Seven Wonders of Ancient Rome Museum Walk
California History Framework Standards Addressed:
6.7 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social
structures during the development of Rome.
6.7.8 Discuss the legacies of Roman art and architecture, technology and science,
literature, language, and law.
Objectives (content/language): As they view the images, texts and accompanying video
clips on the seven greatest achievements of Ancient Rome students will increase their
understanding of the significance and impact of Ancient Rome’s accomplishments.
1. Anticipatory Set: Show students the first two minutes of the Discovery Channel’s video
on the Seven Wonders of Ancient Rome.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvUMuu1WrT0
2. Purpose/Objective: “Today we are going to begin our unit on Ancient Rome with a
museum walk of Rome’s seven greatest accomplishments. As you rotate throughout the
exhibits think about how these major accomplishments changed the ancient world.”
3. Input: Discuss the legacy of Rome and its relevance to Western society today.
Emphasize the advanced achievements of the Romans for their time and the impact that has
left on our world. Explain assignment- 5 minute rotations, four bullet points minimum.
4. Modeling: Together place additional bullet points on graphic organizer on document
camera. Demonstrate scanning QR code to access the Discovery Channel video on ipads
and setting the video to the appropriate time to access additional information.
5. Check for Understanding: Review expectations for 5 minute rotations at each exhibit.
6. Guided Practice: Students will rotate throughout the seven exhibits and read the
accompanying information, writing a minimum of four bullet points per exhibit.
7. Independent Practice: N/A
Assessments (formal and informal): Students will complete the accompanying Graphic
Organizer as they rotate throughout the exhibits.
Closure: Have students write down two new things they learned today as an exit ticket.
Differentiation: Students will be assisted by their group members to find the information
in the exhibit texts.
Resources and Materials:
1. Seven wonders images and texts posted throughout the room, or placed on 7 table groups
for rotation.
2. ipads to add audiovisual element. This activity can be completed without ipads.
Ancient Wonder of
Notes
Rome
 Build by Emperor
Circus
Maximus
Stadium
______________________________________________
 Could hold ______________________________________
people

 Built by _______________________________________
Trajan’s

Forum
 _______________________________ long network of
aqueducts
Aqueduct

 Built by
Baths
of
________________________________________________

Caracalla
 First road was _____________________________________
built by censor _____________________________________
Roman Roads
 A network of _____________________________________
miles of roads were built

 Rebuilt by emperor _____________________________
Pantheon

 Could hold over
____________________________________________
Colosseum
people
 Building begun by emperor
________________________________________________
_

