The Romans were very famous for their roads. Even today, people use the Roman roads to get from one place to another. The roads were so popular because of the 50, 000 miles of paved road coming from the center of Rome, which was the Roman Empire. The Romans used these roads mostly for trading, which is part of why the Romans were such great traders.
When the Roman roads were first built, it was planned that they would be built straight, but over time, this changed. Roadbeds were built three feet down and twenty feet across. After this, it was filled with gravel and sand to build the foundation. The Romans were very maticulate about their roads, so they even lined the sides of the roads with blocks and hand-carved stones. These stones were more than not pentagonal in shape. They were also fitted together to make the top layer of the road. The roads were sloped from the center to allow any water that may have gathered on the road to wash and drain off the road into ditches on the sides of the roads. There was also stone markers that were places along the road to tell the traveler how far to the next city.
So, as I said above, the Romans used the roads mostly for trade. Rome made a very large amount of money from trading with Europe. Some of this trading involoved sea transportation, but most frequently, the Romans used the roads. Also, with so much of Western Europe conquered by the Romans, they needed to use the roads to move around their troops quickly. The building of these roads was also very, very expensive.
At about every eleven or twelve miles, there was a place where the people and animals could stop and rest, almost like a reststop like we have today. As time went on, people would form groups to give these travellers service to whatever they needed, whether it was food, or whatever, they would help them.
As you can see, these Roman roads helped the Roman society very much because the roads helped to provide transportation to the Romans when they would trade or use the roads for the soldiers. Some of these roads are still there today, and you can see the importance of them as you drive along them. :)
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Daily life of a Rome
The Romans were very different from people today. Unlike most of us, they were intense soldiers, putting their lives on the line daily, wonderful architects, building the most beautiful buildings in history, and just very determined people. Also, the Romans are different from us because they were very down-to-earth people and were not materialisitic. You can see this in their statues. The Greeks made statues of perfect people, while the Romans made people very realistic with big noses, little hands, and so on.
The chores of the Romans depended on the persons class. The rich people had a better life than the poor people due to them having more money and power and the lives of the women and children were also very different from the lives of the men.
The daily life of the men in Rome was very lively and they focused on working alot. The man was considered the "rulers of the household." Since they were the dominant one in the family, they also had to look the part. They always wore togas and were very clean cut most of the time, having almost no facial hair. They would help their family and they would join the army to pretect their family. It did not matter if you were a poor or a rich man in Rome because when they took care of their family, they completed the job and did the best they could at it, even if that meant doing almost everything without any money.
The women in Rome were very good workers, but mostly never left their houses. The only times they left their houses was to go shopping, go to the baths, visit friends and family, or go to parties and festivals only if she is invited by her husband. They women did not have very many rights and freedoms. They did not have the right to vote and they also did not have the right to own any of their own things. Everything they went out and bought would either go to her children or her husband.
Children's education started from when the boys and girls were 7 years old to when they were about 11 years. During this, they were taught reading, writing, arithmatic, and sometimes the Greek language. There was also a secondary education for boys only. This started from age 12 to age 15 and during this, they taught Latin and Greek subjects only.
So, as you can see, the lives of the Romans was very different than our today, and things have changed throughout the years. :)
The chores of the Romans depended on the persons class. The rich people had a better life than the poor people due to them having more money and power and the lives of the women and children were also very different from the lives of the men.
The daily life of the men in Rome was very lively and they focused on working alot. The man was considered the "rulers of the household." Since they were the dominant one in the family, they also had to look the part. They always wore togas and were very clean cut most of the time, having almost no facial hair. They would help their family and they would join the army to pretect their family. It did not matter if you were a poor or a rich man in Rome because when they took care of their family, they completed the job and did the best they could at it, even if that meant doing almost everything without any money.
The women in Rome were very good workers, but mostly never left their houses. The only times they left their houses was to go shopping, go to the baths, visit friends and family, or go to parties and festivals only if she is invited by her husband. They women did not have very many rights and freedoms. They did not have the right to vote and they also did not have the right to own any of their own things. Everything they went out and bought would either go to her children or her husband.
