ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS
ROMANs! WITH 25 SOCIAL STUDIES PROJECTS FOR KIDS
Carmella Van Vleet Illustrated by Tom Casteel
CONTENTS Timeline . . . iv Introduction . . . 1 Welcome to Ancient Rome! Chapter 1 . . . 14 Home Sweet Villa Chapter 2 . . . 25 Eat Like a Roman Chapter 3 . . . 34 Cool in School Chapter 4 . . . 46 Be Glad You’re Not a Gladiator! Chapter 5 . . . 55 High Fashion Chapter 6 . . . 63 Emperors Rule! Chapter 7 . . . 73 Gods and Goddesses Glossary * Metric Conversions Resources * Essential Questions * Index Interested in primary sources? Look for this icon. Use a smartphone or tablet app to scan the QR code and explore more! Photos are also primary sources because a photograph takes a picture at the moment something happens. You can find a list of URLs on the Resources page. If the QR code doesn’t work, try searching the internet with the Keyword Prompts to find other helpful sources.
EXPLORE ANCIENT ROME
CHAPTER 1
HOME SWEET VILLA What kind of house do you live in? Is it an apartment in a city, a mobile home, a three-story house? What is it made of? Do you live with just your family or do other people live there, too? Ancient Roman homes had separate bedrooms, kitchens, and bathrooms. But how comfortably you lived in ancient Rome depended on how INVESTIGATE wealthy you were or where you lived. How were homes in ancient
?
Let’s take a look!
14
Rome different from your home? How were they alike?
Home Sweet Villa atrium: a hall or central
area that is open to the sky.
WELCOME TO THE VILLA Wealthy Romans lived in beautiful country homes called villas. Most villas had the same design. When you opened the front door, you walked into an atrium , similar to an open hall. An opening in the ceiling let in light.
fresco: a kind of wall painting in which paint is applied to wet plaster. archaeologist: a scientist
who studies ancient people through the objects they left behind.
slave: a person who, in
the eyes of the law, belongs to another person.
WORDS
TO
KNOW
A villa had a dining room, an office/reception area, and bedrooms built around the atrium. A kitchen and bathroom were at the back of the house. Villa walls were covered in mosaics and In 1996, an ancient Roman mosaic floor was frescoes that discovered in Lod, Israel, when the city dug up earth to work on a road. Watch this video to see made the space the mosaic and learn how archaeologists beautiful. carefully preserved it.
Ancient Romans also loved their gardens—most villas had one, filled with plants, trees, statues, fountains, and fish pools. Sometimes, fancy birds, such as peacocks, strutted around the garden. Slaves took care of the gardens.
LOD MOSAIC, ISRAEL
DID YOU KNOW? Today, slavery is illegal around the world, though many people are still forced into it.
15
EXPLORE
ROMANS!
insulae: a block of
apartments in ancient Rome.
thermopolia: the ancient
Roman version of fast-food places.
lectus: a long, padded
bench (or couch) found in most ancient Roman homes.
WORDS
TO
KNOW
CITY LIVING For poor people, housing was terrible. They often lived in the city in cramped, blockstyle apartments called insulae. These apartment buildings were built above shops and could be three to six stories high with hundreds of rooms.
These buildings weren’t made well—sometimes they collapsed. And, because they were made with wood, these dwellings often caught fire. To lower the risk of fire, kitchens weren’t allowed inside. People bought prepared food from food carts called thermopolia . Most people had three- or fourlegged tables, couches for eating and sleeping, oil lamps, and cupboards or chests. The rich had armchairs, but the poor sat on benches. A strong box was used to lock away valuables. Do you have a safe in your house?
DID YOU KNOW?
A couch, or lectus, could be found in every ancient Roman home. These long, padded benches were used for sleeping, eating, and sitting.
ANCIENT ROMAN TOILETS Ancient Romans also had public toilets. They consisted of long, stone benches with several openings. Some benches could hold a dozen or more people. No stalls! People just sat down, used the toilet, and visited with the other people nearby. Instead of toilet paper, ancient Romans sometimes cleaned themselves with wet sponges tied to sticks. Waste was flushed away with water into the city’s sewer system.
