Life in Ancient Rome

Language Today Romans speak

Italian, but in ancient Rome Romans spoke a language called Latin. Latin quickly spread

throughout the empire and was the language used

in law and government. Twenty-five percent of our English words come

from Latin.

Name: _______________________

Entertainment Roman families enjoyed celebrating birthdays, weddings, and festivals. They went to theaters and watched actors perform tragedies and comedies. Their favorite entertainment took place in the Colosseum where they would watch gladiators fight to the death.

Dress Roman men and boys wore short, belted tunics. A purple stripe was worn on a tunic to show importance. The tunics were made from linen in the summer and wool in the winter. Men would also wear longer, draped robes called togas for more formal dress. Girls also wore short tunics. Women wore a long tunic called a stool. Rich women adorned themselves with expensive and beautiful jewelry. Archaeologists have discovered perfume bottles, combs, silver mirrors, and cosmetic jars. They have even found an armband in the form of a coiled snake.

The Colosseum

Gladiator

Ancient Roman Necklace

Family Life Family life was very important to ancient Romans. Families often lived together— grandparents, mothers, fathers, and children. The father had the final say with all decisions.They arranged their daughters marriages and educated their sons. When boys turned sixteen, they had a haircut and their first shave. Girls got married around this same age. Usually to men who were much older.

Did You Know

Boys went to school, but girls were taught at

home.

Food Romans enjoyed their food. Wealthy Romans had slaves that cooked for them. They baked in brick ovens and hung their pots over a wood fire. Romans ate things like fruits, fish, rabbits, and vegetables.

Romans taught their children to be loyal to their families and to the republic. They also taught them to have high moral values, to treat others with fairness, and to be respectful. In early Rome, a father could legally kill his children if they disobeyed him!

Ancient Roman Kid’s Life

My Life

Life in Ancient Rome (continued)Compare and contrast your life to a kid’s life in ancient Rome.

What did ancient Romans do for entertainment? How is it different from what you do for entertainment today?

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Fun Fact: There is an old expression, "All roads lead to Rome." In

ancient Rome, Rome was the heart of the empire. Each time a new city was conquered, a road was built from that city back to Rome. Roman roads were built

so well that some of them are still used today!

Roman Citizens

Name: _______________________

Patricians Plebeians Slaves

Patricians were rich citizens who owned land and had many slaves. They were also the leaders in government, the men of the Senate. The Senate gave advice to two consuls. New consuls were elected each year.

Plebeians were the ordinary citizens, most of whom were also wealthy. The Plebeians were those people who elected the consuls.

Slaves were the largest part of the population. They had no rights and little education.

Write facts about each Roman class.

Which ancient Roman class would you like to be a part of? Why?

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The Roman Army Name: _______________________

The Romans faced threats on every side by other groups of people who lived on the Italian Peninsula. In order to protect themselves, the city-state of Rome began to develop a powerful military.

All Roman citizens were required to serve in the military when needed. This insured a constantly available supply of soldiers. For the next two and a half centuries, Roman armies slowly conquered or subdued all of their enemies on the Italian Peninsula. By 264 B.C., Rome was the sole and undisputed ruling power in the Peninsula.

The Roman soldiers used a variety of weapons including a pugio (dagger), gladius (sword, see picture to the right), hasta (spear), javelin, and bows and arrows. The soldiers were trained to fight with their weapons and practiced on a regular basis.

Weapons

The government knew the importance of the Roman army and provided them with good armor and weapons. Roman soldiers had armor made of

strips of strong iron. The iron made the armor strong and the strips made it flexible. They also

had iron helmets which protected their heads and neck,

but still let them have good vision for fighting. All of this

iron armor was heavy, so they needed to be strong and in good

shape. They also carried tall shields.

Armor

Legions Roman soldiers belonged to fighting groups made up of 6,000 men. These groups were called legions. Legions were divided into eighty-man units called centuries. Centuries were commanded by officers called centurions.

1. The main division of the Roman army was around 6,000 soldiers. What was the division called?

A. Brigade B. Platoon C. Legion

Circle the correct answer.

2. What was the armor that the Roman soldiers wore made of?

A. strips of iron B. bronze C. hardened steel

3. What was a Roman centurion?

A. an army officer in charge of a century of men

B. a retired officer C. a general’s assistant

A Roman Warship