Download Roman Inspiration Project! Rome was considered the height of

Roman Inspiration Project!
Rome was considered the height of ancient civilization. In the ancient world this was a good as it
was going to get and it would all be down hill from then on. One of the reasons that Rome was
able to bring civilization to new heights was their ability to take ideas from other civilizations and
improve on them. Your task in this project is to capture and show some of that magic.
This project will focus on the time period known as the Pax Romana. The 200 year span of time after
Augustus became the first Emperor of Rome until Rome began to decline. You will choose one topic from
any of the categories of civilization (See list on back) and prepare a project that will educate and inspire
the rest of the class as to why Rome was so great.
This project will consist of several steps.
Step One: Research.
Your first part of the research phase will be to explore. Choose 2-3 topics that might be of interest
to you. We will take a trip to the library. There you will get a chance to explore various resources to see
what is available for information on your topics. Your goal by the end of class is to determine one topic
idea based on the availability of information.
Once you determine your topic, you will need to do research. You
will have one class period to complete an annotated bibliography. That is
simply notes about your topic that also contains the bibliography information
of the resources you used.
Step Two: Prepare your thesis: Even though it is a project – it still needs a
thesis – or purpose. Your purpose for this project is: How did your topic
make, or show, that Rome was a great place? The answer to that thesis
question should be easy to see somewhere on your project.
Step Three: Prepare your project. There are many ways you can share what
you have learned with your classmates – your task is to choose the best way.
You’ve seen many examples all year. We will set up the projects as a fair. In
other words- your project needs to be able to speak for itself as your classmates
rotate around the room. So, no oral presentations please.
Step 4: Be prepared for a surprising and unexpected twist. Well, I
guess it won’t be unexpected if I just told you about it.
Topic Ideas
This is designed to just get you going – it is not an exhaustive list. If you have another
idea, just check with me.
Arts and Culture
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Sculpture
Mosaics
Theater
Poetry and Literature
Trade
Food
Daily life of Slaves, Plebians or
Patricians
Music
Clothing and Fashion
Coliseums and Gladiator Games
Chariot Racing and the Circus
Maximus
Public Baths
Roman Houses
Government/Religion influences the people
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Emperors
Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Galba, Otho,
Vitellus, Vespasian, Titus, Domitian, Nerva, Trajan,
Hadrian, Antonius Pius, Marcus Aurelius.
Roman Law
The Roman Senate
State Religion of Rome (Jupiter, Mars and the rest of the family)
Various religious cults (Dionysus, Mithraism, Isis Christianity)
The Vestal Virgins
Cultures of Conquered Roman Provinces
The Celts or Britons
The Gauls
The Germans
Judea
Roman Egypt
Roman Greeks
Or Choose a famous battle and show how it made Rome great.
New Technologies
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One word, Cement!
Military weaponry
Military defenses and walls (Hadrians Wall)
Military Camps
Architecture
Roads
Aquaducts
Roman Scientists and scholars