Life in the Roman Empire

Today, we will be investigating life in the Roman Empire. You've already been divided into six groups that represent the six social classes of the Roman Empire.

• The Emperor
• Patricians
• Senators
• Equestrians
• Plebians
• Slaves and Freemen

Your first task is to use The Roman Empire: Social Order website to learn more about your social class and the role it played in the empire. 

Then, each of your groups will be investigating what the following parts of life in the Roman Empire were like for a member of your social class:

• Games, chariot races, and gladiators
• Family life
• Housing and food
• Education, funerals, and theater

Use the Life in Roman Times website to help with this research. 

You will be sharing the information you learned about your social classes's lifestyle, traditions, and customs with the rest of the class so we can get a more full picture of what life in the Roman Empire was like for everyone. To this end, it's important that everyone work together and write down their research. You will be individually assessed on your knowledge of the Roman Empire. 

The Roman Republic -- Government and Values

Click here to read about the government of the Roman Republic. Think about the roles that the Senate, the Twelve Tables, and citizens played in the Republic.

The image below will also help clarify the organization and values of the Roman Republic.

From examining these documents, answer the following questions:
1. How was Roman society structured? Was everyone equal? How can you tell?

2. What can you tell about the values and characteristics of the Roman Republic?

3. In the Roman Republic, what traits were deemed important? Are there any that you think are missing? Brainstorm a list of each. 

Ancient World Explorers Sources List

Below are some suggestions to get you started on your research for your Ancient World Explorer project. Please use these resources as a starting place -- do not simply Google what you are looking for!

Don't forget, your textbook is the first stop when beginning research on this project. And don't rely solely on the internet -- plenty of books, magazines, and television shows will help you with your research as well.

Remember: Wikipedia is not a reputable source for research, but it might help you find some good sites! Also, if you see a source that might help your classmates, share it with Mrs. LaRocca and she will post it here.

General sources:

ABC-Clio (must be on the BCH network or use the library password to access this)

Ancient Architecture 

Ancient History

BBC History

BBC Dimensions

British Museum: Ancient Civilizations (you must have flash to view this site)

History.com: Ancient History

History of Architecture

HistoryPin

Mr. Kash's Ancient History Sites

National Geographic Magazine 

Spartacus Educational

World History in Context (must be on the BCH network or use the library password to access this)

Greece: 

AncientGreece.co

Ancient-Greece.org

Boundless: Greek Architecture

"Engineering an Empire: Greece" (on youtube)

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Rome: 

Ancient Roman Art and Architecture 

Boundless: Roman Architecture

"Engineering an Empire: Rome" (on youtube)

History.com - Roman Architecture and Engineering

Tribunes and Triumphs

India: 

Boundless: Gupta Dynasty Architecture

Mauryan Art and Architecture

Gupta Art and Architecture

The Gupta Period

China: 

Ancient Chinese Architecture

Boundless: Han Architecture

Chinese Architecture - Characteristics

"Engineering an Empire: China" (on youtube)

Han Architectural Models

Ancient World Explorers: Tools for your final product

Check out some of the websites below to get ideas for your final product. Please note: Some of these web tools come as iPad apps but some do not. Don't wait until the last minute to discover that you don't have the materials necessary to create your product!

If you would like to create something that is not on this list, please check with Mrs. LaRocca before beginning.

Remember the product guidelines -- your product should:

• Accurately and simply convey your answers to the six research questions;
• Be in a digital format;
• Be something you created by yourself or with minimal help;
• Be no longer than 5 minutes (if a video, podcast, or online presentation);
• Informative and exciting! No powerpoints or essays, please! 

Animated presentations/movies:

Storybird

Animoto

Prezi

Fotobabble

HaikuDeck

Meograph

Audio presentations:

VoiceThread

Audioboo

Create your own website:

Wix

Weebly

Comic Strips:

Powtoon

Online Posters:

Glogster

Digital Timelines/Infographics: 

TimeToast 

EduClipper

Easel.ly

Judaism and Social Justice

As we've discussed in class, a main tenet of the Jewish faith is social justice.  Proverbs and other readings from the Torah were (and still are) important resources for teaching ancient Hebrews (and modern-day people) about the law. 

Your assignment: Read the proverbs and teachings from the Jewish faith below. Then, think of a quote, song lyric, movie line or scene, etc. that reflects, connects to, or illustrates one of the ideas from the proverbs and teachings you read. Be prepared to share with the class. 

Thou shalt not stand by idly by the blood of thy neighbor.

– Leviticus 19:16.

If your brother becomes poor, … uphold him.

– Leviticus 25:35

Justice, justice you shall pursue.

– Deuteronomy 16:20

Devote yourself to justice;

Aid the wronged.

Uphold the rights of the orphan;

Defend the cause of the widow.

– Isaiah 1:16-17

Observe what is right and do what is just.

– Isaiah 56:1

A soft answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.

– Proverbs 15.1

Better is a dinner of herbs where love is
than a fatted ox and hatred with it.

– Proverbs 15.17

God has shown you, O Man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”

– Micah 6:8

"In Judaism social action is religiousness, and religiousness implies social action."
– Leo Baeck, a 20th century German rabbi and scholar

"The greatest menace to freedom is an inert people."
– Louis Brandeis, Supreme Court Associate Justice

"Wake me up, God; ignite my passion, fill me with outrage. Remind me that I am responsible for Your world. Don't allow me to stand idly by. Inspire me to act. Teach me to believe that I can repair some corner of this world."
– Rabbi Naomi Levy, American rabbi and author

The Cyrus Cylinder: 2600 Years of History

Historians often refer to the Cyrus Cylinder as the first bill of human rights. The Persian King Cyrus declared freedom of religion within the Persian Empire on this cylinder, written in cuneiform after Cyrus captured the kingdom of Babylon in 539 BC.

The Cyrus Cylinder was rediscovered in 1879 by British archaeologists and has been displayed in the British Museum for 130 years. The Cylinder, symbolic of religious respect and tolerance, is highly valued by people all over the world -- there is even a copy in the United Nations headquarters!

View the 20-minute TED Talk by Neil MacGregor, director of the British Museum, on the Cyrus Cylinder and its importance in today's world. While you are watching the TED Talk, please answer the questions that follow in complete sentences in your notebook. They will be the basis for a class discussion.

If the video doesn't load for you, click here to watch the Talk on youtube. This should work on your ipad.

Questions:

1. The Cyrus Cylinder is about the size of what sports equipment?
2. What does the cylinder proclaim?
3. What is the link between the Cyrus Cylinder and the Jewish people?
4. What was the first great world empire, according to Neil MacGregor?
5. How is the Cylinder linked to the politics of the modern Middle East?
6. What symbol pulls together all Iranians?
7. How many people came to view the Cylinder while it was on display in Tehran?
8. What is the debate surrounding the Cylinder today?