Focus Question: What were Rome's contributions to law, literature, poetry, architecture, engineering, and technology?
Model of Ancient Rome from the Museum of Roman Civilization
Topics on this page
Overview
Law
- Roman Law -checks and balances, separation of powers, etc.; legal terminology; The Twelve Tables.
Literature and Poetry
- Latin language; works by: Livius Andronicus, Cicero, Virgil, The Augustan Age.
Historical Biography Page for Cicero, Roman Philosopher and Politician
Influential Literature page for The Aeneid by Virgil
Art
- Classical Sculpture, influence for realism, and durability of medium.
Architecture
- Arches, domes, amphitheaters,The Pantheon, and The Colosseum.
Engineering and Technology
- Aqueducts, roads, bridges and dams.
- Cranes, water mills, various types of presses, many types of grain mills, Roman numerals.
Overview
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PAGE SUMARY (Vanessa Vincent, March 2022)
This page summarizes the contributions of the Roman’s to law, literature and poetry, art, architecture, engineering, and technology that is still relevant today. Roman law was the legal system of ancient Rome, with three of their legal systems still implemented in today’s countries: Common Law, Islamic Sharia, and Roman law.
From there, the page delves into the twelve tables, which were a set of laws inscribed on twelve bronze tablets. Under Roman law, women were not considered to be citizens. Roman literature consisted of several genres, including poetry, comedy, tragedy, satire, history, and rhetoric. The Romans made great contributions to engineering: aqueducts, roads, bridges, dams, grain mills.
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The Multicultural Roman Empire features classroom activities and scenarios that emphasize multiculturalism in Ancient Rome, from SEDL
Video Resources
Khan Academy outline for Roman social and political structures. Click here to watch
Eight minute video of Roman Timeline from its founding to eventual fall.
For images and virtual reality recreations of famous Roman sites, visit Rome Reborn: A Digital Model of Ancient Rome.
Rome: Ancient SuperCity is an infographic from the History Channel about the city and its people.
Hadrian's Villa: A Virtual Tour
Q&A: Ancient Roman Art, Architecture, Inventions, Achievements
Watch this video for an insight of women in the Roman Empire, and the roles they played within society.
- To further this understanding, follow this link to read on women in society
Law
Roman law is the legal system of ancient Rome. The period of Roman law covers more than one thousand years from the law of the Twelve Tables to the Corpus Iuris Civilis (Body of Civil Law).
There are three widespread legal systems in the world today
- Common Law
- Islamic Sharia
- Roman law
Roman law provided a systematic framework which greatly influenced present law systems in Europe, the Americas, and elsewhere. Its creation is found within the Etruscan religion which believed rituals to be a very important part.
- The Roman law system is often cited as a guiding framework for the development of legal codes in the European Union.
- The concepts of checks & balances, the separation of powers, impeachments, term limits, and fair trials which can be seen in various constitutions today originated in Roman law.
- Our Latin-influenced legal terminology is another legacy of Roman law. With Roman law, a new class of professional "jurists" appeared, who treated the subject of law as a science and applied the scientific method.
The Twelve Tables
The Twelve Tables, Leipzig, Germany
The Twelve Tables were a set of laws that were inscribed on twelve bronze tablets in 451 and 450 BCE. They marked the beginning of a new approach to laws where all citizens are to be treated equally. The Twelve Tables were originally created due to a long social struggle relating to class status between patricians and plebeians.
In order to gain a more clear understanding of the Twelve Tables, click Here for a summary
Click Here to Watch a Video on the Twelve Tables
To obtain an overview of Roman Law, follow this link Roman Law Q&A
The Twelve Tables were drawn up and posted in the Forum for all citizens to see. They were not a comprehensive list, but a collection of various rights and procedures.
The Twelve Tables were destroyed in 390 BC and no original text exists. However, we do have fragments and excerpts as cited by other authors.
Read Cicero's account of The Twelve Tables.
For more, see Historical Biography Page for Cicero
A learning plan aimed as understanding the The Twelve Tables.
Difference between civil law and common law. Roman law directly influenced civil law which is used in:
- Europe: European Union states (except UK and Ireland) and Switzerland
- North and South America: continental Latin American (except Guyana and Belize) and Quebec
- Asia: East Asia (except Hong Kong), Azerbaijan, Iraq, Russia, Kuwait, Turkey, Lebnon, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand
- Africa: Congo, Egypt, and Madagascar
A statue of Octavia minor
Role of Law in Regards to Women and Marriage:
Click here for a brief biography about Octavia minor.
