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The ancient Greeks were curious and creative. They created inventions and explored discoveries in the arts, philosophy, science, architecture, medicine, geometry, cartography, and more.

They invented all kinds of things. Some of their inventions and discoveries include:

Invention of the wheelbarrow

Invention of the watermill, used to grind grain

Invention of the odometer by Archimedes to measure distances

Discovery by Archimedes that submerging a solid object in water will displace water in an amount matching the weight of that object - in other words, how things float!

Aristotle insisted that the Earth was a globe and that the Earth revolved around the sun. These ideas were ignored in later time periods, but re-established when it was discovered that Aristotle, so long ago, was right!

Great strides in medicine by an ancient Greek doctor, Hippocrates, in 460 BC. Today, Hippocrates is known as the father of western medicine.

Improvements in cartography, or map making, begun by the ancient Babylonians and improved by the ancient Greeks

Improvements in geometry, begun by both the Babylonians and the Egyptians, and greatly improved by the ancient Greeks who insisted on geometric proofs rather than statements, using deductive reasoning, much like we do today

The invention of the shower

Invention of the stadium and the Olympic games

Trial by Jury - The Ancient Greeks did not invent trial by jury, but they certainly fine tuned it

Greek Myths - Myths we still enjoy today!

Comedy, Tragedy, Satire, Theatre

Fables and Legends including Aesop's Fables

Ancient Greek Achievements

See also: Inventions by other Ancient Civilizations

For Teachers

Greek Achievements, Inventions, and Discoveries - Lesson Plans and Activities

Powerpoints - Greek Achievements, Inventions, and Discoveries that changed the world

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Ancient Greek Inventions and Discoveries in science, math, medicine, philosophy, arts, architecture, cartography and more for Kids and Teachers - Hippocrates, Archimedes, Aristotle, and more - Ancient Greece for Kids

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The ancient Greeks were curious and creative. They created inventions and explored discoveries in the arts, philosophy, science, architecture, medicine, geometry, cartography, and more. They invented all kinds of things.

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Greek Mythology for kids: Greek Gods, Symbols & Temples

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Which are your favorite gods from Greek Mythology? Learn about the 12 Olympian Gods, their powers, and the archaeological sites in Greece!

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Facts about Ancient Greece for kids | National Geographic Kids

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Join us here at National Geographic Kids as we travel thousands of years back in time to discover ten fascinating facts about Ancient Greece…

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Ancient Greece for Kids | History Learning Video

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Twinkl Teaching Resources - United States

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Roman Mythology for Kids | Roman Gods and Goddesses | Twinkl

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For many thousands of years, the ancient Chinese believed in many gods, goddesses, magical beings, dragons, and ghosts. They prayed to gods for help and safety. They also prayed to their ancestors to protect them from harm.

The kitchen god was an important god. His job was to report to his boss, the Jade Emperor (another god) on the behavior of everyone in your household. No one wanted to upset the kitchen god or the report might be bad. A bad report meant bad luck would follow you all year long!

It during T'ang times that China embraced two philosophies and one major religion at the same time. They were called the Three Teachings. They were an important part of daily life. The three were Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. Each day, each person would do something to honor each of the three teachings each day. For example, a man might honor his ancestors by following a rigid social rule (Confucianism), practice breathing exercises (Taoism), and stop by a temple to pray (Buddhism), all in the same day. This is not to say the ancient Chinese stopped believing in other gods, like the powerful kitchen god, but these three doctrines were very important.

The Chinese Creation Myth (video for kids)
Ancestor Worship Oracle Bones Magical Dragons
Proverbs, The Three Teachings: Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism

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Gods & Goddesses - Ancient China for Kids

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For many thousands of years, the ancient Chinese believed in many gods, goddesses, magical beings, dragons, and ghosts. They prayed to gods for help and safety. They also prayed to their ancestors to protect them from harm. The kitchen god was an important god.

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Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt! - National Geographic Kids

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Meet the gods and goddesses of Ancient Egypt here at National Geographic Kids! Find out about Anubis, Ra, Tefnut and more fascinating deities.

