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Living in the Roman Empire
Teacher’s Guide
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LIVING IN THE
ROMAN EMPIRE
Produced By…
Chariot Productions
Teacher's Guide Written By…
Joe Sitko, Ph.D.
Published & Distributed by…
AGC/UNITED LEARNING
1560 Sherman Avenue
Suite 100
Evanston, Illinois 60201
1-800-323-9084
24-Hour Fax No. 847-328-6706
Website: http://www.agcunitedlearning.com
e-mail: [email protected]
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©MM Chariot Productions
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LIVING IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE
Teacher’s Guide
Table of Contents
Introduction and Summary ........................... 1
Curriculum Standards .................................... 1
Teacher Preparation/Instructional Notes .... 1
Student Preparation ....................................... 2
Pre-Test ............................................................ 2
Student Objectives......................................... 3
Introducing the Video ................................... 3
View the Video ............................................... 3
FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES ................................... 4
Discussion Questions ...................................... 4
Blackline Masters ............................................ 5
Extended Learning Activities......................... 6
Answer Key ...................................................... 7
Script of Narration ........................................ 11
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LIVING IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE
Teacher’s Guide
Grades 4-8
INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY
This program, filmed at Roman sites in five countries,
offers students a look at many facets of life in the
ancient empire of Rome.
CURRICULUM STANDARDS
The design for this programwas guided by the
curriculum standards of the states of Texas, California,
and Illinois, as well as the National Center for History in
Schools (U.C.L.A). In accordance with these guidelines
we have attempted to help students:
1. Learn about everyday life in ancient Rome, including
Roman cities, religion, housing, art, and entertainment;
2. Learn about the growth of the Roman Empire;
3. Learn about the rise of Christianity;
4. Develop improved concepts of time and
chronology as well as a vocabulary appropriate to
these subjects;
5. Recognize and investigate problems and proposed
solutions based on reason and evidence;
6. Express and interpret information and ideas;
7. Use computer networks to access information.
TEACHER PREPARATION/INSTRUCTIONAL NOTES
1. Before presenting this lesson to your students, we
suggest that you review history textbooks on the
subject of the Roman Empire. We also advise you to
preview the video and review the guide and
accompanying blackline masters in order to familiarize
yourself with their content.
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As you review the materials presented in this guide,
you may find it necessary to make some changes,
additions, or deletions to meet the specific needs of
your class. We encourage you to do so, for only by
tailoring this program to your class will they obtain the
maximum instructional benefits afforded by the
materials.
It is also suggested that the video presentation take
place before the entire group under your supervision.
The lesson activities grow out of the context of the
video; therefore, the presentation should be a
common experience for all students.
You should also duplicate selected hand-out materials
from the blackline masters included in this guide.
2. Set up a “Learning Center” with maps and any
pictures relevant to this material that may be available
to you. Make a poster of Roman numerals and Latin
and their equivalents in English and Spanish.
STUDENT PREPARATION
Before viewing LIVING IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE,
1. Have students explore the “Learning Center.”
2. Introduce or review with your students the meaning
of any words from Blackline Master #3: Vocabulary
sheet with which they may need help.
PRE-TEST
An optional Pre-Test is provided on Blackline Master
#2. This test will help you determine the level of student
comprehension prior to participating in this lesson. An
Answer Key appears on pages 7-9 of this Teacher’s
Guide.
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STUDENT OBJECTIVES
After viewing the video and participating in the follow–
up activities, students should be able to:
1. Explain what the Roman Empire was, how it
developed, and how it ended.
2. Describe some of the buildings and other structures
found in Roman cities and explain what the buildings
were used for.
3. Explain some of the differences between the Roman
religion and Christianity.
4. Identify some facets of modern day life that show a
Roman influence.
INTRODUCING THE VIDEO
1. Using a large map, point out the boundaries of the
Roman empire. Outline some of the provinces and
compare them to modern day countries.
Hand out Blackline Master #1: Video Quiz, Blackline
Master #4: Crossword Puzzle, and Blackline Master #7:
Map of the Roman Empire.
VIEW THE VIDEO
Running time of the program is 15 minutes followed
by a two-minute optional Video Quiz.