16
Home Sweet Villa TIME FOR YOUR BATH!
bathhouse: public, indoor pools where Romans met to wash, relax, and socialize. WORDS
TO
Nearly everyone, rich and poor, visited the public bathhouse several times a week to get clean, visit with friends, exercise in the bathhouse yard, and even read.
KNOW
Bathhouses had several rooms. Bathers could visit three main areas. The frigidarium had pools with cold water. The tepidarium offered pools with warm water. And the caldarium had hot pools.
Slaves kept fires burning underneath the pool floors to warm the water. Sometimes, the pool floors in the bathhouses were very hot, so bathers wore wooden shoes to protect their feet.
THE RUINS OF THE BATHHOUSE OF CARCALLA, ROME CREDIT: ALEX HOLYOAKE (CC BY 2.0)
17
EXPLORE
ROMANS!
strigil: a long, metal tool
ancient Romans used to scrape dirt off their bodies.
erupt: to burst out suddenly.
WORDS
TO
KNOW
Ancient Romans rubbed olive oil on their skin and scraped off dirt with a long, metal tool called a strigil . Men and women used separate bathhouses or went to the bathhouse at different times of the day.
Having a place to live was just part of life in ancient Rome. What about the food they ate? We’ll look at the diets of ancient Romans in the next chapter.
?
CONSIDER AND DISCUSS
Now it’s time to consider and discuss: How were homes in ancient Rome different from your home? How were they alike?
BURIED! One of the most famous Roman cities is Pompeii, a beautiful, bustling city at the foot of Mount Vesuvius, a volcano near Naples, Italy. In 79 CE, the volcano erupted! People tried to get away, but the poisonous A FRESCO PAINTING OF DICE PLAYERS FOUND gases from the volcano ON A WALL IN POMPEII killed them in their homes or on the streets. Soon, everyone and everything in Pompeii was covered in at least 10 feet of volcanic ash. When the ash settled on top of the city, everything was preserved—buildings, beautiful artwork, and everyday items. The lost city was discovered in 1748 CE and later restored.
18
SUPPLIES
PROJECT! MAKE A MOSAIC Many ancient Roman homes had a mosaic by the front door. It was a picture of a dog with the words: Cave Canem. This is Latin for “Beware of Dog.” The sign was supposed to scare off burglars. What will your mosaic include?
1
* newspaper * black foam board cut to any size you want * pencil * 2 dozen Q-tips * acrylic paint in various colors
Spread newspaper over your work area. Lay the foam board on top.
2
Use the pencil to lightly sketch a picture on your foam board. Some mosaics were of people. Some were landscapes or objects. Others had patterned designs. You could even draw a dog for your own “Beware of Dog” sign.
3
When you’re happy with your picture, dip the end of a Q-tip in the paint. Press the Q-tip on the foam board to make a dot. Use dots to go over the outline of your picture.
4
Once you have the outline done, use more dots to fill in the rest of the picture and the background. Keep the dots close to each other. Be patient. Making that many dots might take a long time!
5
When the paint is dry, hang your mosaic in your bedroom and imagine you’re back in ancient Rome.
TRY THIS! Instead of paint,
try using different materials such as square pieces of foam or pebbles. What kind of patterns can you create?
WORDS
TO
KNOW
Latin: the official language of
ancient Rome.
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SUPPLIES
PROJECT! MAKE AN OSCILLUM
* cardboard * scissors * string or ribbon * newspaper * paintbrush * fabric paint, any color * white craft paint
Ancient Roman gardens often had decorative columns. On these columns, Romans hung sun catchers called oscilla. They were made of white marble or earthen clay called terra cotta, and had pictures of gods and goddesses on them. Note: Ask an adult to help with the sharp scissors. Be sure not to bump the fabric paint against your clothes.
1
Cut a disc, or circle, out of your cardboard. You can cut several if you want to make more sun catchers. An easy way to make a circle is to place a drinking glass or round cookie cutter onto your cardboard and trace around it.
2
Use the pointed tip of your scissors to carefully poke a hole near the top of your disc. Ask an adult to help with this. Tie a long piece of string or ribbon through the hole.
