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Ancient Rome
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Ancient Rome was a civilization that was founded on the Italian Peninsula in the 9th century BC. The city of Rome grew from settlements around a fort on the river Tiber. The civilization was started from a small agricultural community which later grew into a large empire straddling the Mediterranean Sea. In its 12 centuries of existence, the civilization shifted from a monarchy to a republic to an autocratic empire.
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Ancient Rome is another in the superb Eyewitness Books reference series for young people. Interesting, informative text combined with lots of great color photos bring the Roman Empire to life. Artifacts from the daily lives of slaves and emperors alike make the people seem real, their activities immediate. Special treats are the glass marbles--just like kids play with today--and centurion armor. A great addition to a young historian's bookshelf. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Ancient Rome had no public schools; therefore children received education at home under the supervision of their parents. Slaves, who often had more education than their masters, taught the children reading, writing and math. Fathers taught their sons how to be good farmers and soldiers, while mothers taught their daughters the finer points of running a household. From the ages of 6 to 11, boys and some girls from wealthy families attended private school or continued to study at home. After the age of 14, children studied Latin and Greek grammar and literature, music and astronomy. Higher education in ancient Rome was the study of "rhetoric," which is the art of public speaking and persuasion.
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Ancient Rome boasted the most impressive technological feats of its day, utilizing many advancements that would be lost in the Middle Ages and not be rivaled again until the 19th and 20th centuries. However, though adept at adopting and synthesizing other cultures' technologies, the Roman civilization was not especially innovative or progressive. Many practical Roman innovations were adopted from earlier Greek designs. The development of new ideas was rarely encouraged; Roman society considered the articulate soldier who could wisely govern a large household the ideal, and Roman law made no provisions for intellectual property or the promotion of invention. The concept of "scientists" and "engineers" did not yet exist, and advancements were often divided based on craft, with groups of artisans jealously guarding new technologies as trade secrets. Nevertheless, a number of vital technological breakthroughs were spread and thoroughly utilized by Rome, contributing to an enormous degree to Rome's dominance and lasting influence in Europe.
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Ancient Rome commanded a vast area of land, with tremendous natural and human resources. As such, Rome's economy remained focused on agriculture and trade. Agricultural free trade changed the Italian landscape, and by the 1st century BC, vast grape and olive estates had supplanted the yeoman farmers, who were unable to match the imported grain price. The annexation of Egypt, Sicily and Tunisia in North Africa provided a continuous supply of grains. In turn, olive oil and wine were Italy's main exports. Two-tier crop rotation was practiced, but farm productivity was overall low, around 1 ton per hectare.
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Few realize that this wine revolution has roots in ancient Rome. The original Italian wine bars, or enotecas, were traditional gathering places for people to relax, socialize, and sample the regional wines and food. Wine bars have long stood the test of time throughout Europe; in fact, many Americans claim to have received their wine "education" there while traveling or studying abroad. Proprietors in U.S. cities such as New York and Portland, Ore., are now modeling their wine-bar ventures after this timeless European style, as a new breed of coffeehouse culture or a hip alternative to the regular bar scene.
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