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Ancient Indian Art

Do you like mysteries and secret codes?

Then you might be interested in the seals that have survived from the early Indus Valley civilization. These seals were most likely used in trade, as they have been found in the ruins of other civilizations far from the Indus Valley. They are small rectangular stones with images carved into them.

The images are of animals such as antelope, elephants, rhinoceros, tigers, and water buffalo. There are also images of humans, and some of them even have writing. The writing is in pictographs, which are pictures that represent sounds. The writing on the seals has yet to be decoded. Perhaps you could be the one to find out their meaning!

Along with the seals, many small metal and clay sculptures of animals and people have been found, and some large sculptures, including large bronze statues of a bull with a chariot driver, a buffalo, and rhinoceros, and an elephant.

This area is the home of several of the world's major religions, so it's not surprising that most of India's art is centered on religion. Around 300-200 B.C., the Buddhists began to erect large stone pillars at important places. These pillars were often topped with a figure of a lion. The lion was a symbol of power for Indian rulers. Other pillars had figures such as lotus flowers, bulls, and elephants.

Many large stone figures were made of the traditional village gods, called yakshas and yakshis, which were male and female nature spirits.

Later, the Buddhists began to make large burial mounds called stupas. These were shaped like Buddha's body, which they believed was perfectly proportioned. (If you've seen pictures of the Buddha, you know he is often shown as being quite round). Stupas were originally burial places for holy people.

One legend says that Emporer Ashoka took the relics from Buddha's grave and distributed them all around the country, and thousands of stupas were built to protect them. One of the most important stupas is the one at Sanchi, a small Indian village. It is a place of pilgrimage (a trip to visit a holy place) because it is believed to cover some of Buddha's remains.

As Buddhism spread, Buddha's followers began to make images of him in human form, so that others might learn about him. At first, he was shown with a very stern look, but later, he was shown to have gentle eyes looking downward, and a soft smile.

Remember the large temples carved into the mountains that you read about in the architecture section? These temples contained not only carvings but paintings as well. The paintings were mainly of people and animals. They were very realistic images, with color and shading that made them look natural, and outlined in a way that made them seem to stand out from the wall.

Hindus also made carvings of their gods. These were shaped like humans, but often with many arms or heads, to show that they could take many different forms. In northern India, there images were carved into rocks. In southern India, they were made of bronze. When Islamic rulers took over the northern part, they forbid the worship of carved figures shaped as humans, so the carving of these figures decreased.

From around the year 1000, the artists of India began to illustrate manuscripts. The "paper" was made palm leaves, and the illustrations were in bold, bright colors, to show the events happening in the book. When the Mogul empire ruled India (from the 1500's to the 1850's), Islamic artists were hired to train Indian artists in painting. The books that were now illustrated were not religious books, but myths or stories of kings and heroes. And artists were encouraged to observe and try to capture the wonder of the world around them.

From mysterious ancient seals to brightly illustrated manuscripts, the art of India spans many years with many different styles. Religion is the main focus of the art, with personal expression always finding a way to shine through from the artist.

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Do you like mysteries and secret codes? Then you might be interested in the seals that have survived from the early Indus Valley civilization. These seals were most likely used in trade, as they have been found in the ruins of other civilizations far from the Indus Valley.

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Ancient Egyptian Inventions and Technology

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Ancient Egyptian Inventions and Technology

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ancient egypt inventions and technology history

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Video on the Beginning of Ancient China

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Iv23gazy5I&ab_channel=Learni

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFq0mq-KtaE&ab_channel=EdYouToo

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History for kids - Free history network for kids

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Exploring Ancient China

In early ancient China, many people worked at farming, but it was not an easy life. They had extravagant temples and even built the Great wall of China over 2000 years ago. Many different emperors ruled ancient China, which you will read about in the dynasties of ancient China section. Did you know that they also invented many different things that are in use today like the compass, fireworks and even the harness for horses? Have fun reading and learn about the people of ancient

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Exploring Ancient China In early ancient China, many people worked at farming, but it was not an easy life. They had extravagant temples and even built the Great wall of China over 2000 years ago. Many different emperors ruled ancient China, which you will read about in the dynasties of ancient China section.

