Christmas in Ancient Rome?
Christmas began to be celebrated in the Roman Empire after the Romans converted to Christianity in the 300s A.D. Before that, December 25th was a celebration called the Saturnalia, a festival to honor the birth of the Roman sun god Sol Invictus. No matter you and your family's faith traditions, I hope you have a wonderful holiday break!
Holiday Break Homework Instructions:
If you did not get the packet in class, download it here:
| break_homework_pdf.pdf |
Here is the packet I gave out in class. Use it to complete your holiday break homework. Write directly into the packet with clear handwriting. Scroll down for all instructions.
There are two parts the the break homework. Part 1 is a reading with questions, and Part 2 is a timeline summarizing activity.
Part 1: The Story of how the Plebeians Gained Power
The reading here is also in the packet, but I will put it here on the website too so that it can be translated.
Instructions for Pt. 2 are below the reading.
The Story So Far...
Etruscan kings from northern Italy ruled early Rome. Around 509 B.C.E., the Romans overthrew the Etruscans and created a republic, a form of government in which leaders are elected to represent the people.
Ancient Romans told an interesting story about the overthrow of their Etruscan rulers. One day, two Etruscan princes visited the famous oracle at Delphi (DEL-fie), in Greece. An oracle was a person that was believed to be able to tell the future. A Roman named Lucius Junius Brutus traveled with them.
The princes asked the oracle which one of them would be the next king of Rome. The oracle answered, "The next man to be king of Rome will be the man who first kisses his mother." Hearing this prediction, Brutus pretended to trip. He fell on his face, and his lips touched the Earth, which was considered the mother of all living things.
Back in Rome, Brutus led the fight that got rid of the Etruscan kings. The oracle's mysterious words came true because Brutus became one of the first leaders of the new republic. The Roman people were now free to govern themselves.
Unfortunately, not all Romans were equal under this new system. Power in the early republic belonged to rich men called patricians (pah-TRIH-shens). The majority of Romans, the plebeians (pleh-BEE-anz), had no voice in the government. In this lesson, you will see how a long struggle between patricians and plebeians shaped the government of Rome.
1. What kind of government did the Romans form after they kicked out their king?
2. Who were the rich people who helped power in the republic?
3. Who were the Romans who were poorer and had no real voice in government?
The Patricians Create a Republic
Eventually, both the patricians and the plebeians were upset by the Etruscan rule. The king often acted without asking the patricians, and the plebeians were forced to work in bad conditions. In 509 B.C.E., a group of patricians, led by Lucius Brutus, fought back and kicked out the last Etruscan king. Instead of a monarchy, they developed a republic, in which elected officials govern for the people.
To the patricians did not want the plebeians to have any say in government. The patricians placed most of the power of the government in the hands of the Senate, which was a group of 300 patricians elected by patricians. No plebeian had a vote. The senators served for life.
Two elected leaders, called consuls, shared command of the army. The Senate was supposed to advise the consuls and their decisions were considered law. No plebeian had a voice in the matter.
The creation of the republic gave Rome a more democratic form of government. However, only the patricians could participate in that government. The plebeians still had no political power at all.
5. Who were the two elected leaders who commanded the army?
6. Who could participate in the government?
7. Who still had no power at all?
Even though Rome was now a republic, the patricians had all the power. They made sure that only patricians could become senators or consuls. Plebeians had to obey their all their decisions.
The plebeians had to unite and fight for what they wanted. They began to demand more political rights. The struggle between plebeians and patricians is called the Conflict of the Orders, a conflict between these two social classes.
Plebeians were also upset that they had to fight in the army even though the patricians decided whether to go to war. They felt this was unfair.
The plebeians were very angry and in the year 494 B.C.E. they marched out of the city of Rome. They refused to return until the patricians met their demands for more rights. Without the working plebeians, Rome would not be able to function! Who would do all the work?
A great panic seized the city. The patricians got worried. With Rome quickly falling apart, the patricians had little choice. They had to compromise.
8. Do you think that marching out of the city would change the minds of the patricians? Why or why not?
The Plebeians Gain Political Equality
The plebeians' fight led to a major change in Roman government. The patricians agreed to allow the plebeians to vote for officials called Tribunes of the Plebs. The tribunes would represent the plebeians in the government to look out for their interests.
Plebeians could also elect people to make laws, the Council of Plebs. However, the council created laws only for plebeians, not for patricians.
Event though the plebeians had gained some important rights, they still held less power than the patricians. Over the next 200 years, the plebeians conducted a series of protests to gradually win political equality.
First, they demanded that all the laws in Rome be written down so that the patricians couldn't change them whenever they wanted to. Around the year 451 B.C.E., the patricians agreed, and the laws were published on tablets called the Twelve Tables where everyone could see them.