Circus Maximus
This stadium is the largest arena ever constructed! The
stadium could hold 250,000 people on four seating tiers. It is
twice the size of the largest stadium existing today, and has been
an inspiration to modern sports stadiums worldwide. It was most
famously used for chariot races, but also hosted beast and
gladiator fights. In a standard chariot race, twelve chariots would
complete seven laps around the 300 meter dividing barrier in the
center of the stadium. These races were so dangerous more than
50 charioteers died every year, but those that survived were
treated like celebrities.
Emperor Trajan commissioned the stadium to be built in
103 AD out of stone and concrete after an earlier wooden arena
burnt to the ground. The Romans were the first civilization to use
concrete, which allowed them to build strong and tall buildings
quickly. The use of concrete allowed the structure to stand for
500 years.
Want to learn more? Watch the Discovery Channel’s Seven
Wonders of Ancient Rome video beginning at:
2:00 minutes
Trajan’s Forum
There were five forums in ancient Rome, but Trajan’s forum
was larger than all the other forums put together. It had a large
piazza (open meeting place) in the center, surrounded by arched
openings decorated with statues of Trajan. It was made of marble
and bronze with a triumphal arch, triumphal column, and a large
statue of Trajan on a horse. It contained Latin and Greek
libraries, a law court, a temple dedicated to Trajan himself and the
first world’s shopping center, Trajan’s Market.
Trajan’s Market was a five story shopping complex built to
hold 150 shops including bars and take-out shops. The shops
offered goods from all over the world. Ancient Romans would go
here to socialize, eat, shop, and relax just like we do in our malls
today.
Want to learn more? Watch the Discovery Channel’s Seven
Wonders of Ancient Rome video beginning at:
10:45 minutes
Aqueducts
Rome couldn’t survive without fresh water. It needed it for drinking,
irrigation, and private and public baths and latrines. The Romans found a
way to bring fresh water from the natural springs several miles outside the
city to the people of Rome using aqueducts.
At the peak of Roman engineering, the Romans had a system of
over 400 miles of underground and above ground channels that provided
230 million gallons of water through 11 aqueducts to Rome’s 1 million
people. When the water arrived it was held in three large cisterns: one for
the general public, one for public baths, and one for private households
that paid a water tax. This was a luxury for the rich and helped cover the
costs of providing water for everyone.
The aqueducts carried water using gravity and a particular degree of
incline. Some of the water tunnels Romans built through hills were
constructed so well that they are still in use today! Drinking water passed
through several purification tanks to make it safe for consumption.
Romans used arches for the above ground portions of the aqueducts
because building tall solid walls was too expensive and unstable. However,
the arches also became unstable above 68 feet. When they had to build
even higher, the Romans constructed a second or third tier of arches on
top of the first. They also discovered a waterproof form of cement they
used when aqueducts had to pass through rivers or bodies of water.
Want to learn more? Watch the discovery channel’s video beginning at:
14:00 minutes
Baths of Caracalla
One of Rome’s most ruthless tyrants was the Emperor Caracalla. In his
desire to make a lasting name for himself he undertook to finish the enormous
bath complex begun by his father, Emperor Septimius Severus in 206 AD.
Though there were already over 900 public bath complexes throughout Rome,
none compared to the elaborate baths of Caracalla.
The complex spread over almost 30 acres and could hold up to 1,600
bathers at one time. In addition to having beautiful gardens, libraries, beauty
parlors, cafes, shops, and a temple, the baths had beautiful mosaics, statues, and
sculptures decorating the complex.
The central space contained several different types of baths. There were
baths of different temperatures including a Frigidarium, a cold water bath, a
Tepidarium, a tepid water bath, and a Caldarium, a hot water sauna. There were
also two gymnasiums and an Olympic size circular swimming pool with bronzepanel mirrors above it to reflect sunlight on the pool area.
Though the baths were luxurious for the bathers, the slaves that worked
beneath the structure suffered. They had to man over 50 furnaces to heat the
baths, requiring more than 2,000 tons of wood. The baths required over 2 million
gallons of hot and cold water. A large system of terracotta pipes moved
freshwater in and wastewater out. Some pipes were hidden in the walls to
channel hot air from the beneath the baths to heat the rooms above.
Though Caracalla succeeded in building the most lavish bath complex in
Rome, he was not able to enjoy his accomplishment long. His bodyguard
assassinated him one year after the baths were opened to the public. The baths,
however, remained in use for 300 years.
Want to learn more? Watch the discovery channel’s video beginning at:
24:50 minutes
Roman Roads
The Romans used roads to connect their vast empire, facilitate trade, and
move their armies. They build a large network of roads throughout their empire
with Rome at its center, facilitating travel from Rome to far-away provinces. This
lead to the popular expression, “All roads lead to Rome”.
The Romans were excellent road builders. The first Roman road was
called the Via Appia, build by the Roman censor Appius Claudius Caecus,
specifically to transport troops to Apulia in 312 BC. Until this time roads were
just enhanced ancient paths designed to avoid rivers and hills. They didn’t
provide for efficient transport of vast armies like the Romans wanted. Within 200
years of the first road’s construction, the Romans built a network of over 50,000
miles of paved roads throughout their empire.
The Romans carefully planned their roads. Civil engineers used a
surveying system to plan the path of their roads in straight lines. This surveying
technique didn’t allow for turns and bends, so Romans cut through any natural
obstacles in their way. Engineers devised a way to make the roads last. First
they dug a trench and laid sand and small stones in it. Then they laid a layer of
gravel and mortar, and covered these layers with interlocking pavement stones to
make the surface flat. They also placed mile markers every 1,000 steps and
engraved them with the distance to the next town.
The Roman roads were built so well some parts of it are still used today.
One famous section of the Via Appia, called the Ancient Appian Way, stands
as a testament to the durability of Roman road construction. It is over 2,300
years old.
Want to learn more? Watch the discovery channel’s video beginning at:
26:00 min
Pantheon
The Pantheon standing today was built by the Emperor Hadrian
after two previous Pantheons burnt down. It is one of Rome’s great
architectural accomplishments, and is the best-preserved Roman monument
standing today. Its construction has amazed and inspired architects
throughout the centuries. Renaissance architects such as Brunelleschi and
Michelangelo studied the Pantheon for inspiration on designing the domes
of Santa Maria del Fiore and St. Peter’s Basilica in Florence. The style
of the Pantheon can be seen in many of our government buildings,
universities, and libraries today.
The front space of the Pantheon, known as the Portico, is
supported by 16 granite columns imported from Egypt, each weighing 60
tons. The interior is a perfect circle, topped with a 142 ft diameter dome
with a 33 ft wide oculus (open hole) at its center. The dome of the
Pantheon is considered an engineering masterpiece. It is double the size of
any dome built before it, and remained the largest until the Renaissance
era. It is still the largest dome without reinforced concrete. To avoid the
massive dome collapsing under its own weight Roman engineers made it 21
ft thick at its base and gradually reduced it to 4 feet thick around the
oculus, which also serves to lighten the weigh of the dome and allow light
and ventilation into the temple.
The Pantheon was an ancient temple dedicated to all gods. Though
we don’t know what name the ancient Romans used for it, we call it the
Greek word Pantheon, “pan” meaning “all”, and “theon” meaning “gods”. In
the 7th century, it was converted into a church. Its continued use and
maintenance over the centuries by various religious orders helped to
preserve it over 2,000 years.
Want to learn more? Watch the discovery channel’s video beginning at:
35:15 minutes
Colosseum
The Emperor Vespasian began the work on the
Colosseum in 72 AD, and his son, Titus, oversaw its completion
in 80 AD. It was the biggest amphitheater in Ancient Rome.
The design of the Colosseum allowed 60,000 spectators to flow
in and out of its 75 entrances. The arches allowed for plenty of
open space and the use of concrete kept the structure strong.
Romans made concrete out of volcanic ash, lime, and a mixture of
rubble. Stone was used on the outer wall.
The Colosseum had gigantic awnings above the arena to
shade the audience from the sun. Beneath the arena floor there
were tunnels and rooms that held stage sets, gladiators, and wild
beasts. These could be lifted up to the arena floor using ramps
and lifts. Emperor Titus inaugurated the Colosseum with 100
days of gladiator matches, executions, animal hunts, and
reenactments of famous battles.
Want to learn more? Watch the discovery channel’s video beginning at:
38:50 minutes
Information taken from: http://www.documentary24.com/seven-wonders-ofancient-rome-roman-empire--1524/
Circus Maximus
Trajan’s Forum
Aqueducts
Pont du gard, France
Nerja, Andalusia, Spain
Baths of Caracalla
Roman Roads
The Appian Way
Pantheon
Colosseum