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FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
It is recommended you involve students in a brief
discussion after viewing the video and before
beginning the other Follow–Up Activities. Introduce the
following questions.
1. Why do you think the Roman Empire was so
successful?
2. How do modern day athletic contests compare to
events that took place in the colosseums?
3. What are some of the main differences between
Christianity and the religion of ancient Rome?
4. Point out that most planets in the solar system have
the names of Roman gods.
Mercury: messenger of the gods, god of business
Venus: goddess of love
Mars: god of war
Jupiter: king of the gods
Saturn: father of Jupiter, god of agriculture
Neptune: god of the Sea
Pluto: god of the underworld
5. Most months have names given to them by the
Romans
January: month of the god Janus, the god of
beginnings and endings
February: the month of the Roman festival of Februa,
or purification
March: the month of Mars, the god of war
May: the month of the goddess Maia, the goddess of
growth and increase
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June: named after a Junius, the name of a powerful
Roman family
July: the month of Julius Caesar, a great Roman
politician
August: the month of the emperor and god Augustus;
before the Romans changed the calendar, they
called this “Sextilis,” or the sixth month
September: from the Latin word for seven (Septem),
the seventh month
October: from the Latin word for eight (Octo), the
eighth month
November: from the Latin word for nine (Novem), the
ninth month
December: from the Latin word for ten (Decem), the
tenth month
6. Discuss how Latin has been incorporated into English.
England was once the Roman province of Brittania
and the French speaking Normans conquered
England and brought many French words of Roman
origin into English, as well. Also discuss how Latin is the
basis of many European languages, including Spanish,
Italian, French, Portuguese, Romanian, and the
Catalan language of northern Spain.
BLACKLINE MASTERS
(1.) Blackline Master #1: Video Quiz Is a printed
version of the questions that appear at the end of this
program.
(2.) Blackline Master #2 is a Pre-Test that, when
compared to the results of Blackline Master #8: PostTest, will help you gauge student progress.
(3.) Blackline Masters #3a-3c is a Vocabulary
worksheet that will introduce students to unfamiliar
words used in the program, or words pertaining to the
subject of the program they may encounter in outside
reading.
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(4.) Blackline Master #4 is a Crossword Puzzle that
challenges students to use some of the words from
the vocabulary worksheet presented in this program.
(5.) Blackline Master #5: Timeline delineates some
of the important events and figures of the period. The
“matching” portion of Blackline Master #8: Post-Test is
largely based on the Timeline.
(6.) Blackline Masters #6a-6b: Roman Numerals
teaches students the system by which the Romans
wrote numbers, and incorporates math skills.
(7.) Blackline Master #7: Map of the Roman Empire
illustrates the scope of the Empire.
(8.) Blackline Master #8: Post-Test is an assessment
tool to be administered after the entire lesson is
complete. Contrasting students’ results with those of
Blackline Master #2: Pre-Test should help you gauge
overall comprehension of the Student Objectives.
EXTENDED LEARNING ACTIVITIES
A. In order to express and communicate ideas, papers,
or oral reports could be prepared on the following
subjects:
1. Latin words in the English language.
2. How the Romans changed the calendar.
3. How the army of Rome was organized. How soldiers
lived and fought.
4. How the first Christians lived in the Roman Empire
and how they were treated.
5. Roman sports and amusements.
6. The growth and decline of the Roman Empire
7. The political system of the Romans.
8. Good and bad Roman emperors.
B. Excerpts from the writings of some famous Roman
authors such as Julius Caesar, Suetonius, Lucretius,
Ovid, and Cicero could be read out loud in class and
discussed.
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C. As an art project, students could gather materials
to make mosaics and then copy ancient Roman
designs.
D. In order to gain computer experience students
could scan the Internet and see what they can find
out about the Roman empire.
Printouts could be made and reports done.
ANSWER KEY
Blackline Master #1: Video Quiz
1.
T
2.
F; they were famous for the things they built
3.
T
4.
T
5.
F; they would see chariot races
6.
T
7.
F; they were fighters in the colosseums
8.
F; aqueducts carried water to cities
9.
F; it went all the way to the southern border of
Scotland
10.
T
Blackline Master #2: Pre-Test
1.