Children's education started from when the boys and girls were 7 years old to when they were about 11 years. During this, they were taught reading, writing, arithmatic, and sometimes the Greek language. There was also a secondary education for boys only. This started from age 12 to age 15 and during this, they taught Latin and Greek subjects only.
So, as you can see, the lives of the Romans was very different than our today, and things have changed throughout the years. :)
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Roman Architecture and Art
The Roman Empire in Rome lasted from 509 B.C. to 330 A.D. and during this time, the Roman architecture and Roman art expanded and became very well known by other countries and different places around the world because of its originality and classic look. As the Roman Empire expaneded, a discinct Roman art emerged. The art and architecture had pictures of people from different classes, such as emperors or slaves. The Roman art and architecture was built around their rituals. This means that the Ancient Roman architecture was built by their custom of a system of rites. (book source 1)
The very first Roman architects were priests. When they would go and look for a good piece of land to build something on, and they found one, they would build whatever it was they were building for the gods. They wanted to live lives that were pleasing to the gods, so even when they built a building, they dedicated it to the gods.
During the classical architectural period for the Greeks, they built in only three orders. These three orders were Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. These different styles consisted of mostly the columns on the buildings and temples. The Doric style was the simplest one of the three. The comumn is very sturdy and the peak or top of the column is very plain and simple. It is also the widest column of the three. This style was used in mainland Greece and the colonies in southern Italy and Sicily. The Ionic column is the skinniest column of the three. It is a very elegant column that was skinny. The peak was shaped more like a scroll than anything else. The Ionic style column was used mostly in eastern Greece and the islands. The Corinthian style column was the most decorated column of the three. The column in general was very fancy and decorated. The peak of this column was very elaborate and decorated with acanthus leaves. The Corinthian style column was used in the Greek world, but often seen on Roman temples. (book source 2)
Something else that struck me was the public baths that the romans built. These baths were in public, so after the Romans had finished there daily duties, they could go to these baths to not only bathe, but to exercise and meet with friends. There was an area where all of these baths went in, kind of like a country club, but with baths. These baths had hot, lukewarm, and cold pools, towels, steam rooms, saunas, and exercise rooms.
Out of all the Roman buildings, my favorite would have to be the Colosseum. It is such an enormous building and the architecture is beautiful. In this building, long ago, the Romans played all kinds of games and held many shows in the Colosseum, so not only is this building beautiful, it holds all kinda of history.
BOOK SOURCES :)
Frank Edward Brown and G. Braziller. Roman Architecture. University of Michigan. 1961.
Robert Chitham and Calder Loth. The Classical Orders of Architecture. 2005
The very first Roman architects were priests. When they would go and look for a good piece of land to build something on, and they found one, they would build whatever it was they were building for the gods. They wanted to live lives that were pleasing to the gods, so even when they built a building, they dedicated it to the gods.
During the classical architectural period for the Greeks, they built in only three orders. These three orders were Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. These different styles consisted of mostly the columns on the buildings and temples. The Doric style was the simplest one of the three. The comumn is very sturdy and the peak or top of the column is very plain and simple. It is also the widest column of the three. This style was used in mainland Greece and the colonies in southern Italy and Sicily. The Ionic column is the skinniest column of the three. It is a very elegant column that was skinny. The peak was shaped more like a scroll than anything else. The Ionic style column was used mostly in eastern Greece and the islands. The Corinthian style column was the most decorated column of the three. The column in general was very fancy and decorated. The peak of this column was very elaborate and decorated with acanthus leaves. The Corinthian style column was used in the Greek world, but often seen on Roman temples. (book source 2)
Something else that struck me was the public baths that the romans built. These baths were in public, so after the Romans had finished there daily duties, they could go to these baths to not only bathe, but to exercise and meet with friends. There was an area where all of these baths went in, kind of like a country club, but with baths. These baths had hot, lukewarm, and cold pools, towels, steam rooms, saunas, and exercise rooms.
