2. They re interactive. Mosaics are designed to be seen from different angles and to change as your perspective moves.

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2 1. Roman mosaics were meant to be walked on. Paintings covered the interior walls of Roman villas, but weren t practical for decorating floors. Enter mosaics: a durable and lavish way to spruce up a room and support foot traffic at the same time. 2. They re interactive. Mosaics are designed to be seen from different angles and to change as your perspective moves. 3. The Romans perfected mosaics as an art form. The Greeks refined the art of figural mosaics by embedding pebbles in mortar. The Romans took the art form to the next level by using tesserae (cubes of stone, ceramic, or glass) to form intricate, colorful designs. 4. Mosaics were symbols of wealth and status. Blending art and home décor, Roman mosaics were commissioned to adorn and impress guests inside private homes and villas. Wealthy Romans chose themes to reflect their status: mythological stories would show off a man s book learning, while scenes of wild animals being captured for fights in the arena might highlight his sponsorship of public games. 5. To get special colors, mosaic artists used glass and imported stones. Mosaic artisans relied on local stones for the bulk of their work, but imported unusual colors for special highlights. When no stone would do, they turned to glass in bright colors like blue and green. 6. The Romans sometimes redecorated, adding new mosaics on top of old ones. The Roman rich weren t so different from those today they liked to update. This mosaic of the Medusa was found on top of another mosaic of a marine scene. Instead of demoing the original floor, the contractors just put the new one on top.

3 Frescoes Roman artists were especially skilled in painting frescoes, scenes painted on the moist plaster of walls or ceilings with water-based paints. Roman frescoes often showed 3D landscapes. Looking at one of these was like looking through a wall at a view outside

4 Cameo One popular art form was the cameo. A cameo is a carved decoration showing a portrait or a scene. The Romans wore cameos as jewelry and used them to decorate vases and other objects Make your own cameo! 1. Stand sideways against the whiteboard. 2. Have a partner hold a flashlight about 2-3 feet away from the side of your face. 3. Have a third partner trace the outline of your shadow with an expo marker on the whiteboard.

5 One of the things the Romans are most famous for is their architecture. The Romans brought a lot of new ideas to architecture, of which the three most important are the arch, the baked brick, and the use of cement and concrete Use of Roman Arches Roman arches enabled the ancient Romans to build bridges, aqueducts, sewers, amphitheaters, as well as temples and palaces. The merits of the Roman arches have never been lost sight of by succeeding generations, and it is an essential element in the magnificent Gothic cathedrals of the Middle Ages. Its application extends to domes, floors, corridors and roofs. It was applied extensively to doorways and windows, and is for decoration as well as functional. Try and build your own arches using Legos!

6 The Colosseum Photo: wili hybrid Gladiatorial combat, animal hunts, simulated naval battles: what bloodthirsty and testosterone-fueled event didn t go down at Rome s Colosseum back in the day? The three-tiered Colosseum stood 157 feet tall, featured 80 entrances and seated roughly 50,000 people. During one seven-day festival in 240 AD, 2,000 gladiators, 70 lions, 40 wild horses, 30 elephants, 30 leopards, 20 wild donkeys, 19 giraffes, 10 elk, 10 hyenas, 10 tigers, one hippopotamus and one rhinoceros all died. By the time the Colosseum closed in 523 AD, it s estimated that more than one million animals and more than 500,000 people had perished there.

7 Aqueducts An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. Large navigable aqueducts are used as transport links for boats or ships. The word is derived from the Latin aqua ("water") and ducere ("to lead"). The Romans constructed aqueducts to bring a constant flow of water from distant sources into cities and towns, supplying public baths, latrines, fountains and private households. Waste water was removed by the sewage systems and released into nearby bodies of water, keeping the towns clean and free from noxious waste. Some aqueducts also served water for mining, processing, manufacturing, and agriculture.

8 Roman Language and Writing An especially important legacy of Rome for people in medieval times was the Roman s language, Latin. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Latin continued to be used by scholars and the Roman Catholic Church. Church scribes used Latin so they could communicate with their peers in other countries. Several modern European languages developed from Latin, including Italian, Spanish, and French. English has borrowed heavily from Latin.

9 Calendars The Romans called the first day of each month Kalendae, or calends. Debts were due on this day, so books to track payments were called calendarium from which we get our modern day calendar. Calendar Name Origins - Names of Months January - ME Januari(us), OE Januarius, translation of Latin Januarius, named after JANUS, god of beginnings. February - ME OE Februarius from Latin Februarius, named for Februa, the feast of purification. March - ME March(e), from Latin Martius, (month of) Mars. April - ME Averil, OF Avril, Latin Aprilis mensis (month). The name may derive from the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite. May - ME OE Maius, Latin Maius mensis (month), from the Greek Maia, goddess of spring (growth). June - ME Jun(e), OE Iunius, from Latin mensis Junius, named after the goddess Juno, Queen of the gods. July - ME Julie, OE Julius, from Latin Julius (Caesar) after whom it was named in 44 BC. The original name was quintilis, fifth month in the early Roman calendar. August - ME OE Agustus from Latin Augustus (Caesar) 8 BC. The original name was sextilis, sixth month in the early Roman calendar. September - ME Septembre from Latin September, seventh month in the early Roman calendar October - ME OE from Latin October, eighth month in the early Roman calendar November - ME OE from Latin November, ninth month of the early Roman calendar, from novem NINE December - ME Decembre from OF and Latin December, tenth month of the early Roman calendar (decem TEN + membri from mens MONTH + ri suffix).

10 Proverbs & Roman Numerals A proverb is a popular saying meant to express something wise or true. Latin proverbs are still in use today! Take a look at the pennies! 1. What is written on the back? 2. What do you think it means? Out of many, one Romans used a system of letters to write numbers, In the Roman numeral system, the letters I, V, X, L, C, D, and M represent 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500, and 1,000. You may have seen Roman numerals used on clocks, sundials, and the first pages of books. They are also used in some movie and television credits. Can you spot the Roman numeral below?

11 Philosophy Stoicismà stoics believed that a divine (godly) intelligence ruled all of nature. A person s soul was a spark of that divine intelligence. They believed that the one truly good thing in life was to have good character. Virtues= Self control Courage Duty Welfare to community Bearing pain and suffering bravely and quietly

12 Law and Justice Roman law covered everyday Roman life like as crime and punishment, land and property ownership, commerce, citizenship, slavery, local and state politics, and damage to property. Romans believed in the universal law of justice and that every person had rights. Judges in Roman courts tried to make just, or fair decisions to protect people s rights. Penalties for crimes could include fines (multae), prison, confiscation of property, loss of citizenship, exile, forced labor or the death penalty (poena capitis). Penalties might also differ depending on the status of the defendant and if they were male, female, or a slave. Males of higher social status usually received more lenient penalties.

13 Citizenship Al citizens were subject and protected by Roman law. They enjoyed the same rights, and owed allegiance (loyalty) to the emperor. Citizenship is both a privilege and responsibility.