F
2.
T
3.
T
4.
F
5.
F
Blackline Masters #3a-3c: Vocabulary
1. Plebian, Patrician
2. Emperor, Tribune, Senator
3. Gladiator
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Blackline Master #4: Crossword Puzzle
3
M
1 C
H
1
2 C
I
R
C
U
A
4
R
I
O
S
R
K
I
S
U
O
3 M
L
4 M
I
N
U
L
E
R
V
A
P
O
S
A
I
C
S
H
A
2
S
5 M
T
C
E
R
C
U
R
U
U
M
C
S
6
I
L
Y
S
T
A
T
E
R
N
B
F
7
J
U
P
I
X
I
O
N
Blackline Masters #6a-6b: Roman Numerals
1.
The year 1996 is MDCCCCXCVI
2.
250 plus 31 is CCL + XXXI=CCLXXXI
3.
497 minus 312 is CCCCXCVII –CCCXII=CLXXXV
4.
The year 1776 is MDCCLXXVI
5.
The year 2006 is MMVI
6.
XXX minus V is 30 – 5 = 25
7.
CCCLXI minus CCL is 361 – 250 =111
8.
MMDLV is 2000+500+50+5 or 2555
9.
MCCCXCIII is 1000+100+100+100+90+3 or 1393
10.
MMDLV plus MCCCXCIII is 2555 + 1393= 3948
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Blackline Master #7: Map of the Roman Empire
Refer to an atlas or world map.
Blackline Master #8: Post-Test
Fill-in-the-Blanks
1. Constantine
2. Forums
3. Myths
4. Italy
5. Barbarians
Matching
1. b
2. d
3. c
4. f
5. g
6. a
7. e
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LIVING IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE
Script of Narration
Two thousand years ago there was a powerful empire famous
not only for the wonderful things it created, but also for some of
the terrible things it did. It was called the “Roman Empire”
because its sixty million people were ruled by an emperor who
lived in the Italian city of Rome. The emperor ruled over many
different types of people because the empire was so big it
stretched across three different continents. In Africa, it reached
as far to the south as Egypt. In Europe, as far to the west as Spain.
In Asia, as far to the east as Turkey. And in the British Isles, as far to
the north as the border of Scotland, where the emperor Hadrian
built the great wall seen here.
The Roman Empire was really just one big country made up of
many separate states they called “provinces” that had been
captured by the great army of Rome, and everyone who lived
in the empire paid Roman taxes, obeyed Roman laws and spoke
the Roman language called “Latin.”
According to legend, Rome was founded in 753 B.C. by Romulus,
who, along with his twin brother Remus, were said to have been
nursed by a wolf when they were babies. Romulus killed his brother
and became the first king of Rome, and he founded his city on
this hill near the banks of the beautiful Tiber River seen here.
Over the centuries, Rome got bigger and bigger, and so did the
empire, because Roman soldiers kept conquering one country
after another, always bringing their way of life to the people they
conquered. And it wasn’t long before the empire got so huge it
was not easy to rule.
But the Romans were very skilled in most things they did, and
they were very well organized and this helped them succeed
where others failed. For example, they built hundreds of excellent
stone–paved roads like this one that linked the distant parts of
their empire to the capital city, and when they came to a river,
they always built a fine stone bridge to cross it. And we are really
lucky they built things so well because we can learn a lot about
how the Romans lived thousands of years ago just by visting a
few of the many Roman buildings that are still standing today.
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If we visited the ruins of Roman cities that were located in different
parts of the empire, cities that were built very far from one
another, we would always find the same kinds of buildings. For
example, nearly all Roman cities had theaters that looked a lot
like this one, which is in Spain. In these theaters, people sat on
stone seats while, on the stage below, actors performed plays
with their faces hidden behind masks. The actors wore masks
because masks made it easier for the audience to understand
what the play was all about.
Another type of building found in most Roman cities were the
colosseums. Here we see the Colosseum in Rome. It was a huge
building that could hold about 70,000 people. These people were
ordinary citizens who came to watch men called “gladiators”
fight other men and animals to the death. In fact, wild animals,
such as rhinoceroses and even giraffes, were captured in Africa
just so they could fight against the gladiators in the colosseums.