Out of all the Roman buildings, my favorite would have to be the Colosseum. It is such an enormous building and the architecture is beautiful. In this building, long ago, the Romans played all kinds of games and held many shows in the Colosseum, so not only is this building beautiful, it holds all kinda of history.
BOOK SOURCES :)
Frank Edward Brown and G. Braziller. Roman Architecture. University of Michigan. 1961.
Robert Chitham and Calder Loth. The Classical Orders of Architecture. 2005
Friday, February 8, 2008
Caesar Augustus' Reign :]
Caesar Augustus was born in Rome on September 23, 63 BC. But when he was born, his given birth name was Gaius Octavius. His name was changed to Caesar Augustus by the Roman Senate in 27 BC. Caesar Augustus means "the exalted." The Senate also granted him the power to change and control religios, civil, and military positions.
Augustus made many decisions for Rome and while making these decisions, he kept the Roman Empire in those decisions and made sure that it was kept safe from its enemies. Augustus' reign became so powerful and so well-known that the people of his time said that "he found Rome a city of brick and left it one of marble." This meant that the way he ruled Rome and all of his building projects were just spectacular.
Augustus ruled from 23 BC to 14 AD. He ruled at about the time that the First Truimvirate ended. Augustus, along with Mark Antony and Lepitus, formed the Second Triumvirate, a military dictatorship. But this did not last long for Mark Antony committed suicide and Lepitus was driven to exhile.
Augustus' rule was important because he ruled during the Pax Romana. This means the Roman Peace. Although there was a few small wars and battles, it really was a peaceful time in history. The Pax Romana lasted for about two centuries. (wikipedia) (Book Source 1)
Augustus was very well liked for his efficient postal services and free trade among the provinces. He built many aqueducts and bridges and on his buildings, he had a classic way or designing things. Augustus became so liked that he was even declared a god by the Senate.
"Augustus' monuments were adorned with his name and portraits; sculptures of him still abound from all parts of the Empire. Coins portrayed his face and the topics of the moment; literature praised his historic and current achievements." (Southern, Pat. Page 196) (Book Source 2)
Augustus died in 14 Ad and he had a ceremonial funeral... Many people were very sad that he died, but today he is still known as one of the most influential Roman leaders in history.
Southern, Pat. Augustus. Routledge. 1998
wikipedia
Augustus made many decisions for Rome and while making these decisions, he kept the Roman Empire in those decisions and made sure that it was kept safe from its enemies. Augustus' reign became so powerful and so well-known that the people of his time said that "he found Rome a city of brick and left it one of marble." This meant that the way he ruled Rome and all of his building projects were just spectacular.
Augustus ruled from 23 BC to 14 AD. He ruled at about the time that the First Truimvirate ended. Augustus, along with Mark Antony and Lepitus, formed the Second Triumvirate, a military dictatorship. But this did not last long for Mark Antony committed suicide and Lepitus was driven to exhile.
Augustus' rule was important because he ruled during the Pax Romana. This means the Roman Peace. Although there was a few small wars and battles, it really was a peaceful time in history. The Pax Romana lasted for about two centuries. (wikipedia) (Book Source 1)
Augustus was very well liked for his efficient postal services and free trade among the provinces. He built many aqueducts and bridges and on his buildings, he had a classic way or designing things. Augustus became so liked that he was even declared a god by the Senate.
"Augustus' monuments were adorned with his name and portraits; sculptures of him still abound from all parts of the Empire. Coins portrayed his face and the topics of the moment; literature praised his historic and current achievements." (Southern, Pat. Page 196) (Book Source 2)
Augustus died in 14 Ad and he had a ceremonial funeral... Many people were very sad that he died, but today he is still known as one of the most influential Roman leaders in history.
Southern, Pat. Augustus. Routledge. 1998
wikipedia
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