What Have They Ever Done for Us

1
What Have They Ever Done for Us?

• By drawing on the Greek society it conquered
  its own ingenuity, the Roman Empire has left a
  permanent mark on both our history our future

2

• The Roman Empire influenced the modern world in
  many ways
• Architecture
• Government
• Law
• literature

3
Architecture

• Took pillar arch technology from the Greeks
• Perfected the dome
• This is a roof formed completely of arches held
  up by its own weight
• The dome allowed for larger interiors less need
  for columns (more room inside)

4
The Pantheon in Rome
Built in the 2nd Cen. BC
5

• Romans built more structures in Rome than were in
  most countries as a whole
• 10,000 statues, 700 public pools, 500 public
  fountains and 37 gates
• This does not include homes temples

6

• The Romans also made new building materials, such
  as concrete. They mixed lime and soil, which
  would harden when it dried. Roman architects used
  this to build huge structures like the Colosseum

7
The Colosseum stands 50 meters (165 feet) high
and measures 185 meters (600 feet) long. It was
large enough to hold 50,000 roaring spectators
8
Interior of the Colosseum, Rome
9

• To connect every part of the empire with Rome,
  miles and miles of roads were built. Built from
  100 AD to 150 AD, the network of roads reached
  from one end of the empire to the other.

10

• The Romans designed their roads to last forever.
  They were made of heavy blocks and made in layers
  of crushed stones and pebbles. Roman roads were
  still in use until 100 years ago

11
The Appian Way (Rome)
12

• The Aqueduct
• Roman cities began to grow quickly to be the
  largest and most populated in the world. Water
  was very scarce. The Romans had to find ways to
  bring water into the cities. Their solution was
  to take water from distant wells or natural
  springs
• More than 200 aqueducts were made by the Romans.
  Many can still be seen today

13
(No Transcript)
14

• The Aqueducts were built so that they sloped down
  only 8-10 inches over several miles
• Some Aqueducts supplied several cities at once
  could reach upwards of 60 mi. long

15

• The Romans also perfected sewers baths

16
Roman Government

• The Roman Republic was the first of its kind
• system of checks and balances
• collegialityat least two in each magistracy
• limited terms of political office (usually
  one-year term eligible for election to higher
  office in 2-3 years. and for re-election to the
  same office in 10 years)

17

• in theory it was a participatory democracy, but
  in practice had
• oligarchic elements (primarily governed by an
  elite class) and
• representative elements offices required popular
  election, and tribunes represented a plebeian
  (commoner) constituency

18

• A crucial role was played by Senate,
• It was the only permanent governing body and the
  only body where debate was possible.
• The Senate controlled all finances, foreign
  affairs, and state administration and had by far
  the greatest social prestige.

19

• The Roman system of law government is the basis
  for most of the modern democracies in the world

20
Roman Literature

• Although most people in Ancient Rome did not know
  how to read or write, they developed an important
  body of literature.
• History Virgils Aeneid
• Drama Horace Ovid
• ComedyPlautus (influenced writers from
  Shakespeare to Mozart)

21

• The spread of the Latin language throughout the
  empire led to growing literacy outside of Italy
• After the collapse, priests in the areas of
  England Ireland began copying scriptures
  other books
• This is why we have most of the records ancient
  texts we do