And, because for a long time Christianity was illegal in the Roman
Empire, Christians were sometimes fed to the lions just to please
the crowd.
Besides colosseums and theaters most Roman cities also had
places called “ circuses.” The circus in Rome was a huge
racetrack where as many as 200,000 people came to watch the
chariot races. Chariots were wheeled carriages that were pulled
around the track by powerful teams of horses.
The Romans also loved being clean, and just about every town
in the Roman Empire had public bath houses like the one seen
here. They were places where people could take hot or cold
baths and also get exercise. The Romans were able to have bath
houses because every town had an excellent system for supplying
running water, not only for bathing but for drinking and for
sanitation as well. That was why, on the outskirts of many Roman
towns, you would see structures that looked like bridges but were
really things called “aqueducts,” through which fresh water was
carried to the cities from streams in the nearby hills.
In Roman cities, most ordinary people lived in apartments that
were in buildings like these, but the richer people and their slaves
lived in private houses called “villas.” In these villas, it was very
common to find floors which were made from mosaic tiles thousands of tiny pieces of colored glass, stone, or pottery which
were cemented together to make beautiful designs. And
oftentimes, hidden under these floors, were passages through
which hot air flowed to keep the houses warm in winter.
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The Romans loved decoration and they usually painted the walls
of their houses with all kinds of colorful designs such as those seen
here. And that was why Roman sculptors carved beautiful statues
and monuments out of stone which stood in every public square.
Some, like the Emperor Trajan’s column seen here, had very
complicated carvings. Many of the carvings showed Romans
fighting their enemies. And it was so the citizens would always be
reminded of Rome’s important military victories that special
monuments called “triumphal arches” were built. These enormous
carved structures also helped make the Romans feel proud of
the greatness of their empire.
Roman cities also had special places where you could go
shopping: Here we see Trajan’s Market in Rome, where a long
time ago you would have found people selling and buying all
kinds of things.
Besides all the different sorts of buildings we have just seen, Roman
cities also had large public squares called “forums” where people
gathered, where government buildings were located, and where
speeches were made. But usually, of all the buildings in their fine
cities, the most beautiful ones were the temples they built for
their many gods and goddesses.
The Roman religion wasn’t based on a book of teachings, such
as the Bible or the Koran. Instead, it was a religion that developed
over many centuries as the Romans took over parts of other, older
religions. And ordinary Romans learned about the powers of their
gods through stories called “myths” that had been told and retold
for as long as anyone could remember.
The Romans worshipped hundreds of different gods and
goddesses whose myths came from several different lands. Some,
like the myths of the god of the Nile, came from Egypt, while
other myths, like those of Mithras the warrior god of light, came
from Persia and were the favorites among the slaves and soldiers.
But nearly all of the most important Roman myths originally came
from ancient Greece .
After the Romans conquered Greece around 140 B.C, they gave
the Greek gods and goddesses new names and worshiped them
as their own. For example, the god Neptune seen here was
believed to rule the sea and all the creatures that lived in it. And,
because the Romans depended on the sea not just for food, but
for transportation as well, sailors always prayed to Neptune that
they would have a safe voyage.
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The goddess Minerva, seen here, was also very important to the
Romans. At first, she was only worshipped by people who wanted
to improve their skill at weaving and spinning, but later on she
was the goddess people worshipped if they wanted to be able
to think better and be smarter.
The god seen here is Mercury. He was the messenger of the gods,
and the god of business and money. So, if you wanted your
business to make more money, you worshiped Mercury.
And this great god is Jupiter, the king of all the gods and the ruler
of the universe. Jupiter was the son of Saturn and was the father
of some of Rome’s most important gods and goddesses. That is
why he is pictured here holding his daughter the godddess
Minerva, because Roman myths told of how she had been born
from Jupiter’s forehead fully grown.
Another unusual thing about the Roman religion, which
happened because people created myths about their emperors,
was that the citizens worshipped. Some emperors as gods and
built temples in their honor. Roman temples weren’t like churches,
synagogues, or mosques, because they weren’t places that
ordinary people could ever enter since the Romans believed that
the temples were the actual houses of the gods. And that was
why only specially trained priests and priestesses were allowed
inside.
