1. The patricians were the ruling class of the early Roman Empire.

Only certain families were part of

the patrician class and you had to be born a patrician. The patricians were only a small percentage of
the Roman population, but they held all the power.
2. The Romans also made pictures from colored tiles call mosaics. The mosaics have been able to
survive the test of time better than the paintings. Mosaics could be art on a wall, but also worked as
decorative flooring.
3. When Augustus became emperor, Rome had experienced many years of civil war. He brought peace
to the land and began to rebuild much of the city and the empire. He built many roads, buildings,
bridges, and government buildings. He also strengthened the army and conquered much of the land
around the Mediterranean Sea. Under Augustus' rule, Rome once again experienced peace and
prosperity.
4. Roman Empire (27 BC – 476 AD) The Roman Empire was founded when Augustus Caesar proclaimed
himself the first emperor of Rome in 31BC and came to an end with the fall of Constantinople in
1453CE.
5. The size of the Roman Empire was a problem because it was too big to rule in one place also tribes
invaded territories were lost and no new territories gained and this led the empire to shrink.
6. Shortly into Emperor Caligula's rule, he fell ill from what many suggest was syphilis. He never
recovered mentally and became a ruthless, wanton killer of Roman citizens, including even his
family.
7. The Romans built long durable bridges. Many of their bridges still stand today. They used stone and
concrete to build their bridges and used the arch as the basic architectural feature to make them
strong. The largest Roman bridge ever built was the Trajan bridge over the river Danube. It was over
3700 feet long and 62 feet high.
8. Plebeians are the common, regular people of Rome. They were the farmers, artisans, and merchants
who had little wealth or power. They elected tribunes to represent them in government.
9. As Rome grew, the gap between rich and poor grew wider. Many of Rome´s rich landowners lived on
huge estates. Thousands of enslaved persons—many of whom had been captured peoples in various
wars—were forced to work on these estates.
10. The main drink of the Romans was wine. It was often watered down for daily consumption.