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Learn about the inventions and technology of the ancient Egyptians.

https://www.historyforkids.net/inventions-and-technology-in-egypt.html

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Ancient Egyptian History for Kids: Inventions and Technology

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Kids learn about Ancient Egyptian inventions and technology including papyrus, writing, medicine, mathematics, ship building, and makeup.

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More videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7llX0YGlsw&ab_channel=KidsKonnect

Kids Britannica

https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Maya/275746

History-Geography-Art of Mayans

https://historyforkids.org/ancient-mayans-facts-for-kids/

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https://www.coolkidfacts.com/ancient-chinese-art/

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Chinese Art

Traditional Chinese Art has varied due to change in times and due to change in dynasties. Important religious figures have also played a role in development of Chinese art.

In fact, even the political leaders that have ruled over China have had an influence on the Chinese art.

Of all the Chinese artworks, the most demonstrative are Bronze Vessels, Folk Toys, Calligraphy, Poetry, Cloisonne, Painting, Silk, Lacquer, Porcelain, Terracotta Army, Seals, Opera and Shadow puppetry.

These works not only reflect the culture of China but also the talent which people possessed.

Bronze Vessels

These were invented some 5,000 years ago. Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin with lower melting point and a higher degree of hardness than those of copper. When it is cast, bronze has the advantages of minimum air bubble production and maximum flow quality.

This can give objects razor-sharp edges, thus making it a suitable material for durable weapons, tools, and containers. China produced bronze objects as long as four thousand years ago in the period of the Lungshan culture and brought the use of bronze vessels to a height in the Shang and Chou dynasties.

Folk Toys

Folk toys capture the customs and beliefs of ancient China. These toys help us to understand the Chinese culture. These toys serve as a means through which Chinese people can express their hopes and desires, as well as their affection towards their children.

Filled with a multitude of meanings, Chinese folk toys bring beauty and art into ordinary lives.

Calligraphy

The Ancient Chinese considered writing an important form of art. Calligraphy is a highly stylish form of writing. To produce Chinese characters one needs a brush, paper, ink stick and ink stone.

These are referred to as the "Four Treasures of the Study". It is essential to learn these tools in order to learn calligraphy.

Poetry

Poetry too was an important part of art. Du Fu, Li Bai and Su Shi are considered among the best ancient poets, and there are five major kinds of ancient poetic styles called Shi, Ci, Ge, Qu and Fu. During the Tang Dynasty poetry became so important that writing poetry was part of the examinations to become a civil servant and work for the government.

Cloissone

Cloisonne is an ancient technique for decorating metalwork objects. The term "cloisonné" refers to the technique as well as to the finished product. It comes from the French word "cloison" which means "partition".

The utensils are usually made of copper or bronze over which thin copper wire is glued or welded to draw decorative designs or themes. Cloisonne came to China in the early fourteenth to the late fifteenth century. The process became very popular with court artisans and the earliest recorded piece is from the Ming Xuande Emperor's rule in 1426.

The Yunan province was supposed to be the first to produce unique pieces as it was under the Mongol rule. However, early Chinese Cloisonne was so delicate that very few imperial pieces have survived to date. Most of these pieces are now stored with the Palace Museum.

Painting

Painting was often inspired by poetry and combined with calligraphy. Many paintings were sceneries that featured mountains, homes, birds, trees, and water.

Traditional painting involves the same techniques as required in calligraphy. Fan Kuan painted one of the finest landscapes known as the Travelers amid Mountains and Streams.

Silk

The Ancient Chinese mastered the art of making silk from the cocoons of silkworms. They kept this technique secret for hundreds of years as silk was desired by other nations and enabled China to become rich.

They also dyed silk into intricate and decorative patterns.

