Roman Achievements and Contributions
Roman Achievements Jigsaw
Background: The period of great cultural achievements for the Roman Empire is referred to as the Pax Romana, or “Peace of Rome.” Beginning after the Republican Wars in 27 B.C., and lasting to about 180 A.D., this era was marked by general tranquility and unity across the empire. By this time, Rome had overtaken most of the Mediterranean world and had spread its culture.
Family & Religion The family was the basic unit of Roman society. Under Roman law, the male head of the household, usually the father, had absolute power in the family. He enforced strict discipline and demanded total respect for his authority. His wife was subject to his authority and was not allowed to administer her own affairs.
Changing Role of Women: The ideal Roman woman was loving, dutiful, dignified and strong. During the late republic and early empire, however, women gained greater freedom. Patrician woman, especially, played a larger role in society than did Greek women. They went to the public baths, dined out, and attended the theater or other public entertainments with their husbands. Some imperial women, such as Livia and Agrippina the Younger, had highly visible public roles and exercised significant political influence. Women from all classes ran a variety of businesses, from small shops to major shipyards. Those who made their fortunes earned respect by supporting the arts or paying for public festivals. Most women, though, worked at home, raising their families, spinning, and weaving. This memorial pays tribute to an unknown woman named Claudia: “This is the unlovely tomb of a lovely woman. Her parents named her Claudia. She loved her husband with her whole heart. She bore two sons, one of whom she leaves on Earth; the other she has placed beneath the ground. She was charming in conversation, yet her conduct was appropriate. She kept house; she made wool.”
Education: Girls and boys alike learned to read and write. Even lower-class Romans were
Background: The period of great cultural achievements for the Roman Empire is referred to as the Pax Romana, or “Peace of Rome.” Beginning after the Republican Wars in 27 B.C., and lasting to about 180 A.D., this era was marked by general tranquility and unity across the empire. By this time, Rome had overtaken most of the Mediterranean world and had spread its culture.
Family & Religion The family was the basic unit of Roman society. Under Roman law, the male head of the household, usually the father, had absolute power in the family. He enforced strict discipline and demanded total respect for his authority. His wife was subject to his authority and was not allowed to administer her own affairs.
Changing Role of Women: The ideal Roman woman was loving, dutiful, dignified and strong. During the late republic and early empire, however, women gained greater freedom. Patrician woman, especially, played a larger role in society than did Greek women. They went to the public baths, dined out, and attended the theater or other public entertainments with their husbands. Some imperial women, such as Livia and Agrippina the Younger, had highly visible public roles and exercised significant political influence. Women from all classes ran a variety of businesses, from small shops to major shipyards. Those who made their fortunes earned respect by supporting the arts or paying for public festivals. Most women, though, worked at home, raising their families, spinning, and weaving. This memorial pays tribute to an unknown woman named Claudia: “This is the unlovely tomb of a lovely woman. Her parents named her Claudia. She loved her husband with her whole heart. She bore two sons, one of whom she leaves on Earth; the other she has placed beneath the ground. She was charming in conversation, yet her conduct was appropriate. She kept house; she made wool.”
Education: Girls and boys alike learned to read and write. Even lower-class Romans were