All Roads Lead to Rome
The Origins of the City and Republic
Topic: Geography and Rise of the Roman Republic
Copyright 2011 New Dimension Media
All Roads Lead to Rome
The Origins of the City and Republic
Topic: Geography and Rise of the Roman Republic
Common Core State Standards: Reading
Standard for Literacy in History/Social Sciences
6-12 - Integration of Knowledge and Ideas 7:
Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts,
graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with
other information in print and digital texts.
Copyright 2011 New Dimension Media
Teacher Notes
The origins of the city of Rome are rather humble, built among seven hills along the banks of the
Tiber River. However, the foundation of Rome, and its subsequent expansion into a republic and
then empire, has had enormous historical impact in the Western world in the intervening centuries.
For instance, the Framers of the United States’ Constitution harkened back to the democratic
principles of the Roman Republic when writing that document in 1787, and the French emperor
Napoleon conscientiously emulated the military traditions of the Roman Empire in his effort to
dominate Europe just a few decades later. The influence of Rome certainly extends beyond political
and military models as well. The principles of law and government, the art of architecture, and the
science of engineering were spread widely by the Roman empire, as was the unconscionable
practice of slavery. It was a city of splendor and savagery, or art and atrocity, and its centrality to the
ancient world is best summarized in a proverb of the time: “All roads lead to Rome”.
Teacher Notes
Since Rome possesses such astounding resonance in the traditions of the western world, the
history/social science standards of every individual state require some familiarity with the city of
Rome, the Roman Republic, and the Roman Empire. The concept-based Common Core State
Standards also find application in the study of Rome.
In this lesson, students will study the geography of Rome at its foundation, the legendary origins of
the city, and the growth of the city into the early Republic. Based on their research, students will be
expected to gain an understanding about what it was like to live in ancient early Rome. Students will
use that understanding to write journals from the perspective of an early Roman resident, be they a
senator, soldier, slave, craftsman, priest, merchant, or other sort of resident. Students will build
journals using presentation software, and in addition to written entries, journals should also make use
of photographs or illustrations, and possibly audio elements such as narration or music.
Enduring Understanding:
The political, military, scientific, and artistic traditions spread by
the Roman civilization have influenced human history for
almost three thousand years, including the present day.
Essential Questions:
1. Where and when was the city of Rome established?
2. What role does legend play in the history of the city of Rome?
3. Following the foundation of Rome, how did the city grow and
expand into a republic?
4. What challenges were faced by the early Roman Republic?
5. What were the lives of early Roman residents like?
Lesson Objectives:
1. Students will examine the geographical conditions of the foundation of the city of
Rome and its eventual growth and expansion into a republic.
2. Students will explore the legendary origins of Rome and articulate the role of legend in
the history of the city.
3. Students will investigate the growth and expansion of the city into a republic and
describe the challenges caused by that growth.
Project-Based Learning:
1. Students will conduct original research into the geography of ancient Rome, its
legendary origins, and the growth of the city into a republic.
2. Students will conduct original research into the lives of ancient Roman residents.
3. Students will plan multimedia journals through slide-by-slide storyboard for use with
presentation software (Power Point, Keynote, etc.)
4. Students will construct multimedia journals describing the lives of early Roman
residents using original prose, photographs/illustrations, and possibly audio narration or
music.
Teacher Notes:
The geography of ancient Rome and its legendary origins need to be taught somewhat simultaneously. First, students
must gain a basic understanding of Roman geography: the city was built on the banks of the Tiber River amongst
seven distinct hills. Students need to identify and label the river and these hills on a map.
Second, students must learn the Roman origin myth of Romulus and Remus. This myth contains references to
Roman geography - for example, the brothers were found near the Aventine Hill and reared on Palatine Hill.
Third, students must explore must explore the characteristics of each hill as the city grows and evolves into the
republic. If a student wants to write their journal from the perspective of a senator, then that student should recognize
that most government buildings were located on Capitoline Hill and most of the political nobility lived on the
Palatine Hill; if they wish to write from the perspective of a slave, the student should recognize that poorer residents
of Rome tended to live on Esquiline Hill; merchants, the Aventine Hill; and so on and so forth.
Student Instructions:
Keep these research steps in mind as you prepare your multimedia journal:
1. Examine the geography of ancient Rome, particularly the seven hills and the location of each with respect to the
Tiber River.
2. Explore the Roman origin legend of Romulus and Remus, and connect their story to the geography of Rome.
3. Investigate the growth of Rome from city into a republic, and determine the challenges that faced Rome as it
expanded.
4. Synthesize this information to create a realistic journal of an ancient Roman resident.
Tips for your multimedia journal:
1. Get personal. Decide the perspective from which you will write. Are you a senator or a slave? A soldier or a
merchant? A craftsman, like a baker or tanner or sword-maker? Determine your perspective and stick to it.
2. Assume that identity. Write your journal in the first person. You need to think like you are that person, as if you are
describing what your life is like, not someone else’s life.
3. Stay focused. You need to remain balanced between being creative with the life of your journal character and
demonstrating expertise in ancient Rome.
Resources for Early Roman Geography
and the Legendary Origins of Rome
Check out these short video clips and
news articles to learn more about
ancient Roman geography and the
legendary origins of Rome. Use these
resources to kick-start your original
research. Pay special attention to the
dates of specific events for a timeline
exercise later in the lesson.
Teacher Notes About Copyright
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509
BCE
146
BCE
27
BCE
Drag the event to the correct marker on the timeline.
Log into CCC! and locate/link video segment to prove your match!
753
BCE
The Roman Republic
defeats Carthage, gaining
control of most of the
Mediterranean world.
The city of Rome is founded
by Romulus and Remus near
the bend in the River Tiber.
260
BCE
133
BCE
The Roman Republic
gains control of the
entire Italian peninsula
south of the River Po.
Caesar Augustus founds
the Roman Empire, ending
the republic.
The Roman Republic, the
world’s first representative
government, is created.
Gracchus attempts to
distribute public land to
homeless Romans.
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Copyright 2011 New Dimension Media