The main way that the Romans worshiped was by sacrificing a
valuable animal, such as a goat,... a sheep, or a cow, and then,
to please the gods even more, burning the animal’s flesh on altars
like these that stood outside the temples.
It is interesting to think that Christianity began in a Roman province
called “Judea” at a time when animal sacrifices were still very
commonplace, and that Romans put Jesus Christ to death by
crucifixion because they thought he was causing political and
religious trouble in the province.
The Romans used harsh punishments like crucifixion to keep order
in their empire, and, for a long time, it seemed to work, because
after the death of Christ they had 200 years of peace and
prosperity. But after that, the empire began to fall apart; first,
because it was being attacked more and more often by tribes
from the north called “Barbarians,” and, second, because many
of the emperors were so busy seeking pleasure that they had
little time to rule
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By the year 395 A.D., the Romans had decided to divide the
empire in two so everything would be easier to control. The
western half of the empire was ruled by an emperor from the
city of Rome, and the eastern half was ruled by another emperor
who lived in the city of Constantinople - which is today’s city of
Istanbul, Turkey - and by that time the Romans had begun to
follow the Christian faith.
But even having two capital cities couldn’t save the empire from
falling apart, because, in 476 A.D., the western half was captured
by the Barbarians, and after that its lands were split up into many
separate kingdoms with many different rulers. But in the eastern
empire, Roman emperors continued to rule, and many of the
customs and laws of ancient Rome were kept alive, until, finally,
in the year 1453, the last tiny bit of Rome’s once-great Empire
was destroyed.
But it is amazing to think that, by then, over 2000 years had gone
by since the founding of Rome .. and that during this time lots of
very big changes had taken place in the world. In fact, by the
time the eastern Roman Empire finally fell to the Turks, European
explorers in new types of sailing ships had already entered a new
era, now called the “Great Age of Exploration,” and they were
well on their way to finding continents and races of people the
Romans had never even dreamed of.
VIDEO QUIZ
1. True or False? The ancient Romans sometimes worshipped
their dead emperors as gods.
2. True or False? The ancient Romans were not very good at
building things.
3. True or False? The Roman Empire was on three different
continents.
4. True or False? The Roman god of the sea was named Neptune.
5. True or False? You would expect to see acrobats and clowns
at a Roman Circus.
6. True or False? The Romans built triumphal arches to remind
them of their great military victories.
7. True or False? Gladiators ruled the Roman Empire for many
centuries.
8. True or False? Roman roads were called aqueducts.
9. True or False? The Roman Empire never went further north than
France.
10. True or False? Jesus Christ was born in the Roman Empire.
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1
Name_____________________________
VIDEO QUIZ
1. True or False? The ancient Romans sometimes worshipped their dead emperors
as gods.
2. True or False? The ancient Romans were not very good at building things.
3. True or False? The Roman empire was on three different continents.
4. True or False? The Roman god of the sea was named Neptune.
5. True or False? You would expect to see acrobats and clowns at a Roman Circus.
6. True or False? The Romans built triumphal arches to remind them of their great
military victories.
7. True or False? Gladiators ruled the Roman Empire for many centuries.
8. True or False? Roman roads were called aqueducts.
9. True or False? The Roman empire never went further north than France.
10. True or False? Jesus Christ was born in the Roman empire
©2000 Chariot Productions
Distributed by AGC/United Learning
All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.
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2
Name_____________________________
PRE-TEST
Directions: Answer each question either TRUE or FALSE.
1. Jupiter was the Roman god of the sea
2. Hadrian was the name of a great Roman emperor.
3. The Roman empire once extended into England.
4. Two thousand years ago, Rome was still a fairly small city with a population
under 100,000 people.
5. All the Roman emperors who ruled after the death of Christ became Christians.
©2000 Chariot Productions
Distributed by AGC/United Learning
All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.
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3a
Name_____________________________
VOCABULARY
ANCIENT Times long past, especially the period of history before the end of the western Roman
Empire.
ALTAR In Roman times a raised platform, usually of carved stoned, where sacrifices were made
to a god or goddess.
