Ch5: Ancient Rome

• Roman towns:

  Had high walls for defence

  Streets + buildings were laid out in a grid system

  Had a forum, which was a large town square (business centre, place of worship)

  Aqueducts brought in fresh water from nearby mountains

  Theatres were visited by locals to watch plays

  An amphitheatre held gladitorial games
• Patrician: Wealthy families, wore a toga (men) or stola (women), lived in a domus or villa (in the countryside)

  Plebeian: Poor people, made the majority of the population. Given a dole payment of grain, wore a tunic (men) or stola (women). Lived in insulaes.

  Women of both social background couldn't partake in public life.
• Roman Legacy/Achievements:

  Architecture - many Roman buildings and structures still hold up 2000 years later and have inspired many buildings

  Calendar - Caesar introduced the 365 day calendar, was slightly modified by Pope Gregory, now known as the Gregorian calendar

  Language - Latin (the language of Ancient Rome) was the baseline for many European languages