Download pre-AP World History—Ancient Rome DBQ Documents

World History—Ancient Rome DBQ
THIS IS A CLASS SET!! PLEASE DO NOT WRITE ON IT.
Prompt: Analyze the achievements and legacy of Ancient Rome.
Document One
Only in two practical fields were the Romans to be great creators—law and engineering. The
achievements of the lawyers were relatively late; it was in the second and third centuries AD that
the [lawyers] began the... commentary which would be so valuable a legacy to the future. In
engineering—and Romans did not distinguish it from architecture—the quality of their
achievement is more immediately impressive.... The Romans virtually founded town-planning,
and their inventions of concrete and the vaulted dome revolutionized the shapes of buildings.
--JM Roberts, the History of the World
Document Two—Roman statues
Document Three
After the end of the First Punic War, Greek literary culture was consciously and deliberately
naturalized in Rome. The Odyssey of Homer was translated into Latin and probably became a
tool of instruction for the sons of the nobility. Latin versions of Greek New Comedy were
produced for public entertainment at regular festal celebrations. By the end of the first quarter of
the second century B.C., Quintus Ennius ... had produced a Roman epic, the Annales. The poem
was composed in the Homeric hexameter, adapted to Latin by Ennius, and it traced the destiny
of Rome from legendary Trojan origins to the end of the Third Macedonian War.
--“Roman and Greek Cultures Syncretize,” Thomson-Gale Research Database
Document Four
I.1
If [the plaintiff] summon him (defendant) into court, he shall go. If he does not go, (plaintiff)
shall call witnesses.
II. 3
Whoever is in need of evidence... shall go on every third day to call out loud before the
doorway of the witness.
IX. 3 The penalty shall be capital punishment for a judge... legally appointed who has been
found guilty of receiving a bribe for giving a decision.
IX. 6 Putting to death... of any man who has not been convicted, whosoever he might be, is
forbidden.
--from the Laws of the Twelve Tables
Document Five
The Senate... which enjoys so much authority, first of all must pay attention to the masses and
court the favor of the People in matters of public concern. ...if ever anyone introduces a law that
would strip the Senate of some part of the powers accorded it by tradition or would effect a
reduction in their livelihoods — the People have authority over all such matters, whether to pass
them or not. Most important of all, if a single one of the tribunes interposes his veto, the Senate is
unable to put into effect any of its resolutions; indeed, it cannot even convene or come together
at all. And the tribunes are bound always to effect the will of the People and to be guided by
their wishes. As a result of all of these factors, the Senate fears the masses and is ever mindful of
the People.
--Polybius, the Constitution of the Roman Republic
Document Six—Roman aqueduct in Segovia, Spain
Document Seven
The Aeneid is one of the most complex and subtle works ever written. [The] epic poem ...tells of
the efforts of the Trojan hero, Aeneas, to find a new homeland for himself and his small band of
followers, from the time he escapes from burning Troy until .. he founds, in Italy, Lavinium, parent
town of Rome.
[Virgil’s] epic of Augustan Rome would be cast in mythological form, making use of the legend of
the founding of Rome by Aeneas, a Trojan hero mentioned by Homer, who, tradition held,
escaped from Troy and came to Italy.
Virgil's models were the Iliad and the Odyssey of Homer. The first six books, narrating the
wanderings of Aeneas, draw material from the Odyssey; the last six, narrating the warfare in Italy
which was waged by Aeneas and his followers to establish themselves there, have the Iliad as
their model. A Roman writer always looked to the appropriate Greek models before composing
something of his own. Originality was displayed technically in the use of language and by means
of metrical virtuosity and poetic devices.
--Encyclopedia of World Biography
Document Eight—mosaic of Roman musicians
Here is a sample response to the DBQ. Suggestion: on the day you plan to return graded DBQs,
have students analyze and color-code this one before you give their DBQs back. The more good
historical writing they are exposed to, the better their own writing will be.
DBQ—Analysis of the Legacies of Roman Culture
In the twenty-first century, countless movies, television shows, and novels are
set in Ancient Rome. The fascination that many have for Rome may have been
triggered by its considerable impact on our own modern culture—especially in the
areas of law, engineering, art, and literature.
Rome is perhaps best remembered for its achievements in law. Roman
lawyers codified and organized the law (Doc One), which greatly benefited later
civilizations such as the Byzantine Empire and Medieval Europe. The representative
nature of the Roman Senate is reflected in the republican nature of the modern
American government. Although tribunes had veto power in ancient Rome, (Doc
5) and presidents have veto power in modern America, the principle of checks and
balances is also present in both governments. Additionally, the Laws of the Twelve
Tables, posted in response to the plebeians’ demands in 450 BCE, establish fair
proceedings for trials, including the concept of ‘innocent until proven guilty,’ (Doc
4) which is also reflected in the modern American court system.
Another area in which the Romans excelled was that of engineering. The
Romans were brilliant at creating durable, well-designed structures such as the
aqueduct (Doc 6), the Coliseum, the arch, and the dome (Doc 1). Their invention
of concrete (Doc 1) facilitated the building of the vast network of roads that
allowed legions to easily reach all areas of the Empire when necessary. The fact
that so many ancient Roman structures still stand in places like Spain and France
today is a testament to their skill and innovations in the area of engineering.
In their art and literature, the Romans tended to imitate the Greeks. This may
be viewed in a positive light, however, in that the Romans preserved the Greek
styles for later generations and also spread the styles throughout the Roman empire.
Roman sculptures show many of the same characteristics as Greek sculptures (Doc
2), such as idealized bodies, lifelike poses, and realistic draping of cloth. Roman
literature also reflected many of the characteristics of its Greek predecessors. One
notable example is that of the Aeniad, written by Virgil and modeled upon Homer’s
Iliad and Odyssey. (Doc 7) Though the storylines are similar, Virgil’s epic introduced
new poetic styles and showed mastery in the use of the Latin language. (Doc 7)
Perhaps the Romans should be lauded for recognizing the technical proficiency of
the Greeks in the fields of art and literature and not endeavoring to improve on
what was already very close to perfection.
The legal, engineering, artistic, and literary legacies of Rome have
undoubtedly influenced numerous successive societies. A study of Roman culture is
inevitably a study of the foundations of our own culture.