Week-7 Resources
Week-7 Resources
Two Roman Coins, the left a profile of the Gracchi brothers, the right a Roman galley.
Numismatics = the collection and study of coins, ancient and modern
A History of Cosmetics in Roman Times
Website Essay with Images
http://www.lifeinitaly.com/beauty/cosmetic-history-rome.asp Links to an external site.
A Roman's worldly ways of the flesh were recorded throughout History in its literature. As in our own day, vanity was encouraged. This rang true to Romans in general, especially in the cities. The care of the skin and the ideal of a well groomed body was not a chore: it was an obsession. Sound familiar?
Gladiator Dressed to Kill Simulation
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/launch_gms_gladiator.shtml Links to an external site.
Dress a gladiator for battle in the Roman arena of death. Your choice of weapons and armour will decide whether or not he is victorious. Will the emperor grant your gladiator his freedom, or will he fight badly and lose his honour, or even his life?
Roman Glass
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/rgls/hd_rgls.htm Links to an external site.
Glass was present in nearly every aspect of daily life in Ancient Rome-from a lady's morning toilette to a merchant's afternoon business dealings to the evening cena, or dinner.
Illustrated History of the Roman Empire
Links to an external site.
This website offers a comprehensive history of the Roman Empire through essays, chronologies, photo galleries, maps, lists, timelines, and more. Major categories include The Founding, The Kings, The Republic, Early Emperors, The Decline, The Collapse, Constantinople, Religion, Society, and The Army. It includes a Roman Empire Map AD 116 and interactive maps of Roman Italy, the Roman Empire, and the City of Rome. Among the photo galleries is a picture album of historic Roman sites as well as views of Rome as it looked in the 4th century AD. There are also lists of Roman battles, emperors, Roman place names, and other topics. There is an online quiz and embedded YouTube video of a Roman army reenactment. There is also a Kid’s Section, which is essentially an illustrated essay. The site design could use a facelift, but the site is maintained and updated and contains a wealth of information.
The Roman Empire in the 1st Century
Links to an external site.
This 2006 student-centered PBS film-companion site includes an extensive hyperlinked and illustrated essay on the Roman Empire. It also has many special features, including a Virtual Library with excerpts from writers of the time such as Tacitus, Petronius and Pliny the Younger; a Timeline to explore Rome in the First Century AD through the events of the time; an emperor Augustun Family Tree; and a Who are You? quiz to find out which emperor you most resemble. You can also read the words of poets and philosophers, learn about life in the 1st Century AD, and try your skills in their “Emperor of Rome” game. Full transcripts of each episode of “Rome in the First Century AD” are available as well as features on the expert historians were who consulted on this series. There are also many classroom resources, including lesson plans, video clips, and the aforementioned special features. An excellent site.
The Classics Page
Links to an external site.
The Classics Page from an enthusiast with a degree in Classics from Cambridge University has over 1000 pages of news, information, games and controversy about the life, literature, art and archaeology of the ancient world of Greece & Rome. Major sections include The Romans, Literature, Art, Social History, Philosophy, Archaeology, Education, and the “Greek harry Potter.” The Teacher’s page has links to resources and the Entertainment section features quizzes, games, and language resources. Last updated in 2008.
Forum Romanum
Links to an external site.
Forum Romanum is maintained by David Camden, a Ph.D. candidate in Classics at Harvard University, who has put together an award-winning site on Ancient Rome that includes a virtual tour, a dictionary of Mythology, a Picture Index, and much information on History, Life, Language, and Literature.
Perseus Project
Links to an external site.
Perseus Project is an impressive digital library for Greek and Classical resources from the Classics Department at Tufts University for primary and secondary source scholarly works that cover the history, literature and culture of the Greco-Roman world. The collection contains extensive and diverse resources including primary and secondary texts, site plans, digital images, and maps. Works are listed by author and you can browse the Greco-Roman Collection or use the search engine. Art and archaeology catalogs document a wide range of objects: vases, sculptures and sculptural groups, coins, buildings and gems. The site also has FAQs, essays, a historical overview, and an extensive library of art objects, and other resources. Special exhibits include The Ancient Olympics and Hercules. Site is updated regularly.
Internet Ancient History Sourcebook: Rome
Links to an external site.
The Internet History Sourcebooks are wonderful collections of public domain and copy-permitted historical texts for educational use by Paul Halsall of Fordham University. The Internet Ancient History Sourcebook contains hundreds of well-organized sources also includes links to visual and aural material, as art and archeology play a prominent role in the study of Ancient history. The Rome section features complete text works of major Roman historians, as well as primary source texts concerning the founding and imperial expansion of Rome, Roman emperors, Roman provinces, education, wars, religion, and other topics. The Sourcebook also has pages designed specifically to help teacher and students: Ancient History in the Movies, Using Primary Sources, Nature of Historiography. Last update in 2007.
Classical Art Research Center: The Beazley Archive
Links to an external site.
The Beazley Archive at The University of Oxford provides an impressive set of images of the art of ancient Greco-Roman art. Major categories include: “Art”, “Pottery”, “Gems”, “Sculpture”, and “Antiquaria” and helpful features include “Dictionary”, “Databases”, and “Tools.” Not only are the images of high quality, but the referencing tools provide plenty of helpful context for appreciating how the objects and why they are significant.
From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians
Links to an external site.
Part of PBS’s Frontline series, this site explores archeological clues to Jesus’ life, paints a portrait of the Roman world, examines the gospels and first Christians, and discusses why Christianity succeeded. There are maps, a timeline, an anthology of primary sources, a discussion forum, and a biblical quiz. An excellent introductory site.
The Ancient World Mapping Center
Links to an external site.