AQUEDUCT A structure for carrying channels of water from a higher place to a city located in
a lower place.
AUGUSTUS (63 B.C–14 A.D.) He was named Octavian when he was born and was the adopted
son of Julius Caesar. He became Rome’s first emperor in 27 B.C. and was then called “Augustus.”
BARBARIAN A foreigner; a person not from the Roman empire. A savage or uncivilized person.
BYZANTINE EMPIRE The eastern Roman Empire came to be known as the “Byzantine Empire”
because its capital, Constantinople, was built where the Greek city of Byzantium once stood.
CAESAR, JULIUS (100–44 B.C.) One of ancient Rome’s greatest generals and political leaders.
He was stabbed to death in the Roman Senate by fellow politicians.
CHARIOT Wheeled carriage pulled by horses used by Romans both for day-to-day transportation
and for racing.
CHARIOTEER The person who ran the team of horses that pulled the chariot.
CIRCUS A large oval-shaped track where Romans held chariot races. Two hundred thousand
people often attended the chariot races at the Circus Maximimus in Rome.
CITIZEN In Rome, a free person with the right to vote.
COLOSSEUM A huge oval shaped amphitheater used by Romans for gladiator fights. The
Colosseum in Rome held about 70,000 people.
CONSTANTINE THE GREAT (275–337 A.D.) The first Christian Roman Emperor who founded a new
Roman capital of Constantinople near the Black Sea. During his rule, the Christian religion
became legal in the Roman Empire.
CONSTANTINOPLE The capital of the eastern Roman Empire.
CRUCIFIXION A Roman punishment given to criminals in which they were either nailed or tied
to a wooden cross and left to die a slow death in public places for all to see.
EMPEROR The supreme ruler of an empire.
EMPIRE A state uniting many territories and peoples under one ruler.
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VOCABULARY
FORUM The town center of Roman towns. These large, open squares were places where
government buildings were located and where people gathered to listen to speeches.
GLADIATORS Men who fought other men or animals in the colosseums for the pleasure of the
spectators. Most gladiators were slaves, criminals, or captives of war, although some were
paid performers.
HADRIAN (76 A.D–138 A.D.) One of Rome’s greatest emperors. He had a wall built all the way
across northern Britain.
ISTANBUL The Turkish city, today called Constantinople.
JUDEA A Roman province on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea in southern Palestine.
The Jewish people came from this land.
JUNO Queen of all the gods and goddesses in the Roman religion.
LATIN The language of the Romans.
MACEDONIA An ancient country north of Greece that became a Roman province in 148 B.C.
MERCURY Roman god of money and business.
MINERVA Roman goddess of wisdom and skill at crafts.
MITHRAS Roman god of light (originally from Persia).
MONOTHEISM Having only one god. Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are monotheistic religions.
MOSAICS Floors or walls made from thousands of tiny pieces of stone, glass, or pottery that are
cemented together to make beautiful designs.
MYTHS Ancient legends about the gods and goddesses.
MYTHOLOGY The study of myths, or a book of myths.
NEPTUNE Roman god of the sea.
PATRICIANS Upper class Romans.
PILATE, PONTIUS Roman governor of Judea from 26–36 A.D.
PLEBEIANS In ancient Rome, they were the common people.
POLYTHEISM Having many gods and goddesses. The Roman religion was polytheistic.
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VOCABULARY
PRIESTS AND PRIESTESSES In the Roman religion, they were the people who performed sacrificial
offerings and other religious rites.
PROVINCE A territory governed by ancient Rome. A political division of a country. For example,
England was once the Roman province of Brittania.
REPUBLIC A nation that is governed by an assembly of citizens rather than by a king. Rome
was a republic during part of its history.
ROMULUS AND REMUS Twin brothers who, legend says, were nursed by a wolf. Romulus killed
Remus and founded the city of Rome in 753 B.C..
SACRIFICE The offering of something to a god or goddess. Romans usually made sacrifices of
live animals.
SENATE In ancient Rome, an assembly of elders who made laws. The Roman senate was elected
by citizens of free birth.
SENATOR A member of the Roman senate.
SLAVERY Slavery, in which one person owns another person, was common in the Roman
Empire. People captured in wars often were made into Roman slaves.