Lacquer

Lacquer is a clear coating made from the sap of sumac trees. It was used to add beauty and shine to many pieces of art. It also was used to protect art from getting damaged, especially from bugs.

Porcelain

Fine Chinese porcelain was not only an important art, but also became an important export.

During the Ming Dynasty blue and white vases became highly priced and were sold to the rich people throughout Europe and Asia

Terracotta Army

This is one of the greatest examples of Ancient Chinese art. Terracotta Army was made for the burial of the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang.

This was done to protect him after life. Terracotta Army includes sculptures of 8000 soldiers and 520 horses. Each sculpture of soldier has been given a unique face. These sculptures were life sized. The minutest details such as their uniform, weapon and armor have been well reflected.

Opera

Chinese opera is recognized as one of the three oldest dramatic art forms in the world. It is a combination of music, art and literature. During the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Taizong established an opera school by the name Liyuan (Pear Garden).

From that time on, performers of Chinese opera were referred to as 'disciples of the pear garden'. Since the Yuan Dynasty, it has been encouraged by court officials and emperors and has become a traditional art form.

Shadow Puppetry

In this, shadows of the puppets are projected on to the white screen. In China the shadow plays are often folk-tales and legends of the past, many based on Chinese opera themes.

Traditional shadow puppets are flat and made of leather. Areas within the puppet are pressed out with sharp knives. These areas suggest facial features and help define clothing. The puppets are made from separate pieces and joined together with wire or string.

They are controlled by long rods and moved behind a white translucent screen made from paper or cloth. A lamp on the puppeteer's side of the stage provides the light while the audience on the other side sees the moving shadows.

Other forms of art that took place in Ancient China included lantern making, paper cutting and seal making.

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Ancient Chinese Art - Ancient China for kids

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Traditional Chinese Art has varied due to change in times and due to change in dynasties. Important religious figures have also played a role in development of Chinese art. In fact, even the political leaders that have ruled over China have had an influence on the Chinese art.

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Video on Sumerians:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kinfGx_xpeQ&ab_channel=MiacademyLearningChannel

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Background By around 4000 BC, the most important part of ancient Mesopotamia was a land to the south called the Sumer. The people of this land lived in city-states and were known as the Sumerians. They created one of humanity’s most remarkable early civilisations. City-states In the centre of all Su…

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Indus Valley Civilization: Crash Course World History #2

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Sumerian religion was the religion practiced by the people of Sumer, the first literate civilization of ancient Mesopotamia. The Sumerians regarded their gods as responsible for everything that happens in life.

Before the beginning of kingship in Sumer, the city-states were effectively ruled by priests and religious officials. Later, kings started to rule, but priests continued to have great influence on Sumerian society. In early times, Sumerian temples were simple, one-room structures, sometimes built on elevated platforms. Towards the end of Sumerian civilization, these temples developed into ziggurats - tall, pyramidal structures with sanctuaries at the tops.

The Sumerians believed that the universe had come into being through a series of cosmic births. First, Nammu, the primeval waters, gave birth to Ki (the earth) and An (the sky), who mated together and produced a son named Enlil. Enlil separated heaven from earth and claimed the earth as his domain. Humans were believed to have been created by Enki, the son of Nammu and An. Heaven was reserved exclusively for deities and, upon their deaths, all mortals' spirits, regardless of their behavior while alive, were believed to go to Kur, a cold, dark cavern deep beneath the earth, which was ruled by the goddess Ereshkigal and where the only food available was dry dust. In later times, Ereshkigal was believed to rule alongside her husband Nergal, the god of death.

Written Cuneiform

Sumerian myths were passed down through the oral tradition until the invention of writing. Early Sumerian cuneiform was used primarily as a record-keeping tool; it was not until the late early dynastic period that religious writings first became prevalent as temple praise hymns and as a form of "incantation" called the nam-šub (prefix + "to cast").

