Roman Civilization – Ch. 9
Name ___Mrs. Alls___
Life in Ancient Rome

If you were an ancient Greek traveling in Rome, what might you see that was familiar? Greek
style statues, porches, and columns

Describe the differences between Roman art and Greek art: Greek statues were made to look
perfect (shown as young, healthy, and beautiful bodies); Roman statues were more realistic
with wrinkles, warts, and other less attractive features.

Romans were the first people to invent and use concrete. This substance made the buildings
sturdier and many still stand today.

How was the Forum important to the ancient Romans? Served as a marketplace and a public
square (political figures gave speeches here).

The Book of Epodes
In this poem excerpt, Horace praises the lifestyle of those who farm their family’s land.
“Happy is the man who, far from
Business and affairs
Like mortals of the early times,
May work his father’s fields
With oxen of his own,
Exempt [free] from profit,
Loss, and fee,
Not like the soldier roused by
savage trumpet’s blare,
not terrified by seas in rage,
avoiding buys forums and the
haughty doors
of influential citizens.”
-Horace, The Book of Epodes

According to Horace, what kinds of
things does the farmer avoid?
Dangerous and frustrating things;
his examples are war, sailing, and
dealing with officials
List some pros and cons of holding sports figures up as heroes and the responsibilities that major
sports figures have to the public. __________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

“For lunch I stopped at one of the Thermopolia for bread and cheese. Tonight, my family will
eat fish I bought at the market to cook on the small grill in our apartment. As a special treat,
we’ll have figs after dinner.” Who would have said this? A poor woman

A Roman judge said, “Whatever pleases the emperor is law.” What might a Roman teenager
have said? “Whatever pleases my father is law.”
The Fall of Rome


The items of this list are examples of what type of problems that led to the end of the Roman Empire?
o People paid high taxes.
economic
o Many people were poor.
o Trade declined.
What was a cause of the fall of the Roman Empire in the 400s A.D.? Germanic invasions

Write a journal entry describing life in a Roman city during the 200s A.D. (React to at least one of the
political, social, economic, and military problems that led to disorder and decline.)____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

How do the social, economic, and political problems of Ancient Rome compare to the current problems
in the USA? _________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

Latin is the basis of many modern languages today.

Looking at Latin roots, it is often possible to figure out what English words mean.

The Transcontinental Railroad was completed in the United States in 1869. Trans is a Latin prefix
meaning across_.

The Roman Republic has influenced the United States today. In what areas has it influenced the USA?
Government, language, law, citizenship, architecture

Write a paragraph discussing whether or not you agree with the following statement: The United States
owes more to Roman culture than to any other civilization that has ever existed. (Support your answer
with reasons and evidence from the text, power point, or discussion.)
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
The Byzantine Empire

Read the following information and write at least five things you might reflect on as you read this
information.
In A.D. 532 Theodora helped save Justinian’s throne. Angry taxpayers threatened to overthrow
Justinian and stormed the palace. Justinian’s advisers urged him to leave Constantinople. Theodora,
however, told him to stay and fight. Justinian took Theodora’s advice. He stayed in the city and
crushed the uprising.
Answers will vary.
Should include Theodora’s role, angry citizens, pressure on Justinian from advisers, Theodora’s
influence on Justinian, Justinian’s new resolve to crush the uprising

What policies and reforms helped make the Byzantine Empire strong? Justinian’s law code; rights for
women; re-conquered Italy and North Africa; added cavalry to army

Which civilization do you think was the most advanced --- that of the Greeks, the Romans, or the
Byzantines? Why? ___________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

In the chapter, you learned that the culture of the Byzantine Empire was greatly influenced by the
Romans and Greeks, as well as the Egyptian, Slavic, and Persian cultures. Think about the culture of the
United States, in which many cultures have blended. Identify aspects of the U.S. culture that were
originally part of other cultures.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

Growing political and social problems helped set the stage for Rome’s final fall. Traditional Roman
ideas of duty, courage, and honesty lost their importance. Why do you think duty, courage, and honesty
are important in keeping a society and political system strong?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Analyze
The Roman Empire did have some laws to prevent the extreme abuse of slaves.
“At the present time neither Roman citizens nor any other persons who are under the rule of the Roman people
are permitted to treat their slaves with excessive and baseless [reasonless] cruelty . . . A man who kills his own
slave without cause is ordered to be held just as liable as one who kills another’s slave.”
--- Gaius, “Legislation Against the Abuse of Slaves”
1. How does this law pertain to people passing through the empire? Travelers are treated the same as
Roman citizens.
2. How does this statement leave a loophole in the regulation of abuse against slaves? Individuals may
kill slaves if they have cause.