TOGA A white woolen robe worn by the upper classes of Rome.
TRAJAN (53–117 A.D.) A great Roman emperor and military expert.
TRIBUNE A Roman official whose job it was to protect the rights of the plebeians or common
people.
TRIUMPHAL ARCH A large monument in an arch shape, decorated with carvings, built in honor
of Roman military victories.
VILLA A large Roman house or a country house.
VOCABULARY ACTIVITIES
Directions: Use the vocabulary list above to answer the following:
1. Find the names of the two basic classes of Roman citizens.
2. Find the names of three types of jobs in the Roman government.
3. Find the name of a job a slave might have had in Ancient Rome.
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Name_____________________________
CROSSWORD PUZZLE
3
4
1
1
2
3
4
2
5
6
7
ACROSS
1. The Romans raced, and traveled in, two wheeled carriages that were pulled by horses. These carriages were
called ________________.
2. A Roman racetrack was called a____________.
3. The Roman goddess of wisdom and skill at weaving and crafts was named_________.
4. Many Roman buildings had floors made of tiny pieces of glass, stone, or pottery called____________ tiles.
5. _________________was the Roman god of business and money.
6. The capital of the eastern Roman Empire was called “ Constantinople.” Today it is known as the city of ____________
in Turkey.
7. ______________was the king of all the Roman gods and goddesses and god of the sky.
DOWN
1. Gladiators fought in buildings called ______________.
2. Being nailed to a cross, or ______________, was a common form of punishment for criminals in Roman times.
3. Actors in Roman theaters wore____________on their faces.
4. To remind them of their great military victories, the Romans built structures called _________________arches.
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Name_____________________________
TIMELINE
753 B.C According to legend, the city of Rome 27 B.C. Octavian becomes Rome’s first
is founded by Romulus on the Palatine hill near emperor and is given the title “Augustus.”
the banks of the Tiber River.
33 A.D. Death of Jesus Christ.
600 B.C. The Roman language, Latin, is first
written in a script that is still used today.
43 A.D. Roman armies begin to conquer Britain.
509 B.C. The Temple of Jupiter is completed in 50 A.D. Rome is the largest city in the world with
Rome.
a population of one million people.
550 B.C. Rome throws out its last king and
becomes a republic.
117 A.D. The Roman Empire reaches its largest
size.
493 B.C. The office of the Tribune is created to
protect the rights of the common people or
plebeians.
122 A.D. The Emperor Hadrian begins to build
a wall for defense across northern Britain.
200 A.D. Roman road systems criss–cross the
312 B.C. Construction begins on the Via Appia, empire.
Rome’s first great road. Construction begins on
Rome’s first aqueduct.
313 A.D. Christianity is made legal in the
Roman empire.
264 B.C. First record of a contest between
gladiators.
324 A.D. The emperor Constantine the Great
founds Constantinople
250 B.C. Rome controls most of Italy.
395 A.D. The Roman Empire is divided into an
206 B.C. Rome conquers Iberia (Spain).
eastern half and a western half.
196 B.C. The first triumphal arches are built in
Rome.
410 A.D. The city of Rome is ransacked by
barbarians, called “ Visigoths,” from Germany
146 B.C. Rome conquers the African country
of Carthage. Greece and most north Africa
come under the control of Rome.
455 A.D. Barbarians from Germany, called
“Vandals,” ransack Rome.
73 B.C. A slave named “Spartacus” starts a
revolt in southern Italy.
50 B.C. Roman armies led by Julius Caesar
conquer Gaul (France).
476 A.D. The western Roman empire falls to the
barbarians.
1440 A.D. The Portuguese explore the coast of
Africa looking for a new route to India, China,
and the Spice Islands.
31 B.C. Octavian defeats Cleopatra of Egypt. 1453 A.D. The eastern Roman Empire falls to
the Turks.
29 B.C. Egypt becomes part of the Roman
Empire.
1492 A.D. Columbus sails to the New World.
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ROMAN NUMERALS
Today, we use numbers called “Arabic” numerals, but the Romans used Roman numerals.