Architecture

In the Sumerian city-states, temple complexes originally were small, elevated one-room structures. In the early dynastic period, temples developed raised terraces and multiple rooms. Toward the end of the Sumerian civilization, Ziggurats became the preferred temple structure for Mesopotamian religious centers. Temples served as cultural, religious, and political headquarters until approximately 2500 BCE, with the rise of military kings known as Lu-gals ("man" + "big") after which time the political and military leadership was often housed in separate "palace" complexes.

The Priesthood

Until the advent of the lugals, Sumerian city states were under a virtually theocratic government controlled by various En or Ensí, who served as the high priests of the cults of the city gods. (Their female equivalents were known as Nin.) Priests were responsible for continuing the cultural and religious traditions of their city-state, and were viewed as mediators between humans and the cosmic and terrestrial forces. The priesthood resided full-time in temple complexes, and administered to matters of state including the large irrigation processes necessary for the civilization's survival.

During the Third Dynasty of Ur, the Sumerian city-state of Lagash was said to have had 62 "lamentation priests" who were accompanied by 180 vocalists and instrumentalists.

The Sumerians envisioned the universe as a closed dome surrounded by a primordial saltwater sea. Underneath the terrestrial earth, which formed the base of the dome, existed an underworld and a freshwater ocean called the Apsû. The deity of the dome-shaped firmament was named An; the earth was named Ki. First the underground world was believed to be an extension of the goddess Ki, but later developed into the concept of Kigal. The primordial saltwater sea was named Nammu, who became known as Tiamat during and after the Sumerian Renaissance.

Creation story

According to Sumerian mythology, the gods originally created humans as servants for themselves, but freed them when they became too much to handle.

This cosmological shift may have been caused by the growing influence of the neighboring Akkadian religion, or as a result of increased warfare between the Sumerian city-states; the assignment of certain powers to deities may have mirrored the appointment of the Lugals, who were given power and authority by the city-state and its priesthood.

Earliest deities

The earliest historical records of Sumer do not go back much further than c. 2900 BC, although it is generally agreed that Sumerian civilization started between c. 4500 and 4000 BC. The earliest Sumerian literature of the 3rd millennium BC identifies four primary deities; Anu, Enlil, Ninhursag and Enki. The highest order of these earliest gods were described occasionally behaving mischievously towards each other, but were generally involved in co-operative creative ordering.

Lists of large numbers of Sumerian deities have been found. Their order of importance and the relationships between the deities has been examined during the study of cuneiform tablets.

The majority of Sumerian deities belonged to a classification called the Anunna ("[offspring] of An"), whereas seven deities, including Enlil and Inanna, belonged to a group of "underworld judges" known as the Anunnaki ("[offspring] of An" + Ki; alternatively, "those from heaven (An) who came to earth (Ki)"]). During the Third Dynasty of Ur, the Sumerian pantheon was said to include sixty times sixty (3600) deities.

The main Sumerian deities are:

Anu: god of heaven, the firmament

Enlil: god of the air (from Lil = Air); patron deity of Nippur

Enki: god of freshwater, male fertility, and knowledge; patron deity of Eridu

Ereshkigal: goddess of the underworld, Kigal or Irkalla

Inanna: goddess of warfare, female fertility, patron deity of Uruk

Nammu was the primeval sea (Engur), who gave birth to An (heaven) and Ki (earth) and the first deities; eventually became known as the goddess Tiamat

Ninhursag: goddess of the earth

Nanna: god of the moon; one of the patron deities of Ur

Ningal: wife of Nanna

Ninlil: an air goddess and wife of Enlil; one of the matron deities of Nippur; she was believed to reside in the same temple as Enlil

Ninurta: god of war, agriculture, one of the Sumerian wind gods; patron deity of Girsu, and one of the patron deities of Lagash

Utu: god of the sun at the E-babbar temple of Sippar

The Sumerians had an ongoing linguistic and cultural exchange with the Semitic Akkadian peoples in northern Mesopotamia for generations prior to the usurpation of their territories by Sargon of Akkad in 2340 BCE. Sumerian mythology and religious practices were rapidly integrated into Arabian culture, presumably blending with the original Akkadian belief systems that have been mostly lost to history. Sumerian deities developed Akkadian counterparts. Some remained virtually the same until later Babylonian and Assyrian rule. The Sumerian god An, for example, developed the Akkadian counterpart Anu; the Sumerian god Enki became Ea; and the Sumerian gods Ninurta and Enlil remained very much the same in the Akkadian pantheon.