3
Place your disc on a flat surface covered with newspaper. Use the fabric paint to create a raised design on top of the disc.
WORDS
TO
KNOW
oscilla: ancient Roman sun catchers. Singular is oscillum. terra cotta: brownish-red earthen clay.
god: a being that is believed
20
to have special powers and is worshiped.
goddess: a female god.
PROJECT! 4
Keep your design simple. If you make it too detailed, the paint will run together.
DID YOU KNOW? The English word “family” comes from the Latin word familia. In ancient Rome, a family included everyone and everything in a household. The father was completely in charge. He was called the paterfamilias.
5
When the fabric paint is dry, turn your disc over. Use the fabric paint to draw another raised design on the back side of the disc. Let dry.
6
Use the string or ribbon to hang the disc. Let the paint dry completely. This may take a day or two.
7
After the paint is dry, spread newspapers on your work area and use the white paint to paint both sides of the disc. Let the paint dry. Your oscillum is ready. Just hang it near a sunny window and enjoy!
He
CONSIDER THIS!
Why might the ancient Romans have hung pictures of their gods? Do people do something similar today?
ft
he
r e!
WHAT HE GOT INTDID FORG O T OT T T
N HE E’D W H D ? S
T ROMAN C I EN AND R E D O N L E A POOIS POOL S ALIZ H E H HO E H EN E
t h o t fo o t e d it o u
o
21
SUPPLIES
PROJECT! MAKE A BOTTLED GARDEN Ancient Romans enjoyed sitting in their gardens. In this project, you can make your own indoor garden to admire. Note: Ask an adult to help you with the scissors.
1
Ask an adult to help you cut the top third of the bottle off. Don’t throw this away—you’ll need it later.
2
* scissors * clear, 2-liter plastic bottle with cap * small stones, such as aquarium rocks * activated charcoal, found with aquarium supplies * small piece of screen * potting soil * 3 small plants, such as African violets or cacti * decorative rocks, shells, or aquarium decorations (optional) * water * clear tape
Pour the stones into the bottom of the bottle. The stones help with drainage. Put a half-inch layer of activated charcoal on top of the stones. The charcoal keeps the soil and plants from rotting.
3
Cut the screen into a circle with a diameter of 3½ inches. Lay the screen on top of the charcoal. The screen helps keep the soil from settling into the charcoal and stones. Put about 3 inches of soil on top of the screen.
22
PROJECT! ANCIENT ROMAN LAWS Ancient Roman laws were posted on bronze plaques in a public place. These plaques were called the Twelve Tables. Some of these laws might seem strange to us. For example, you were allowed to kill a robber if he broke into your house at night, but not if he broke into your house during the day. Can you think of laws we have today that might seem strange to an ancient Roman?
4
Plant your plants in the soil. Put the tall ones in the back. If you want, add small rocks, shells, or aquarium decorations to make your garden more interesting. After you arrange your plants, water them until the soil is moist.
5
Tape the top third of the bottle back on. You can also just squeeze the top part over the bottom part. Leave the cap on.
6
Place your bottled garden in a sunny area. After a few days, you might notice beads of water on the inside of the bottle. If your garden seems too wet, take the cap off for a day. Water as necessary to keep your garden moist.
CONSIDER THIS! Why do you think you need to keep the cap
on the bottle?
23
SUPPLIES
PROJECT! HOT? OR NOT?
* three bowls * cold water * warm water * room-temperature water * study journal and pencil
Ancient Roman bathhouses had both hot and cold pools. Sometimes, people used more than one during their visit. Have you ever jumped into a pool on a hot day? The water probably felt extra chilly. This is because our bodies collect information from our environments and then use it to form our perceptions. Try this quick experiment to see.
1
Fill one bowl with warm water (be careful it’s not too hot).
2
Fill another bowl with room-temperature water.
3
Fill the third bowl with cold water.
4
Place one hand in the warm water and the other hand in the cold water. How would you describe the temperatures? What happens to the hand in the cold water after a few minutes?
5
Try submerging both hands into the room-temperature water. How do each of your hands feel? Did your perception about the temperatures in the bowls change?