Roman numerals were first used about 500 B.C., but most people had stopped using them by
1500 A.D.
The reason Arabic numerals are used now is that Roman numerals are hard to use, except for
addition and subtraction. Sometimes people still use Roman numerals for the dates on books,
T.V. shows, and movies, and for clock and watch faces.
In this exercise, try using Roman numerals. Here is how they worked:
The Romans used seven letters as symbols for numbers:
I was one
V was five
X was ten
L was 50
C was 100
D was 500
M was 1000
The number “4” could be written either as IIII or as IV. In the case of IV, the symbol on the left (I,
or one) was subtracted from the symbol on the right (V, or five) to result in four. Another example
is IX for nine (ten minus one equals nine), which can also be written VIIII. Here are some other
examples:
XV=15
XX=20
XXX=30
XXXX or XL=40
LX=60
LXIII=63
LXIV OR LXIIII=64
LXV=65
XC or LXXXX =90
CC=2OO
CD or CCCC=400
DC=600
CM or DCCCC=900
MDCCCLV=1855
MM=2000
Which is the same as X+V = 10+5 = 15
Which is the same as X+X = 10+10 = 20
Which is the same as X+X+X = 10+10+10 = 30
Which is the same as X+X+X+X = 10+10+10+10= 40
or L–X = 50 – 10= 40
Which is the same as L+X = 50 +10 = 60
Which is the same as L+X+I+I+I = 50+10+1+1+1=63
Which is the same as L+X+IV = 50+10+4 = 64
or L+X+I+I+I+I = 50+10+1+1+1+1 = 64
Which is the same as L+X+V = 50+10+5 = 65
Which is the same as C–X = 100–10 = 90:
or L+X+X+X+X =50+10+10+10+10 = 90
Which is the same as C + C = 100+100 =200
Which is the same as D–C = 500–100
or C+C+C+C= 100+100+100+100 =400
Which is the same as D+C = 500+100 = 600
Which is the same as M–C = 1000–100 = 900
or D+C+C+C+C = 500+100+100+100+100 =900
Which is the same as M+D+C+C+C+L+V =
1000+500+300+50+5= 1855
Which is the same as M +M =1000+1000 =2000
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ROMAN NUMERALS
Questions
Directions: In Roman numerals write, answer the following:
1. The year 1996 :
______________________________________
2. 250 plus 31=
______________________________________
3. 497 minus 312=
______________________________________
4. The year 1776:
______________________________________
5. The year 2006:
______________________________________
Directions: Write the Arabic numbers for the following:
1. XXX minus V=
______________________________________
2. CCCLXI minus CCL =
______________________________________
3. MMDLV
______________________________________
4. MCCCXCIII
______________________________________
5. MMDLV plus MCCCXCIII
______________________________________
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Name_____________________________
MAP OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE
Directions: The Roman Empire once encompassed the territory marked in light gray on the
map below. Mark the following modern locations on the map:
England
France
Egypt
Atlantic Ocean
Switzerland
Romania
Belgium
Portugal
Israel
Austria
Greece
Holland
Sahara Desert
Turkey
Cyprus
Spain
Libya
Jordan
Sicily
Syria
Mediterranean Sea
Serbia
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POST-TEST
FILL-IN-THE-BLANKS
Directions: Fill in the blank with the correct word or phrase in each statement below.
1. _________________________________ the Great was the first Christian emperor of Rome.
2. Public squares in Roman cities where people could gather to listen to speeches were called
_________________________________.
3. The Romans told ancient
_________________________________.
stories
or
legends
about
their
gods
called
4. Rome is located in today’s country of _________________________________.
5. The non–Roman invaders who destroyed the western Roman empire were called
_________________________________.
MATCHING
Directions: Identify the year in which each event occurred by drawing a line between the
event, on the left, and the year, on the right.
1. Christ is crucified.
a. 1453 A.D.
2. Constantine the Great is emperor .
b. 33 A.D.
3. Rome is divided into eastern and western halves.
c.395 A.D.
4. Romulus is king of Rome.
d. 330 A.D.
5. Fall of the western Roman Empire.
e. 29 B.C.
6. Fall of the eastern Roman, or Byzantine, Empire.
f. 770 B.C.
7. Rome conquers Egypt.
g. 476 A.D.
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