PERSIAN Chart
Culture/Civilization: ANCIENT ROME
Time Period: 753 BCE- 476 CE
Factual Information
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POLITICAL
 Leaders, Elites
 Structure--Laws
 Role of Religion
 Conflict
 Diplomacy, Treaties
 Judicial
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ECONOMIC
 Philosophy
 Focus
 Trade, Commerce
 Capital/Money
 Role of merchnats
Quote
CCOT
"Those who At first Rome was a
know how to Republic but then it
wim are
changed into a autocracy
Augustus took over after his great much more government.
uncle, Julius Caesar.
numerous
than those
Constantine
who know
Corruption occurred in powerful how to make
proper use of
people
their
Many people were persecuted by victories."religions due to their religions
Polybius
Julius Caesar famous Roman
political and military leader
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Nero killed many Christians and
burned them.
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Civitas proposed that all citizens
living under Roman law must have
full rights
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For several centuries Rome was
monarchy
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Most important governing body
was Senate
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Punic Wars against city of
Carthage
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Rome's main economy focus=
farming & trade
money
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Only one currency was used - no
customs dues
trade
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The Romans built complex road
systems to move around for trade
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Romans main trading partners
were: spain, france, middle east,
and north africa -the romans
imported beef, corn, glassware,
“A happy
life consists
in the
tranquility of
mind.”Cicero
Rome first used to tax
individuals but as the
empire grew they started
taxing provinces
iron, lead,leather, olive oil, silk,
silver, spices, timber , tin, and
wine ( etc.)
RELIGIOUS
 Origins
 Beliefs, Teaching
 Conversion
 Holy Books
 Influence on
Society*
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Rome depended on merchants to
trade efficiently so that their
economy would prosper
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Belief in Gods and Goddesses
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Beliefs of those who were
conquered slowly intergrated into
Roman culture and Religion and
started the Roman belief in Gods
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Through the study of Greek art,
literature, and mythology Greek
gods came to be identified with
Roman gods
Most forms of religious activity
required some type of sacrifice to
the gods
Prayer was also a part of worship
but it was difficult to because
many gods had more than one
name or their sex was unknown
As Christian became popular the
Bible was read
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SOCIAL
 Family
 Gender Relations
 Social Classes
 Inequalities—
coercive labor
 Life Styles
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Romans first believed in
gods and goddesses but
other religions were soon
brought to Rome such as
Christianity and Judaism.
“An
As the empire was slowly
Lower class: slaves, serfs, and
imbalance declining, the break
slavesAbout 40% of population
between the between the low and high
Economy depended on slaves
They were considered property but rich and poor classes greatly increased
is the oldest
could buy themselves freedom
Throughout the history of
Slavery did not suddenly end, but and most
fatal ailment Rome, the males always
was slowly replaced by paying
of all
dominated the way the
peasants (serfs) to do labor
Patricians lived in ravish houses Republics.” - society was run and
Plutarch
women were given a
and often owned a villa in the
much lesser role, and it
country
became her duty to follow
Plebians lived in crowded
her husband. The contrast
apartments called insulae
between the lifestyles of
The rich lived extravagantly, with
the wealthy and the poor
many servants, while the peasants
is also a constant because
suffered with poor conditions,
as the rich continue to live
such as unsanitary living spaces
their ravish lifestyles, the
When a Roman woman got
poor work in the fields,
married, she was under the control
and continue to stay at the
of her husband
bottom of the social class
THe husband owned and ruled
system. Towards the fall
everything and everyone in his
of the Roman Empire, the
house
amount of contrast
Men dominated the religious world
between the wealthy
(patriarchal)
Patricians and peasantry
Woman's religious roles were
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mainly associated with fertility and
chastity
Upper class: senatorial class,
equestrial class
Middle class: commons (plebs),
Latins (freeborn people of Italy),
Foreigners (freeborn people who
lived in Roman territories),
Freedpeople (former slaves)
Lower class: slaves
Plebians increased, as
soon Plebians slowly
began to replace slaves.
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INTELLECTUAL,
ARTS
 Art, Music
 Writing, Literature
 Philosophy
 Math & Science
 Education
 Technology
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“Medicine
Some Roman art had greek
influence, and some were done on sometimes
snatches
wood and ivory.
away health,
There were four styles of roman sometimes
art.
gives it.”Proportional structures and
Ovid
through them it could be seen that
it reflected the idealism philosophy “Habent sua
fata libelli:
and realism art.
Relief sculptures usually showed “Books have
their own
heroes or battle victories
destinies”their music had Greek influence Ovid
discovered new ways to mind for
“Either do
silver, gold and lead.
not attempt
Water mills were invented for
at all, or go
grinding grain
through with
Concrete was used for building
it.”-Ovid
and domes and barrel vaults
“The spirited
Sewage systems
Roman number system consisted horse, which
of what we know today as roman will try to
win the race
numerals.
of its own
Ovid – influential roman poet ,
accord, will
wrote a lot about love
run even
faster if
encouraged”Ovid
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2nd century BC
illustrated
imitations of
marble and
masonry.
Mythical
creatures were
sometimes
shown.
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1st century BC –
Realism, 3D
features of
architecture and
landscapes .
(27 BC – 14 AD)
had a scenic
design or abstract
on a background
of a solid color.
1st century ADmythology,
abstract patterns
and detailed
architecture.
Using barrel
vaults they
created aqueducts
(well known for
it)
Roman doctorGalen (100 AD)
important
because he was
the first to write a
book and find
various
symptoms and
treatments
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Studied body by
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NEAR:
GEOGRAPHY
 Location
 Physical
 Movement
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Human/Environment
 Region
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“All roads
Founded on the Italian
lead to
Peninsula
Rome.”
Located along the
Mediterranean Sea
Near Tiber River
Different types of
geography(mountains,
forest, deserts)
Many hilly land
providing protection
Temperature doesn’t
fluctuate and allows for
fertile land and farming
Traded and Conquered
many areas along
Mediterranean
Many roads connecting
the empire hence the
saying “All Roads lead to
Rome”
“dissecting”
animals and
wounded
gladiators
Scholars treasure
a book of Ovid’s
called
Metamorphoses
(epic poem of
stories) because
of its literal
structure
A city of Rome founded
in 753 B.C.E on the
Italian peninsula gradually
spread to dominate the
Mediterranean