CONSIDER THIS! What would happen if you lived in a place with a
warm climate but then visited a place with a cooler climate? Do you think you’d feel colder faster than other people who lived there?
WORDS
TO
KNOW
perception: the ability to
24
interpret information from the senses.
GLOSSARY abacus: an early calculator that used
beads on rods to add and subtract. adapt: to change one’s behavior to fit into a new environment. amphitheater: an oval or circular building with rising tiers of seats around a central open space, used in ancient Rome for spectacles and contests. amphora: a pottery jar used to store wine and olive oil. Plural is amphorae. amulet: a special charm that protects the wearer. ancient: from an early time in history. aqueduct: a channel that transports water from its source across a great distance. archaeologist: a scientist who studies ancient people through the objects they left behind. architect: a person who designs buildings and other structures. atrium: a hall or central area that is open to the sky. augur: a person in charge of observing and interpreting “signs” from ancient Roman gods. auxiliaries: professional soldiers in ancient Rome who were from the provinces and were not Roman citizens. bathhouse: public, indoor pools where Romans met to wash, relax, and socialize. BCE: put after a date, BCE stands for Before Common Era and counts down to zero. CE stands for Common Era and counts up from zero. These nonreligious terms correspond to BC and AD. This book was printed in 2019 CE. brooch: a piece of jewelry attached to clothes with a hinged pin and clasp. bulla: a locket-like necklace worn by children. Byzantine Empire: another name for the Eastern Roman Empire. calamistrum: a hollow, heated rod of iron used to curl hair in ancient Rome. cameo: a small carving, usually of a person’s profile, worn as jewelry.
castellum: a water tank in ancient Rome. catacombs: underground passages,
sometimes used for burial. cavalry: soldiers on horseback. century: a unit of 100 men in the ancient Roman army. channel: a canal through which a stream of water moves. chariot: a small cart with two wheels and a platform, pulled by horses. Christianity: a religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. Followers are Christians. citizen: a member of a city or country who enjoys certain rights. civilization: a community of people that is advanced in art, science, and government. climate: the average weather patterns in an area during a long period of time. Cloaca Maxima: a famous sewer in Rome. colony: a settlement in another area or country. Colosseum: the biggest and most famous amphitheater in Rome. comedy: a funny play. Constantinople: the capital of the Roman Empire late in its history, built by Emperor Constantine. counterweight: an object used to balance another object. cruel: willfully causing pain to others. delicacy: something rare and especially pleasant to eat. derive: to take from another source. desert: a landscape that gets very little rain. dictator: a ruler with total power over a country, usually achieved through force. economics: having to do with a country’s resources and wealth. emperor: the ruler of an empire.
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EXPLORE
ROMANS! engineering: the use of science,
math, and creativity in the design and construction of things. environment: everything in nature, living and nonliving, including plants, animals, soil, rocks, and water. erupt: to burst out suddenly. exotic: different and exciting. ferment: to break down a food such as grain, into a simpler substance, such as beer. Wine, yogurt, and vinegar are all products of fermentation. fibula: a special pin used by both Roman men and women to hold their clothes in place. forum: an open area, or town square, where Romans shopped or met to do business. foundation: a level area that is the base of a structure. fresco: a kind of wall painting in which paint is applied to wet plaster. frieze: a narrow, horizontal, decorative panel. gladiators: slaves who were forced to fight as sport. god: a being that is believed to have special powers and is worshiped. goddess: a female god. government: an organization or system that controls a city, state, or country. gradient: a slope. gravity: the force that pulls objects to the earth. gruesome: something horrible and bloody. haruspices: people who studied the remains of a sacrificed animal. Singular is haruspex. insulae: a block of apartments in ancient Rome. intestines: the guts of an animal. landscape: a large area of land and its features, such as mountains and rivers.
