All Roads Lead to RomeThe Origins of the City and Republic Topic: Geography and Rise of the Roman Republic

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All Roads Lead to RomeThe Origins of the City and Republic

Common Core State Standards: Reading Standard for Literacy in History/Social Sciences 6-12 - Integration of Knowledge and Ideas 7:

Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.

Students will conduct original research to create multimedia journals describing the life of an ancient Roman resident.

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The origins of the city of Rome are rather humble, built among seven hills along the banks of the Tiber River. However, the foundation of Rome, and its subsequent expansion into a republic and then empire, has had enormous historical impact in the Western world in the intervening centuries. For instance, the Framers of the United States’ Constitution harkened back to the democratic principles of the Roman Republic when writing that document in 1787, and the French emperor Napoleon conscientiously emulated the military traditions of the Roman Empire in his effort to dominate Europe just a few decades later. The influence of Rome certainly extends beyond political and military models as well. The principles of law and government, the art of architecture, and the science of engineering were spread widely by the Roman empire, as was the unconscionable practice of slavery. It was a city of splendor and savagery, or art and atrocity, and its centrality to the ancient world is best summarized in a proverb of the time: “All roads lead to Rome”.

Since Rome possesses such astounding resonance in the traditions of the western world, the history/social science standards of every individual state require some familiarity with the city of Rome, the Roman Republic, and the Roman Empire. The concept-based Common Core State Standards also find application in the study of Rome.

In this lesson, students will study the geography of Rome at its foundation, the legendary origins of the city, and the growth of the city into the early Republic. Based on their research, students will be expected to gain an understanding about what it was like to live in ancient early Rome. Students will use that understanding to write journals from the perspective of an early Roman resident, be they a senator, soldier, slave, craftsman, priest, merchant, or other sort of resident. Students will build journals using presentation software, and in addition to written entries, journals should also make use of photographs or illustrations, and possibly audio elements such as narration or music.

Teacher Notes:

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Enduring Understanding:

The political, military, scientific, and artistic traditions spread by the Roman civilization have influenced human history for almost three thousand years, including the present day.

Essential Questions:

1. Where and when was the city of Rome established?

2. What role does legend play in the history of the city of Rome?

3. Following the foundation of Rome, how did the city grow and expand into a republic?

4. What challenges were faced by the early Roman Republic?

5. What were the lives of early Roman residents like?

Lesson Objectives:1. Students will examine the geographical conditions of the foundation of the city of Rome and its

eventual growth and expansion into a republic.2. Students will explore the legendary origins of Rome and articulate the role of legend in the history of

the city.3. Students will investigate the growth and expansion of the city into a republic and describe the

challenges caused by that growth.

Project-Based Learning:1. Students will conduct original research into the geography of ancient Rome, its legendary origins, and

the growth of the city into a republic.2. Students will conduct original research into the lives of ancient Roman residents.3. Students will plan multimedia journals through slide-by-slide storyboard for use with presentation

software (Power Point, Keynote, etc.)4. Students will construct multimedia journals describing the lives of early Roman residents using

original prose, photographs/illustrations, and possibly audio narration or music.

The geography of ancient Rome and its legendary origins need to be taught somewhat simultaneously. First, students must gain a basic understanding of Roman geography: the city was built on the banks of the Tiber River amongst seven distinct hills. Students need to identify and label the river and these hills on a map. Second, students must learn the Roman origin myth of Romulus and Remus. This myth contains references to Roman geography - for example, the brothers were found near the Aventine Hill and reared on Palatine Hill. Third, students must explore must explore the characteristics of each hill as the city grows and evolves into the republic. If a student wants to write their journal from the perspective of a senator, then that student should recognize that most government buildings were located on Capitoline Hill and most of the political nobility lived on the Palatine Hill; if they wish to write from the perspective of a slave, the student should recognize that poorer residents of Rome tended to live on Esquiline Hill; merchants, the Aventine Hill; and so on and so forth.

Teacher Notes:

Student Instructions:Keep these research steps in mind as you prepare your multimedia journal:

1. Examine the geography of ancient Rome, particularly the seven hills and the location of each with respect to the Tiber River.

2. Explore the Roman origin legend of Romulus and Remus, and connect their story to the geography of Rome.3. Investigate the growth of Rome from city into a republic, and determine the challenges that faced Rome as it

expanded.4. Synthesize this information to create a realistic journal of an ancient Roman resident.

Tips for your multimedia journal:

1. Get personal. Decide the perspective from which you will write. Are you a senator or a slave? A soldier or a merchant? A craftsman, like a baker or tanner or sword-maker? Determine your perspective and stick to it.

2. Assume that identity. Write your journal in the first person. You need to think like you are that person, as if you are describing what your life is like, not someone else’s life.

3. Stay focused. You need to remain balanced between being creative with the life of your journal character and demonstrating expertise in ancient Rome.

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Resources for Early Roman Geography and the Legendary Origins of Rome

Check out these short video clips and news articles to learn more about ancient Roman geography and the legendary origins of Rome. Use these resources to kick-start your original research. Pay special attention to the dates of specific events for a timeline exercise later in the lesson.

753 BCE 753 BCE

27 CE

The city of Rome is founded by Romulus and Remus near the bend in the River Tiber.

The Roman Republic, the world’s first representative

government, is created.

509 BCE

The Roman Republic gains control of the entire Italian

peninsula south of the River Po.

260 BCE 260 BCE

509 BCE

The Roman Republic defeats Carthage, gaining

control of most of the Mediterranean world.

Gracchus attempts to distribute public land to

homeless Romans.

Caesar Augustus founds the Roman Empire, ending

the republic.

146 BCE 146 BCE

133 BCE 133 BCE

Drag the event to the correct marker on the timeline. Move the triangle to check your color-coded answer. Log into CCC! and locate/link a video segment that proves your answer.

Roman Timeline Match-Up

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