Ancient Rome, Republic, Empire & Fall of Rome
From the legendary period dominated by kings, through the Republic and Empire, including biographies of emperors, kings, and writers, timelines, maps, social life, and Latin.
- Byzantine Empire (4)
- City of Rome (24)
- Culture (487)
- Eras and Timelines (94)
- Fall of Rome (66)
- Family and Daily Life (202)
- Famous Romans (279)
- Gods and Goddesses
- Government (154)
- Italy (5)
- Julius Caesar
- Roman Histories (60)
- Rome vs. Greece (4)
- The Empire (172)
- Wars and Battles
An A-Z glossary of Roman terms. Learn significant words about Rome from the 7 hills, 12 tablets, and Ab Urbe Condita to ... well, not exactly z, but Rome's Gallic enemy Vercingetorix and the Vinalia festival.
Terms for Beginners
This list of Roman terms to know is designed for beginners, but is somewhat larger list than the one with a dozen terms for students. It doesn't include the details or pictures, but just the terms, with links to the explanations. Also see:
12 Roman Terms for Students of Early and Republican Rome
A dozen basics from the regal and Republican periods. Find out about the famous road that was the site of executions and at least one famous murder, the famous Roman circus, the two original social classes, Rome's most hated/feared enemy, the city's founder, and more.
Rome spread from a single settlement on the Tiber. First it spread to the surrounding territory, then all of Italy, and then most of western Europe, north Africa, Greece, and Asia Minor. These maps show these areas in relationship to one another.
Growth of Roman Power
Maps of Rome, Italy, and the Roman Empire showing the growth and then diminution of Roman power.
Map of the Regions of Italy.
Italy is the name of the country that was the start of the Roman Empire. Its rivers, mountains, fertility, and shape all helped form the nations that developed on the peninsula where Rome started.
Here is a large assortment of photos and illustrations highlighting a nation that spanned 1-2 millennia. It features architectural marvels and ruins, maps, sculptures, important figures, including emperors, mosaics, artwork showing scenes from Roman legend, illustrations, armor, enemies, and more.
Browse through this ancient Roman timeline to examine more than a millennium of Roman history. Rome started as a city in Latium, spread to the surrounding area of the Italic Peninsula, then to the islands, then elsewhere in the Mediterranean world all the way to the Danube before it slowed down.
Sometimes when learning about a new topic it helps to focus on specifics. Otherwise, there are just too many details and not enough pre-existing categories in one's brain to sort them all into. It's with that in mind that I've written
10 questions for you -- something like an Easter egg hunt -- to guide you while you use this site to study...
We think of gladiators as strong, heroic, and defiant, the heroes in movies about Rome. The reality is that some gladiators were admired, others were defiant, but in ancient Rome, gladiators, who were usually slaves trained in special schools, fought to the death in arenas to entertain the crowds. It was considered dishonorable for an emperor to step into the arena to fight.
Mt. Vesuvius is a volcano located in Campania that erupted in A.D. 79 covering much of the area in volcanic ash that preserved the area for centuries. The modern fame of the city of Pompeii is thanks to this volcano.
This is the famous forum of Rome, the social-business-political heart of the city. The Roman Forum (Forum Romanum) was originally a market place but became a place for politics, and public and private business.
Here are suggestions for reading about ancient Rome, from its founding, through the kings, the Republic, and the Empire, to the Fall of Rome. Some books are suitable to school children, but most are for adults. Most cover a specific period, although there are some general ones.
As you read about ancient Rome and the different periods, from the legendary, through the period of the Republic, and on to the Empire, keep these questions in mind.
