Roman Post IV

MVP of Roman Era: Julius Caesar



Julius Caesar is the most famous and valuable person from the Roman Era. His skills as a general, politician, and statesman were unparalleled at his time, and some would argue to this day. He conquered Gaul in a brilliant campaign which is still used in studies for training generals today. His victories in Gaul brought into the empire what should later become one of the most important new territories to the empire. The conquest of Gaul also brought the border of the empire to the river Rhine, where it should remain for centuries to come. He also led expeditions into Germany and Britain, which were at that time completely unknown to Romans.

His political enemies never stopped plotting against him and tried to take away his power. Caesar famously crossed the river Rubicon and took power over Rome as a dictator. When away in Egypt he fell in love with the legendary Egyptian queen Cleopatra. Julius Caesar also reformed the calendar. With only minor changes his is the calendar we use today. The month of July was named after him. In the Middle Ages Caesar was created a member of the Nine Worthies, a group of heroes encapsulating all the ideal qualities of chivalry.

Roman Post III

My Life: My community is not centered around one specific city, nor do all roads lead to one city. Towns may have common or similar layouts today, but each town is not designed and planned in exactly the same way. The world we live in today is not nearly as violent as Rome was, nor do we have slaves or gladiators. My life is also not as military based as life in Rome was. Today people also have the ability to move up in social classes, while in ancient Rome it was not possible.

Roman Life:
The Romans were known for their army, architecture, and government.
Based on strict organization and centralized control, the empire was connected by a huge network of roads with the city of Rome in the center. Each town was planned in exactly the same way including a system of streets, running water, and sewers. The forum at the center of town was surrounded by shops, temples, and government buildings. A strong army defended and expanded the empire. The soldiers belonged to legions of about 5,000 people. They were highly trained and well-equipped with armor, shields, spears, and swords.

Similarities: The Romans had many festivals and rituals for events such a childbirth, marriage, and funerals. Like Greek culture, Roman culture was known for its mythology. The Romans enjoyed food, baths, and all kinds of entertainment. Public games such as chariot races were held in amphitheaters, while chariot races were held in circuses - - a Latin name for a racetrack or speedway. I also celebrate and attend events for births, marriages, and funerals. People today still enjoy be entertained and doing things such as going out for dinner. A well-organized civil service system governed the people of Rome. Today, we also have a set organization of poeple that govern us. The Romans were an extremeley innovative people and created and advanced many things such as roads, bridges, engineering, math, and medicine. Likewise, the world we live in today is constantly creating new inventions and cures for diseases.

Roman Post II

The top three resources we should use in this class are http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/romans/index.htm  http://www.pbs.org/empires/romans/  and http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/romans/a/102610-Ancient-Romans-A-To-Z.htm.  These sources offer the most information about the art, people, ways of life, and virtually every other aspect of Rome. The first website has lots of useful information about the religion, food, clothing, and economy of Rome. The second and third websites have much information on the government structures, republics, and history of Rome. These are the three resources our class should use to learn more about Rome.

Roman Post 1

Quiz #1:
1.Officials who appointed candidates to the Senate were censors.
2. A republic is a government where voters elect officials to run the state.
3. Forums were the center of all Government business.
4. Plebeians made up most of the society (farmers, etc.).
5. Praetors were officials who oversaw the Roman legal system.

Quiz #2:
1. Rome defeated Macedonia in 197 BC.
2. During the 3rd Punic War, the Romans destroyed the city of Carthage.
3. Carthage was a powerful city located along the African coast
4. The conflicts among Rome and Carthage were referred to as the Punic Wars.
5. Rome and Carthage fought 3 Punic Wars between 264 BC and 146 BC.
Quiz #3:
1. Lucius Cornelius Sulla was a Roman dictator, who reigned after he started/won a civil war.
2. Marc Anthony helped Octavian gain control of the West, and then was betrayed by him.
3. Julius Ceasar led his troops across the Rubicon and declared war on the Republic.
4. Pax Romania was a period of peace that lasted for over 200 years.
5. The Gracchis were brothers who attempted to save the Roman Republic through reforms.

Quiz #4:
1.Growing trade, good transportation, a strong government, revised laws, and a strong army all helped to unify and strengthen the Roman Empire.
2.Roman engineers were masters at building roads, bridges, arenas, and public buildings.
3.Over time, Roman religious beliefs were increasingly influenced by Greek thought.4.Gladiators were trained fighters and their fights most often ended in death.
5.The government passed new laws as needed and judges reinterpreted old laws to fit new circumstances.

Quiz #5:
1. In AD 312, the Roman emperor Constantine proclaimed his support of Christianity.
2. The spread of Christianity changed the culture of the Roman Empire.
3. The Council of Nicaea proclaimed the existance of the Trinity.
4. Pontius Pilate (Roman Governor) tried Jesus for being an enemy of the state.
5. In the late Roman Empire, Christianity became a major religion

Quiz #6:
1. Inflation, a rise in prices caused by a decrease in the value of money, became so severe that people stopped using money.
2. The emperor Diocletian thought the empire had grown too large for one emperor and appointed a co-emporer to rule the West.
3. In A.D. 324, Constantine became the sole emperor again and built a beautiful capital city in the East.
4. Although Diocletian and Constantine held the empire's borders, invaders from Germany were a constant threat as they fled from the Huns.
5.The empire in the West did not "fall" in a single day or from a single occurrence; instead, the empire in the West gradually declined over a long period.

https://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AR0pPsmoYfvuZGdmMmp4cWJfMWRwazg3eGNx&hl=en

GREEK BLOG #5

1. Democracy
2. Anatomy/Science
3. Military
4. Architecture
5. Olympics

The Greeks were the first to employ a Democratic government. We still use many of the general political ideas they had today. The scientfic and anatomical discoveries the Greeks unearthed contributed very much to our science today. The military ideas the Greeks had and were revolutionary and ingenious and have inspired some of our military today. Greek architecture is very much prevelant in architecture today. Columns are used today. The Olympics is a world renowned event that brings countries today to compete in athletics and is very important to people today.

GREEK BLOG #4

I chose this picture to serve as a cover for the Greek Unit because it depicts all the ancient Greek Gods and Goddesses. The Greek Gods and Goddesses were extremely important to the citizens of Ancient Greece. They influenced virtually every aspect of their lives. The Greek Gods and Goddesses played a pivotal role for life in Ancietn Greece.