The Ancient World Mapping Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill offers a series of online resources related to the Barrington Atlas and other aspects of ancient geography and cartography. Go the Free Maps section for small-scale ancient geography reference maps for classroom and personal use. (A blank version of each map is usually available.) You can also find updates to the Barrington Atlas; free, downloadable maps for educational use; and articles about new discoveries.
Primary : The Romans
Links to an external site.
This BBC school section is an introduction of Ancient Rome aimed at young students. Major categories include the City of Rome, Invasion, Rebellion, Roman defence of Britain, The Roman army, Roads and places, Leisure, Family and children, Technology, and Religion. There are articles, photos, maps, quizzes, “fun” activities, “fun facts,”and videos. (Unfortunately some of the videos “are not available in your area.”) There is also a Flash-generated “Dig it Up” game. The Teacher’ Resources area has worksheets for student-centered activities. Overall, this is an engaging entry into Ancient Rome for kids.
Rome: The Empire
Links to an external site.
The British Museum presents over 300 Ancient Rome artifacts online. Each is accompanied by a detailed description and both a thumbnail and large version of the images. There are also links to related images. There is no option to zoom in on an image.
Who Were the Romans?
Links to an external site.
This Brims website is an interactive site for 7-10 year olds about the Romans, with an emphasis on the Romans in Britain. The Brims tutorial provides illustrated articles on Roman Towns and Homes, Roman Gods, Roman Building, The Roman Army, Romans invade Britain, Food and Farming, and Clothes. There is also a section on “fascinating and disgusting” facts, a 10-question quiz to test your knowledge and information for parents and teachers. A fun introduction to Ancient Rome for kids, though not very interactive.
Digging Up the Romans
Links to an external site.
This Museum of London site for students explores Ancient Roman through archaeological remains. It is organized around six major themes: People, Town Life, Invasion and Settlement, Army, Beliefs and Crafts, Roads & Trade. It includes a series of articles, photographs, illustrations, maps, that explains who Roman Londoners were and what their lives were like. Play Londinium! is a Flash-enabled game in which players identify archaeological remains. There is also a brief video of an archaeological site in Sidwell. A useful educational site for late elementary / middle school students.
Secrets of Lost Empires: Roman Bath
Links to an external site.
This PBS Nova site is a part of the NOVA series Secrets of Lost Empires, in which an international crew of archeologists, engineers, and historians designs, builds, and tests a functioning Roman bath in the Turkish countryside. At this site you can wander through the frigidarium, tepidarium, caldarium, and other vrooms in an online reconstruction of the famous Baths of Caracalla. In Construct an Aqueduct you are “hired” as Chief Water Engineer by the Roman Emperor to build an aqueduct that will supply a Roman city. There is a Shockwave-enabled activity as part of this section. In all, an informative and engaging presentation.
Ancient Classical History Links to an external site. This wide-ranging website section from About.com serves as an introduction to Classics topics and other Classics sites on the Web. Roman topics include the fall of the Roman empire; art and archaeology; key figures in ancient history; Latin and Greek languages; and philosophy and science. The site is also searchable. The content is quite good, but the numerous and annoying ads detract from its educational bent.
Mr. Dowling’s Electronic Passport: Ancient Rome
Links to an external site.
Mr. Dowling’s Electronic Passport helps kids browse the world in his virtual classroom. He introduces you to many civilizations with clear explanations, engaging graphics for kids, and “cool links”. His study guides, homework assignments, and exams are free and available for you to print or to edit. However, the site’s dated design and lack of interactivity are not so “cool.”
Explore Byzantium
Links to an external site.
The Byzantine Empire bridged the gap between ancient and early modern Europe. From its inception as the eastern half of the partitioned Roman Empire in the fourth century AD through to its final disappearance in the fifteenth century, Byzantium played the role of an economic, political, and cultural superpower. At “Explore Byzantium” you will find a historical overview, timelines, maps, articles, and bibliographic material – all dedicated to this fascinating civilization. The site also features an extensive photographic gallery, which details some of the surviving examples of Byzantine architecture and public art – from Italy through to the empire’s heartland in modern Greece and Turkey.
Romans in Scotland
Links to an external site.
This virtual exhibition from the Huntarian Museum and Art Gallery presents the story of the Roman presence in Scotland in the first and second centuries AD, with emphasis on the Antonine Wall frontier and the life lived by soldiers. There are several short videos accompanied by video activities, and there downloadable educational articles.
The Internet Classics Archive
Links to an external site.
The Internet Classics Archive lists 441 works of classical literature — mainly Greco-Roman works — by 59 different authors, including “user-driven commentary and ‘reader’s choice’ Web sites.” A special feature are the full-text files of many of the works available via the site. The last major update was in 2007.
Historical Collections – Antiqua Medicina: From Homer to Vesalius
Links to an external site.
The University of Virginia Historical Collections and Services offers an interesting and insightful presentation on ancient medicine. The site goes “From Homer to Vesilius” though an extended series of essays illustrated via some excellent photos. Unfortunately it is a static presentation with no multimedia nor hyperlinks to related resources.
De Imperatoribus Romanis: An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Rulers and Their Families. Links to an external site.DIR is an on-line encyclopedia of the rulers of the Roman empire from Augustus (27 BC-AD 14) to Constantine XI Palaeologus (1449-1453) and consists of an index of all the emperors , a number of biographical essays on the individual emperors, family trees of important imperial dynasties, an index of significant battles in the empire’s history, a number of capsule descriptions and maps of these battles, and maps of the empire at different times. Contents are supplemented by an ancient and medieval atlas, a link to a virtual catalog of Roman coins, and other recommended links to related sites. Last updated in 2006.