) to her father and give away her toys to other family members.
This was a statement that her childhood was over and that from now on she was
to become a member of her husband’s family.
A Roman Soldier
Any male citizen aged between 17 and 46 could be called upon
to serve in the Roman army. Most Roman soldiers went into battle on foot.
Soldiers normally served for between 20 and 25 years. There were only a small number of
soldiers that fought on horseback (cavalry). In order to prepare
for battle, soldiers kept fit by participating in a 30 km road march
three times a month.
Each soldier wore a steel
helmet, a wool tunic and a protective vest made of leather and
strips of metal to the front. They were no armour on their back, as they were
never expected to turn away from the enemy. Soldiers’ weapons included two long
spears called javelins, which could be thrown at the enemy. They also carried a
sword
and a dagger as well as a wooden shield to
protect them. They wore hob-nailed sandals on their
feet. Each soldier carried their own food and water, enough to last for two
weeks. Although they ate plenty of food, meals were simply consisting of bean,
cheese, bread and gruel (a type of
soup) made from barley. They drank water or cheap wine.
Soldiers lived in large barracks
under strict discipline. Soldiers that broke the rules were flogged in front of their fellow
soldiers. If a legion failed to perform well, its food rations would be
reduced. Any attempt at mutiny (overthrowing command)
was severely punished. Every tenth soldier would be killed. The Latin work for
this is decimatio which
is where the word ‘decimate’ comes from.
When a soldier finished his time of service, the government
usually gave him a plot of land to farm or some money, which could be used to
set up a business.
The Colosseum
The Pantheon
Chariot Race
Gladiators
The Gladiator at Tigris
The Pantheon
The Roman Army
Pompeii
Ancient Rome Summary
Roman Soldiers Fighting
Pompeii
Review Questions
Ancient Rome Song
1. Which two brothers in legend are supposed to have founded Rome?
2. Who was the first Emperor of Rome?
3. In the Roman army, how many men made up a Century?
4. What were some of the main weapons used by Roman soldiers?
5. Who built the roads of the Empire and why were they so important?
6. Why is the city of Pompeii of such importance?
7. Why was the Forum such an important part of Ancient Rome?
8. In a Roman house, what was the atrium?
9. What was the house of a rich person called?
10. Where did the poor people live?
11. Where did Roman children receive their education?
12. What was the most common form of clothing worn by the Romans?
13. How did the Romans get their slaves?
14. What type of work did the slaves do?
15. Who led a famous slave revolt in Ancient Rome and what happened as a result?
16. What was an aqueduct?
17. What was the most famous amphitheatre in Rome and why was it so important?
18. What took place at the Circus Maxima?
19. Who was the King of all the Roman Gods?
20. Who was the God of war?
21. What did the very first Christians do in order to avoid arrest?
22. What was the language of the Romans?
23. What two months of the year are named after Roman Emperors?
Answers
1. Romulus and Remus who were reared by a she-wolf and later decided to build a city at the spot where they were found.
2. Augustus who ruled from 27BC to 14AD
3. Eighty soldiers and it was led by a centurion who was the most experienced soldier.
4. Sword, dagger, spear, shield made of hard wood
5. The Roman soldiers built the great roads which extended to the very border of the Empire and they were of great importance both for trade and for moving the army quickly.
6. Pompeii was a city which was destroyed by a volcano from Mount Vesuvius in AD79 and archaeologists have carried out excavations there which has revealed a huge amount of information about life in Roman times.
7. The Forum was a large market-place where people met and where important temples and government buildings such as the Senate were located.
8. This was an open courtyard in the centre of the house which usually had a pool in the middle.
9. In cities they were called a domus and large houses in the countryside were called villas.
10. The majority of people lived in apartment blocks which were a few storeys high and the rented rooms were called insulae.
11. A wealthy family could send their children to school or could hire a private tutor.
12. Both men and women wore tunics. Wealthy men wore a toga which was like a large sheet draped around the body over and women wore a stola.
13. Slaves were captured as a result of wars with the enemies of the Romans.
14. Slaves worked as servants in the homes of the wealthy but also as road builders, street cleaners etc.
15. A slave called Spartacus who led a huge army of slaves. The Roman army eventually defeated them and the leaders were all crucified along the main road leading into Rome.
16. A massive system of channels built to carry water to the towns and cities in the Roman Empire. Many were underground but some were also huge arches which are still standing today.
17. An amphitheatre was a large circular arena and the Colosseum was the most famous. Gladiator fights took place there which lasted until one of the men was killed or badly injured.
18. This arena could hold up to a quarter of a million people and great chariot races were held there. There were sharp turns and as a result there were many spectacular crashes in which competitors and their horses were often killed.
19. Jupiter
20. Mars. A soldier going off to battle might make a sacrifice to this God.
21. They led a secret life and used special underground tunnels called the catacombs to hold their religious ceremonies.
22. Latin.
23. August (in honour of Augustus) and July (after Julius)
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