Under Roman law, women were not considered citizens, and their freedoms were strictly curtailed.
- The law of paterfamilias functioned to give the oldest living male in a family authority over all others.
- As Rome evolved from Kingdom to Republic to Empire, women slowly gained more rights. A well-cited examination of lives of Roman women can be found here.
- Despite their subordinate position in Roman society, many women overcame this oppression and made a big impact on their civilization.
- Jus trim liberorum was an Augustan Age law that stated if women were able to have more than three children, they could receive special privileges that were not available to Romans without as many children.
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Click here to learn about other Ausgustan laws that dealt with marriage.
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Although it remains a topic of debate in the modern world, ancient Roman law actually allowed homosexual marriages which remains central to the argument in favor of allowing it in the United States today.
- Roman attitudes toward homosexuality shifted over time toward greater and greater intolerance.
- Click here for a briefing on Roman Law and the banning of homosexuality.
Literature & Poetry
Virgil Reading the Aeneid to Augustus, Octavia, Livia
The Romans produced many works of poetry, comedy, tragedy, satire, history, and rhetoric, tracing to the traditions of other cultures including Greece.
For an overview, link to Roman Literature
See Literature page for the Aeneid by Virgil
Roman literature was highly influenced by Greek literature. Virgil's Aeneid was an epic poem highly influenced by Homer in both substance and style.
The Aeneid is also significant due to it being another origin story to Romans as some viewed Aeneas as being their great ancestor.
Click here to see a comparison of the two origin stories.
Comedies
Comedies by the Roman Plautus were modeled on Greek comedies. Tragedy and satire were often simply Latin versions on themes already written by Greek.
Poetry
Livius Andronicus is considered by many to be the "father of Roman poetry." As an immigrant from Greece, Andronicus translated Homer's Odyssey and other pieces of Greek literature and theater into Roman as well as creating many original pieces of his own.
- To learn more about Andronicus's impact on Roman literature, click this link.
Historians have discovered little work by women in Ancient Rome, but two prominent women poets went by Sulpicia.
- The first Sulpicia, who lived during the reign of Augustus, is the only woman from Ancient Rome whose work has survived to present day. She is believed to have been from an aristocratic family, and her poems discuss themes about love.
Cicero is often considered Rome's great orator and one of the more famous writers. His philosophical works provided the basis for morality all he way into the Middle Ages. His speeches continue to inspire politicians today. Much of his work has survived, which provides excellent sources for understanding this period of Roman history as well as theories of education and rhetoric. Click here for a half hour podcast/video about Cicero and port Catullus.
In ancient Rome, the years between 63 B.C. and 14 A.D. are known as the Augustan age, because of the ruler, or "princeps" (meaning first citizen) Augustus Caeser who took great interest in literature. Because of this, the Augustan age is also known as the Golden Age of Roman Literature, and many famous works were created by writers such as Virgil, Ovid and Horace.
Long after the Western Roman Empire had fallen, the Latin language continued to play a central role in European civilization, and is still used today.
- Read one of Cicero's most famous speeches, a political argument against a rival, here.
- Podcast about children in Ancient Roman literature
Art
Colosseum at night. Author: Roberto Larcher
The Romans developed or improved their art by copying the art from the Greeks for the statues. Statues were made of clay, marble, or bronze. Metal could be added to the statues to add strength and durability.
Visit AP Art History: Ancient Mediterranean
"Classical sculpture" is the term used to refer to sculpture during both the Greek and Roman periods.
- There are many surviving statues of Roman leaders in this classical style, which continued in popularity into the Renaissance.
- Greco-Roman sculpture's lasting influence was the potential for realism in art, and the durability of the medium allows classical sculpture to remain influential today.
Paintings and mosaics were used to advertise, to depict day-to-day activities, or to show theatrical and religious scenes. Frescoes, or paintings on wet plaster, were extremely popular, particularly in wealthier houses. The pigments were usually made from natural materials such as stones, plants, and insects. After Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, many of these frescoes were preserved in the city of Pompeii. These frescoes are also famous due to their adult themes, as described in this New York Times article.
Mosaics are said to have originated in the city of Babylon. The Romans admired their beauty and incorporated them into their walls and floors (click here for examples). They are made with stones of tiles which form images or simple geometric patterns. Mosaic art continues to be popular throughout the world.
For more examples of art work, check out this Roman art educators page from the MET.
