1. ANCIENT ROME

2. For over 200 years, Rome was kingdom.

3. The Etruscans The early Romans (the Latins) learned a great deal from the Etruscan traders. They lived in a small village on the Tiber River, This village grew to become Rome

4. Romulus & Remus The twin brothers were sons of the god Mars and a woman named Rhea. They They built a city near the Tiber. They both wanted to be the only king. They quarrelled. Romulus killed his brother, and made himself king. That’s how Rome started

5. Patricians & Plebeians There were two main classes of people in ancient Rome: Patricians: The upper class, the nobility and wealthy citizens. Plebeians: The lower class. All the common citizens.

6. Entertainment: The Romans loved live theatre. The ancient Romans also loved chariot racing. The Circus Maximus was designed to race chariots (carts pulled by horses).

7. For about 500 years, Rome was a Republic

8. The last king of Rome, Tarquin the Proud was a bad king, the people of Rome vowed never to be ruled by a king again. In 509 BCE, over 2500 years ago, the citizens of Rome created a new government. They called it THE ROMAN REPUBLIC

9. Republic Government Two elected Consuls shared the head of government. The Senate was composed of leaders from the patricians. The Assembly was composed of all the plebeian citizens of Rome, the common people.

10. Comfortable life in Ancient Rome Romans made lots of technical advancements that made life in Ancient Rome very comfortable. Find some of their inventions in this poster. http://www.history.com/interactives/ancient-rome http://www.history.com/interactives/ancient-rome

11. Julius Caesar Was very important Roman general, he named himself “Caesar” or “head” of the senate. Julius Caesar was killed by his son Caius Brutus and other members of the Senate.

12. For about 500 years, Rome was an Empire

13. After Caesar, Augustus became the first emperor of Rome. Then, A golden age of peace and prosperity called the Pax Romana started. It lasted almost 5 centuries. Pax Romana

14. The Grand Pantheon and the Colosseum The Grand Pantheon was a temple dedicated to all the Roman gods. The Colosseum. This is where the ancient Romans gathered to watch bloody combat between gladiators, and battles between men and wild animals. This buildings can be visited in today’s city of Rome.

15. Terrible Emperors: Nero Many bad emperors ruled Rome in times of the Empire causing its decline. Nero was a terrible Roman Emperor, famous for burning nearly half of the city of Rome.

16. Two Roman Empires: The Roman Empire became too big for only one emperor to rule. The Empire was then divided in two. The Western Roman Empire (Capital: Rome) and the Eastern Roman Empire (Capital city: Constantinople (Byzantium).

17. Rome Falls. The Western Roman Empire declined. In 476 AD, the Visigoths sacked Rome. Europe entered the Dark Ages. The Eastern Roman Empire received a new name – the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantine Empire did fine. It lasted for another 1000 years!