Babylonians

The Amorite, Babylonians gained dominance over southern Mesopotamia by the mid-17th century BCE. During the Old Babylonian Period, the Sumerian and Akkadian languages were retained for religious purposes; the majority of Sumerian mythological literature known to historians today comes from the Old Babylonian Period, either in the form of transcribed Sumerian texts (most notably the Babylonian version of the Epic of Gilgamesh) or in the form of Sumerian and Akkadian influences within Babylonian mythological literature (most notably the Enûma Eliš). The Sumerian-Akkadian pantheon was altered, most notably with the introduction of a new supreme deity, Marduk. The Sumerian goddess Inanna also developed the counterpart Ishtar during the Old Babylonian Period.

The Hurrians adopted the Akkadian god Anu into their pantheon sometime no later than 1200 BCE. Other Arabian deities adapted into the Hurrian pantheon include Ayas, the Hurrian counterpart to Ea; Shaushka, the Hurrian counterpart to Ishtar; and the goddess Ninlil, whose mythos had been drastically expanded by the Babylonians.

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Sumerian religion was the religion practiced by the people of Sumer, the first literate civilization of ancient Mesopotamia. The Sumerians regarded their gods as responsible for everything that happens in life. Before the beginning of kingship in Sumer, the city-states were effectively ruled by priests and religious officials.

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Please note, that while I share videos in these lessons, I do work hard on making sure that there are no copyright infringements. Every video is linked back and credited to the original creator. Without further ado, here is Mesopotamian Art Art Lesson. Ancient Mesopotamia Fun Facts For the purpose of this lesson, we will

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Dr Diane, Maya archaeologist gives all the information KS2 teachers need for teaching Maya religion. Includes free lesson plans to download, videos, images and activities for children.

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https://kids.kiddle.co/Roman_art

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Roman Art

Ancient Roman Art

Inspired by Greek art, Roman artists often focused on gods and goddesses, in addition to philosophers, politicians, and other well-known individuals. Artists used various methods to display their work, including:

Many artists designed sculptures, which were placed all throughout the country. Sculptures decorated homes, businesses, parks, and all other areas of Rome. A typical sculpture could have portrayed any part of the subject, from as little as just a head, to as much as the entire body.

Sculptures depicting only a head were known as busts. Many Romans collected busts of famous people while also having busts made to remember family members. Homes were often decorated with the busts of relatives.

Because their gods and goddesses often represented the highest standards of beauty and appearance, many of the surviving busts give us an idea of what kind of looks were preferred in Ancient Rome.

Romans appreciated paintings as well. However, many artists painted pictures directly onto the walls of homes, allowing very few to survive today. Wealthier Romans had most walls covered with paintings. Part of the reason why Romans would have their interior walls painted is that this made rooms seem larger. A room with no windows would likely have a spacious garden scene or an expanded outdoor scene painted on the wall.

Their paintings often showed scenes from everyday life and sometimes preserved special occasions, like weddings, for example. Other scenes might have shown a family's children playing outside. Fresco painting (painting on wet plaster) was the method used most often by Roman artists.

Because the Romans appreciated the idea of "realism," their art closely imitated life. The Romans wanted their art to be useful and to tell future generations about life in the past. This helps to provide us with a clear picture of life in Ancient Rome.

Some painted scenes depicted important Roman battles and other historical events, providing future generations with history lessons. To add to the realism, senators, emperors, and other important figures were painted with any physical flaws they might have had.

Inside the home, Roman pottery was also used to display works of art. Similar to the walls of the house, the pottery portrayed important people and scenes, celebrating the history of Rome or of a particular family.