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Latin: the official language of ancient Rome. lectus: a long, padded bench (or couch) found in most ancient Roman homes. legend: an ancient story that may or may not have really happened. legionnaire: a professional soldier in ancient Rome who was a Roman citizen. livestock: animals kept by people to do work or for food. lyre: a stringed instrument with a U-shaped frame. market day: a day of rest or, if you were a farmer, to take your produce or animals to market. mosaic: a picture or design made from tiny tiles or stones set in cement. ocular: a circular opening at the top of a dome. ofellae: ancient Roman “pizza.� orator: a public speaker. oscilla: ancient Roman sun catchers. Singular is oscillum. palla: a woolen shawl worn by Roman women. Pantheon: an ancient Roman temple famous for its dome. pantomime: a story told through body movement or facial expressions, without any words. perception: the ability to interpret information from the senses. politics: the business of governments. priest: a religious leader who took care of Roman temples. primary school: a public school where Roman boys learned reading and math. profile: the side view of someone’s face. province: an area that was conquered and controlled by the Roman empire. republic: a type of government system with elected officials.
GLOSSARY rhetoric school: a school
where Roman students learned to be good public speakers. Roman Empire: all the lands and people ruled by ancient Rome from 753 BCE to 476 CE. sacrifice: an event where an animal was killed by ancient Romans to please a god or goddess. Senate: a group of elected men who worked together to govern ancient Rome. senator: a government official in ancient Rome. sestertii: ancient Roman coins. The singular is sestertius. sewer: a drain for wastewater. slave: a person who, in the eyes of the law, belongs to another person. sphere: a perfectly round figure. stola: a long dress worn by ancient Roman women. strigil: a long, metal tool ancient Romans used to scrape dirt off their bodies.
METRIC CONVERSIONS Use this chart to find the metric equivalents to the English measurements in this book. If you need to know a half measurement, divide by two. If you need to know twice the measurement, multiply by two. How do you find a quarter measurement? How do you find three times the measurement?
stylus: an ancient writing tool used on wax tablets. It had a pointy end for writing and a blunt end for erasing. temple: a building used as a place of religion. terra cotta: brownish-red earthen clay. thermopolia: the ancient Roman version of fast-food places. tiers: rows arranged one above another. toga: a long, dress-like wrap worn by Roman men. tragedy: a sad play. Trajan’s Column: a 100-foot-high column carved with scenes of Trajan’s victories. triclinium: a couch extending around three sides of a table. trident: a kind of pitchfork. tunic: a simple, ancient Roman garment that looked like a long, sleeveless T-shirt. Both men and women wore tunics. tutor: a private teacher. villa: a large country home. wax tablet: a writing surface used by ancient Roman students.
English
Metric
1 inch
2.5 centimeters
1 foot
30.5 centimeters
1 yard
0.9 meter
1 mile
1.6 kilometers
1 pound
0.5 kilogram
1 teaspoon
5 milliliters
1 tablespoon
15 milliliters
1 cup
237 milliliters
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Juvenile Nonfiction • Education Resource Ages: 7–10 • Guided Reading Level: T
focus on social studies
WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO LIVE IN ANCIENT ROME? ARE ANCIENT ROMAN ROADS STILL USED TODAY? WHAT DID ANCIENT ROMANS WEAR AND EAT AND DO FOR FUN?
WHY
?
W A
Ancient Civilizations: Romans! With 25 Social Studies Projects for Kids investigates the fascinating civilization of ancient Rome through 25 hands-on projects, games, essential questions, links to online resources, and more! Kids ages 7 to 10 learn about ancient Roman homes, food, playtime, clothing, conquests, AFR AID OF V X I gods, and entertainment. Explore this ancient land and visit the II S Colosseum to watch some chariot races, help engineers design an aqueduct, and observe workers build roads that will last far into the future! Try these hands-on STEAM projects! * Grow a bottle garden
* Build a keystone puzzle * Design an aqueduct
IX !
* Make a mosaic
Be ca
“V us e VII
III
”
Ancient Civilizations: Romans! is part of a set of four Explore Ancient Civilizations books that bring to life the vibrant cultures of the distant past. Check out the other titles in this series!
PRAISE FOR ROMANS! “ Ancient Civilizations: Romans! With 25 Social Studies Projects for Kids is a compact and colorful introduction to the Romans with a whole series of clever, experiential learning projects that will bring the Romans alive. Highly recommended.” —Ann Olga Koloski-Ostrow, Professor of Classical Studies, Brandeis University
$19.95 US ISBN 978-1-61930-843-5
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781619 308435
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