All Roads Lead to Rome

The Origins of the City and Republic

Topic: Geography and Rise of the Roman Republic

Copyright 2011 New Dimension Media

All Roads Lead to Rome

The Origins of the City and Republic

Common Core State Standards: Reading Standard for Literacy in

History/Social Sciences 6-12 - Integration of Knowledge and Ideas 7:
Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or
maps) with other information in print and digital texts.

Students will conduct original research to create multimedia journals

describing the life of an ancient Roman resident.

Copyright 2011 New Dimension Media

Teacher Notes:
The origins of the city of Rome are rather humble, built among seven hills along the banks of the Tiber River. However, the
foundation of Rome, and its subsequent expansion into a republic and then empire, has had enormous historical impact in the
Western world in the intervening centuries. For instance, the Framers of the United States Constitution harkened back to the
democratic principles of the Roman Republic when writing that document in 1787, and the French emperor Napoleon
conscientiously emulated the military traditions of the Roman Empire in his effort to dominate Europe just a few decades
later. The influence of Rome certainly extends beyond political and military models as well. The principles of law and
government, the art of architecture, and the science of engineering were spread widely by the Roman empire, as was the
unconscionable practice of slavery. It was a city of splendor and savagery, or art and atrocity, and its centrality to the ancient
world is best summarized in a proverb of the time: All roads lead to Rome.
Since Rome possesses such astounding resonance in the traditions of the western world, the history/social science standards of
every individual state require some familiarity with the city of Rome, the Roman Republic, and the Roman Empire. The
concept-based Common Core State Standards also find application in the study of Rome.
In this lesson, students will study the geography of Rome at its foundation, the legendary origins of the city, and the
growth of the city into the early Republic. Based on their research, students will be expected to gain an understanding
about what it was like to live in ancient early Rome. Students will use that understanding to write journals from the
perspective of an early Roman resident, be they a senator, soldier, slave, craftsman, priest, merchant, or other sort of
resident. Students will build journals using presentation software, and in addition to written entries, journals should
also make use of photographs or illustrations, and possibly audio elements such as narration or music.

Copyright 2011 New Dimension Media

Enduring Understanding:
The political, military, scientific, and artistic traditions spread by the
Roman civilization have influenced human history for almost three
thousand years, including the present day.
Essential Questions:
1. Where and when was the city of Rome established?
2. What role does legend play in the history of the city of Rome?
3. Following the foundation of Rome, how did the city grow and
expand into a republic?
4. What challenges were faced by the early Roman Republic?
5. What were the lives of early Roman residents like?

Lesson Objectives:
1. Students will examine the geographical conditions of the foundation of the city of Rome and its
eventual growth and expansion into a republic.
2. Students will explore the legendary origins of Rome and articulate the role of legend in the history of
the city.
3. Students will investigate the growth and expansion of the city into a republic and describe the
challenges caused by that growth.
Project-Based Learning:
1. Students will conduct original research into the geography of ancient Rome, its legendary origins, and
the growth of the city into a republic.
2. Students will conduct original research into the lives of ancient Roman residents.
3. Students will plan multimedia journals through slide-by-slide storyboard for use with presentation
software (Power Point, Keynote, etc.)
4. Students will construct multimedia journals describing the lives of early Roman residents using
original prose, photographs/illustrations, and possibly audio narration or music.

Teacher Notes:
The geography of ancient Rome and its legendary origins need to be taught somewhat simultaneously. First,
students must gain a basic understanding of Roman geography: the city was built on the banks of the Tiber
River amongst seven distinct hills. Students need to identify and label the river and these hills on a map.
Second, students must learn the Roman origin myth of Romulus and Remus. This myth contains references
to Roman geography - for example, the brothers were found near the Aventine Hill and reared on Palatine
Hill. Third, students must explore must explore the characteristics of each hill as the city grows and evolves
into the republic. If a student wants to write their journal from the perspective of a senator, then that student
should recognize that most government buildings were located on Capitoline Hill and most of the political
nobility lived on the Palatine Hill; if they wish to write from the perspective of a slave, the student should
recognize that poorer residents of Rome tended to live on Esquiline Hill; merchants, the Aventine Hill; and
so on and so forth.

Student Instructions:
Keep these research steps in mind as you prepare your multimedia journal:
1. Examine the geography of ancient Rome, particularly the seven hills and the location of each with respect to the
Tiber River.
2. Explore the Roman origin legend of Romulus and Remus, and connect their story to the geography of Rome.
3. Investigate the growth of Rome from city into a republic, and determine the challenges that faced Rome as it
expanded.
4. Synthesize this information to create a realistic journal of an ancient Roman resident.
Tips for your multimedia journal:
1. Get personal. Decide the perspective from which you will write. Are you a senator or a slave? A soldier or a
merchant? A craftsman, like a baker or tanner or sword-maker? Determine your perspective and stick to it.
2. Assume that identity. Write your journal in the first person. You need to think like you are that person, as if you
are describing what your life is like, not someone elses life.
3. Stay focused. You need to remain balanced between being creative with the life of your journal character and
demonstrating expertise in ancient Rome.

Resources for Early Roman Geography

and the Legendary Origins of Rome
Check out these short video clips and
news articles to learn more about ancient
Roman geography and the legendary
origins of Rome. Use these resources to
kick-start your original research. Pay
special attention to the dates of specific
events for a timeline exercise later in the
lesson.

Roman Timeline Match-Up

146 BCE

509
BCE
509 BCE

27 CE

146 BCE

Drag the event to the correct marker on the timeline. Move the triangle to check your color-coded answer.
Log into CCC! and locate/link a video segment that proves your answer.

753 BCE
BCE
753

The Roman Republic

defeats Carthage, gaining
control of most of the
Mediterranean world.

The city of Rome is founded

by Romulus and Remus near
the bend in the River Tiber.

260 BCE
BCE
260

The Roman Republic gains

control of the entire Italian
peninsula south of the
River Po.

The Roman Republic, the

worlds first representative
government, is created.

133BCE
BCE
133

Caesar Augustus founds the

Roman Empire, ending
the republic.

Gracchus attempts to
distribute public land to
homeless Romans.

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Copyright 2011 New Dimension Media