Name: Circle Period #: 7A / 7B
Life in Ancient Rome Homework
How did Romans live on a day to day basis? What did they do? What did they do for fun? Read on to learn more about how average Romans had fun. The second part of this homework is about the ancient Roman city of Pompeii, a place that was buried by ash during a volcanic eruption. While the eruption killed thousands, it also preserved the city so that today historians and archeologists today can tell in great detail how ancient Romans in Pompeii lived. As you read, ask yourself how the lives of the ancient Romans were both similar and different to the life you live today.
The Arena and Entertainment
The Roman Arena was a place of entertainment for Romans. The largest Roman Arena was the Colosseum in Rome. The games were often brutal and bloody. At first they were mostly put on for memorials or funerals, but later they were put on for many occasions including birthdays and victories. The games were paid for by wealthy individuals and were used for that person to gain popularity with the people. Julius Caesar became very popular by putting on large public games and theatre.
Animals in the Arena
Sometimes the games would last all day. At the start of the day they would use exotic wild animals such as bears, lions, rhinos and elephants. Sometimes the animals would fight each other, sometimes the animals would be hunted by huntsmen, and sometimes criminals would be thrown into the arena to be killed by wild animals.
Gladiators in the Arena
The main attraction in the arena was the gladiators. Gladiators were men who would fight each other in the arena. Usually gladiators were slaves or prisoners, but sometimes volunteers would become gladiators. A very few of the best gladiators who survived would become rich and famous. Those who volunteered to become gladiators were willing to risk death for fame and riches.
The gladiators were trained to fight. They had different areas of specialties in terms of fighting styles and weapons so each fight would be different and interesting for the people to watch. Some gladiators used heavy armor and swords, while others fought with little armor in order to be quicker. One type of fighter called a retiarius would use a net and a trident to fight. Each style had its advantages and disadvantages.
Not all of the fights were to the death. When a gladiator was about to lose he could ask for mercy. The crowd or leaders would then decide if the loser would live or die.
Racing
Another favorite pastime of the Ancient Romans was the chariot races. This is perhaps the oldest of the Roman pastimes. There were teams that raced: the Reds, Greens, Blues, and Whites. People would follow and cheer their favorite teams and riders. Top chariot racers were heroes just like the top athletes of our day. The races were held in an arena called a circus. The oldest and largest circus was the Circus Maximus in the city of Rome which could seat around 150,000 people. Chariot races could also be very dangerous as well, and deadly crashes were frequent.
Theatre
The Ancient Romans also enjoyed theatre. Much of their theatre was copied from the Greeks. Like the games, wealthy people would put on theatre for free in order to gain popularity. Most of the actors were Greek and their favorite plays were comedies. Two of the more famous play writers were Livius Andronicus and Gnaeus Naevius.
Fun Facts about the Roman Arena
· The Emperor Commodus often fought in the arena. He fought gladiators as well as wild animals.
· The Romans invented the mime. This is where acting was performed with only body movement rather than speaking.
· Chariot racing was very dangerous. There were wild crashes and often a rider was badly hurt or killed.
· Sometimes gladiator fights were stopped to allow the fighters to get a drink and a rest.
· A gladiator slave named Spartacus led a slave revolt in 73 BC.
The City of Pompeii: History and Destruction
The city of Pompeii was a major resort city during the times of Ancient Rome. However, in 79 AD, disaster struck the city when it was buried under 20 feet of ash and debris from the eruption of the nearby volcano, Mount Vesuvius.
History
Pompeii was originally settled around the 7th century BC by the Oscan peoples. The port city was in a prime location for trade as well as farming. The rich volcanic soil from earlier eruptions of Vesuvius created prime farmland for grapes and olive trees.
In the 5th century the city was conquered by the Samnites and was later taken over by the Romans. It became an official Roman colony in 80 BC called the Colonia Veneria Cornelia Pompeii.
The City
The city of Pompeii was a popular vacation destination for the Romans. It is estimated that between 10,000 and 20,000 people lived in the city. Many wealthy Romans had summer homes in Pompeii and would live there during the hot summer months.
Pompeii was a typical Roman city. On one side of the city was the forum. It was here that much of the business of the city was carried out. There were also temples to Venus, Jupiter, and Apollo near the forum. An aqueduct carried water into the city to be used in the public baths and fountains. The rich even had running water in their homes.
The people of Pompeii enjoyed their entertainment. There was a large amphitheater that could seat around 20,000 people for gladiator games. There were also a number of theatres for plays, religious celebrations, and musical concerts.
Earthquakes
The area around Pompeii experienced frequent earthquakes. In 62 AD there was a huge earthquake that destroyed many of the buildings of Pompeii. The city was still rebuilding seventeen years later when disaster struck.
The Volcano Erupts
On August 24, 79 AD Mount Vesuvius erupted. Scientists estimate that 1.5 million tons of ash and rock shot out of the volcano every second. The ash cloud likely towered over 20 miles high above the mountain. Some people managed to escape, but most didn't. It is estimated that 16,000 people died.
Did they know what was coming?
The days prior to the eruption were recorded by a Roman administrator named Pliny the Younger. Pliny wrote that there had been several earth tremors in the days leading up to the eruption, but Roman science didn't know that earthquakes could signal the start of a volcano erupting. Even when they first saw smoke rising from the top of the mountain, they were merely curious. They had no idea what was coming until it was too late.
A Great Archeologists Find
The city of Pompeii was buried and gone. People eventually forgot about it. It wasn't discovered again until the 1700s when archeologists began to uncover the city. They found something amazing. Much of the city was preserved under the ashes. Buildings, paintings, houses, and workshops that would never have survived all these years remained intact. As a result, much of what we know about everyday life in the Roman Empire comes from Pompeii.
Interesting Facts about the City of Pompeii
· The eruption occurred one day after the religious festival to Vulcan, the Roman god of fire.
· The amount of energy released by the eruption was roughly one hundred thousands times the thermal energy released by the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
· The nearby city of Herculaneum was also destroyed.
· Archeologists found holes in the ashes that were once the bodies of people that were buried in the eruption. By pouring plaster into these holes, scientists have been able to make detailed casts of many of the citizens of Pompeii.
· The recovered city of Pompeii is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Italy.
· The city was located around 5 miles from Mount Vesuvius.
Questions
1) What were three ways that Romans enjoyed themselves?
2) Based on what they liked to do, what kind of people were the Romans?
3) What was Pompeii like? What happened to it?
4) How is the way Romans had fun similar to the way Americans have fun? How is it also different?
5) How is your life similar to the lives of the people who live in Pompeii? How is it also different?