Some artists created mosaics by using small pieces of glass or stone to make a larger image. These were usually very colorful and could have been placed on a wall, like normal paintings. On the other hand, some were placed into floors. Mosaics have survived better due to the materials used to make them.

Another form of art frequently used is known as a relief. This is when a scene was actually carved into stone, usually as part of a building or as a freestanding work. Like many of the paintings of Ancient Rome, these reliefs were used to document important events that took place throughout Roman history, often documenting key battle scenes. The stone materials used have helped many of these survive today.

Trajan's Column in Rome, Italy, serves as one of the most amazing examples of Roman relief art. The column honors Trajan, a Roman emperor, and his victory in the Dacian Wars. It is approximately 125 feet tall and has a diameter of 11 feet. Inside the column, a spiral staircase containing 185 steps leads visitors to the platform that sits atop the famous piece of art. This column and others like it helped to inspire similar works around the world.

Roman art is also seen throughout the city's architecture, as artists used walls, columns, and other building structures to display their work.

Although it began as a take on Greek art, Roman art eventually inspired artists in other Mediterranean countries, in addition to those in England, Spain, and elsewhere.

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Ancient Roman Art Inspired by Greek art, Roman artists often focused on gods and goddesses, in addition to philosophers, politicians, and other well-known individuals. Artists used various methods to display their work, including: Sculptures Paintings Pottery Reliefs Architecture Many artists designed sculptures, which were placed all throughout the country.

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Video on Ancient Romans

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9bcohqsTGk&ab_channel=HappyLearningEnglish

Technology of Romans

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Llr_ZTg_5U&ab_channel=HISTORY

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Tens of thousands of Romans take their seats in an enormous stadium made of stone and concrete. It's the year 80, and these people are entering the newly built Colosseum for the first time. Men wearing togas and women in long dresses called stolas will spend the next hundred days watching gladiator games and wild animal fights to celebrate the opening of this amphitheater.

These ancient people were living in the center of a vast empire that spanned across Europe, northern Africa, and parts of the Middle East. Lasting over a thousand years, the ancient Roman civilization contributed to modern languages, government, architecture, and more.

History of ancient Rome

Around the ninth or tenth century B.C., Rome was just a small town on the Tiber River in what's now central Italy. (One myth says that the town was founded by two brothers-Romulus and Remus-who were raised by a wolf.) For about 500 years, the area was ruled by a series of kings as it grew in strength and power.

But around the year 509 B.C., the last king was overthrown, and Rome became a republic. That meant that some citizens could vote for their leaders and other important matters. Only male Roman citizens could cast votes; women and enslaved people-often brought back as prisoners from military battles-could not.

Elected officials included two consuls who acted sort of like today's U.S. presidents and kept each other from taking too much power. Both consuls worked with senators, who advised the consuls and helped create laws. Senators were appointed by other officials and could hold their positions for life.

The Roman army fought many wars during this period, first conquering all of what's now Italy. In 146 B.C., they destroyed the city of Carthage (in modern-day Tunisia, in northern Africa), which was Rome's greatest rival for trade in the western Mediterranean Sea. Next they conquered Greece.

For 500 years, the republic system mostly worked. But then a series of civil wars divided the people. In 59 B.C., Gaius Julius Caesar, a politician and military general, used the chaos to take power. Serving as consul, Caesar made new laws that benefitted his troops and other regular citizens. Then he conquered what's now France and invaded Britain.

Even though his troops and many Roman citizens supported him, the Senate worried he was too powerful and wanted him gone. Knowing this, Caesar marched his loyal army into Rome. It was an illegal act that started a civil war, which Caesar would eventually win.

At first, he was named dictator for 10 years. (Before that, a dictator served during times of emergencies for only six months.) He canceled people's debts and granted Roman citizenship to people outside of Italy so they could vote. Caesar also traveled to Egypt, making an alliance with the pharaoh Cleopatra.