Check out this informative 10 minute video about the origins and impact of Roman art
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Women were often portrayed in ancient Roman art.
Architecture
The Romans are well known for their architecture, particularly the arch and domes. Romans began to use concrete, which became the main building material.
Click here for some background on the Triumph Arch.
Go here for Virtual Romans that lets you explore digital models of Roman buildings.
- Ancient Romans became the first to add arches systematically to buildings. As a support structure, the arch is able to replace a space which otherwise might be held up with dense rows of columns. This allowed them to build massive structures like the Colosseum and create aqueducts.
- Romans also began the regular construction of domes, of which The Pantheon is an excellent example. The Pantheon and other domes were built utilizing concrete which incorporated volcanic mash into the aggregate. Dome construction continues today and is frequently seen in both temples and tombs throughout the world.
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| The Pantheon |
The Romans were also the first to build amphitheaters as public arenas to watch entertainment, performances and sports. Amphitheaters are still used today, and the Romans greatly influenced the entertainment industry that exists in the western world today.
- Click here for a Khan Academy description of Roman domestic architecture.
Roman Art and Architecture, 400 BCE to 500 CE
Click here for a great kid's website on Roman Architecture. Includes descriptions and pictures of various types of architecture, from amphitheaters to bath houses.
Click here for a useful PDF explaining different structures in Roman architecture and how they influenced the architecture of the United States.
Click here to see Roman architecture left in Northern Africa.
Click here to see model of ancient Rome in Lego blocks.
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Engineering
The Romans were among the first to develop aqueducts, roads, bridges and dams, all ideas which were improved upon and continue to be necessary in modern engineering.
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| Line Drawing of an Aqueduct |
Romans were among the first to manipulate water through aqueducts, which provided water to baths and sewers and greatly aided in sanitation.
- These aqueducts were supplied with water from both earthen and concrete dams built by the Romans.
Click here to play "Roads of Rome," an interactive game which lets you build roads as the Romans did.
Click here for an article from Archeology Magazine about the function of Roman Aqueducts.
To build your own aqueduct visit Secrets of Lost Empires.
Click here for a video about how the Romans constructed the aqueducts.
Roman Baths
- Video tour of famous Roman baths in Bath, England.
- PBS guide of Roman baths and some history behind them.
Roman Roads
- The construction of bridges and roads helped expand the Roman Republic and Empire, and many survive today and are still usable.
- The famous Via Appia (Appian Way) is still the longest stretch of straight road in Europe.
The Romans developed various technologies to support engineering and commerce, including concrete for various construction projects, water-powered mills, and the abacus.
The Romans developed many different labor saving machines including cranes, water mills, various types of presses, and many types of grain mills. Cranes were widely used in ancient Rome to help support a growing Republic and Empire.
Roman concrete was derived from very durable volcanic ash, which is why the Colosseum still stands today. This brief Smithsonian article discusses its composition.
The Romans took the Babylonian abacus and created a portable version, which greatly reduced the time needed by tax collectors, engineers, and merchants to make necessary calculations.
Click here for background on Roman Numerals with a converter for changing Roman numbers into our present day number system.
- Click here for information about how Roman Numerals are in used for naming the Super Bowls.
- Click here for a Roman Numeral game.
For an interactive activity and further explanation on Roman technology visit Romans Technology.
This History.com article lists the "10 innovations that built ancient Rome"
Click here for a National Geographic article about technology and control in Ancient Rome. This is a lesson plan that could be used for grades 6-12.
Additional Resources:
The BBC has a nice website on the Romans geared toward elementary- aged children but much of it would also be appropriate for middle school. It also includes teacher resources:BBC Primary History: the Romans.
[1] Latin Literature. In Wikipedia [Web]. Retrieved February 11, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_literature
[2] Roman Technology. In Wikipedia [Web]. Retrieved February 11, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Roman_technology.
[3] Ancient Rome. In Wikipedia [Web]. Retrieved February 11, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Roman
[4] Roman Architecture. In Wikipedia [Web]. Retrieved February 11, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_ancient_Rome http://www.main-vision.com/richard/art.shtml
[5] Photo of "Cameo Portrait of the emperor Augustus". Retrieved February 1, 2011, from http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/42.11.30.
[6] Cartwright, Mark. “Twelve Tables.” World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, February 19, 2022. https://www.worldhistory.org/Twelve_Tables/#:~:text=The%20Twelve%20Tables%20(aka%20Law,be%20treated%20equally%20before%20them.
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