In 44 B.C., Caesar named himself dictator for life. Fearing he was becoming a king, a group of senators killed him on the floor of the Senate. Caesar was gone, but his supporters chased down the assassins. His heir and nephew, Octavian, and general Mark Anthony battled for power.

Octavian eventually won and renamed himself Augustus Caesar. (The family name, Caesar, would become a title that future emperors would use to connect themselves back to Gaius Julius Caesar.) He convinced the Senate to give him absolute power and served successfully for 45 years. After his death, he was declared a god.

For the rest of its existence, Rome was ruled by emperors who were not elected-they reigned for life. The Senate was still part of the government, but it had very little power. Some emperors, like Claudius, were good at their jobs; others, like Nero and Caligula, were so cruel that even their guards turned against them.

By A.D. 117, the Roman Empire included what's now France, Spain, Greece, Egypt, Turkey, parts of northern Africa, England, Romania, and more. At one point, one out of every four people in the world lived under Rome's control.

But emperors and the Senate found this vast empire difficult to rule from the city of Rome. In the year 285, it was split into a Western Roman Empire and an Eastern Roman Empire. Known as the Byzantine Empire, the Eastern Roman Empire was ruled from the city of Constantinople, now the modern-day city of Istanbul in Turkey.

The Byzantine Empire would last for almost another thousand years, but the Western Empire-Rome-began to fall apart. Civil wars, plagues, money troubles, and invasions from other groups made the empire unstable. In the year 476, a Germanic king overthrew Romulus Augustus, the last Roman emperor.

Life in ancient Rome

Most people in the city of Rome lived in crowded apartment buildings called insulae that were five to seven stories high. Wealthier Romans lived in houses called domus that had a dining room and an atrium-an open-air courtyard that often had a pool at the center. Some Romans even had vacation homes in Pompeii and Herculaneum, two Roman cities that were destroyed when Mount Vesuvius erupted in A.D. 79.

Rich or poor, Romans gathered to relax, socialize, and clean themselves at Roman baths. Like modern spas, these structures had exercise rooms, swimming pools, saunas, hot and cold plunge pools, and massage spaces. The people also gathered to watch plays, chariot races, and gladiator battles.

Roman citizens enjoyed relaxing, but enslaved people in ancient Rome had a much more difficult life. Many worked in fields, mines, and on ships. Others, like educated Greeks who tutored wealthy children, were forced to work in rich people's homes. However, some enslaved people were able to buy or earn their freedom and eventually become Roman citizens.

Roman women sometimes worked as midwives-helping to deliver babies-or became priestesses. But in Roman society, women's main role was to look after the home and family. Although Romans could easily get divorced, children legally belonged to the father (or a male relative if he was no longer living).

Romans believed in many gods, including the sky god Jupiter; Mars, a god who protected Romans in war; and Vesta, the goddess of the home. People would worship these gods and goddesses both at public temples and in their homes.

Why ancient Rome still matters

Today, the city of Rome is the capital of Italy, with around three million people. Visitors can still see many ancient Roman ruins, from the Colosseum to the Roman Forum, where much of ancient Roman politics took place.

But beyond the crumbling buildings, Rome's impact is seen all over the world today, from huge sports stadiums inspired by the Colosseum to the way that we vote for politicians. The republic's system of checks and balances on power even inspired the founders of the United States government.

If you drive in Europe or the Middle East today, you might be on a route created by the ancient Romans. Those engineers built a system of 50,000 miles of roads that connected the empire, allowing troops to easily conquer new land and traders to travel and bring back wealth. (It's where we get the saying, "All roads lead to Rome.")

You can also thank Roman engineers for perfecting a system for getting running water. They built aqueducts, which were long channels that delivered fresh water from up to 57 miles away for people's baths, fountains, and even toilets. (Some ancient aqueducts still provide water to modern-day Rome!)

Julius Caesar even gave the world its 365-day calendar with an extra day every fourth year, or leap year. The month of July is named after him, and August is named after his successor, Augustus.

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