Next, in 367 B.C.E., a new law said that one of the two consuls must be a plebeian. This also allowed plebeians to become senators. This was a big change!
Finally, in 287 B.C.E., the plebeians earned the right to make laws for all Roman citizens, patricians AND plebeians.
Although women in Rome were citizens, they did not have equal rights and could not vote or hold office. Many patrician women rose to important positions anyway. Women in Rome were also active participants in business. However, the society was still male-dominated.
Rome's new kind of government, a republic, inspired future European and American leaders. Rome became an example of a type of government ruled by a set of laws that were written down. This new Roman government also inspired people to believe that the government should rule for the good of the people. Cicero (SIS-eh-roh), a famous Roman political figure, believed this when he wrote, "The people's good is the highest law.”
Now you know how the common people of Rome gained some political power! Julius Caesar will come along later to take things into his own hands…
9. Who did the Tribunes of the Plebs represent in government?
10. What were the Twelve tables?
11. What important change happened in 367 B.C.E.?
12. What did this new Roman government inspire people to believe?
Etruscan kings from northern Italy ruled early Rome. Around 509 B.C.E., the Romans overthrew the Etruscans and created a republic, a form of government in which leaders are elected to represent the people.
Ancient Romans told an interesting story about the overthrow of their Etruscan rulers. One day, two Etruscan princes visited the famous oracle at Delphi (DEL-fie), in Greece. An oracle was a person that was believed to be able to tell the future. A Roman named Lucius Junius Brutus traveled with them.
The princes asked the oracle which one of them would be the next king of Rome. The oracle answered, "The next man to be king of Rome will be the man who first kisses his mother." Hearing this prediction, Brutus pretended to trip. He fell on his face, and his lips touched the Earth, which was considered the mother of all living things.
Back in Rome, Brutus led the fight that got rid of the Etruscan kings. The oracle's mysterious words came true because Brutus became one of the first leaders of the new republic. The Roman people were now free to govern themselves.
Unfortunately, not all Romans were equal under this new system. Power in the early republic belonged to rich men called patricians (pah-TRIH-shens). The majority of Romans, the plebeians (pleh-BEE-anz), had no voice in the government. In this lesson, you will see how a long struggle between patricians and plebeians shaped the government of Rome.
1. What kind of government did the Romans form after they kicked out their king?
2. Who were the rich people who helped power in the republic?
3. Who were the Romans who were poorer and had no real voice in government?
The Patricians Create a Republic
Eventually, both the patricians and the plebeians were upset by the Etruscan rule. The king often acted without asking the patricians, and the plebeians were forced to work in bad conditions. In 509 B.C.E., a group of patricians, led by Lucius Brutus, fought back and kicked out the last Etruscan king. Instead of a monarchy, they developed a republic, in which elected officials govern for the people.
To the patricians did not want the plebeians to have any say in government. The patricians placed most of the power of the government in the hands of the Senate, which was a group of 300 patricians elected by patricians. No plebeian had a vote. The senators served for life.
Two elected leaders, called consuls, shared command of the army. The Senate was supposed to advise the consuls and their decisions were considered law. No plebeian had a voice in the matter.
The creation of the republic gave Rome a more democratic form of government. However, only the patricians could participate in that government. The plebeians still had no political power at all.
5. Who were the two elected leaders who commanded the army?
6. Who could participate in the government?
7. Who still had no power at all?
Even though Rome was now a republic, the patricians had all the power. They made sure that only patricians could become senators or consuls. Plebeians had to obey their all their decisions.
The plebeians had to unite and fight for what they wanted. They began to demand more political rights. The struggle between plebeians and patricians is called the Conflict of the Orders, a conflict between these two social classes.
Plebeians were also upset that they had to fight in the army even though the patricians decided whether to go to war. They felt this was unfair.
The plebeians were very angry and in the year 494 B.C.E. they marched out of the city of Rome. They refused to return until the patricians met their demands for more rights. Without the working plebeians, Rome would not be able to function! Who would do all the work?
A great panic seized the city. The patricians got worried. With Rome quickly falling apart, the patricians had little choice. They had to compromise.
8. Do you think that marching out of the city would change the minds of the patricians? Why or why not?
The Plebeians Gain Political Equality
The plebeians' fight led to a major change in Roman government. The patricians agreed to allow the plebeians to vote for officials called Tribunes of the Plebs. The tribunes would represent the plebeians in the government to look out for their interests.
Plebeians could also elect people to make laws, the Council of Plebs. However, the council created laws only for plebeians, not for patricians.
Event though the plebeians had gained some important rights, they still held less power than the patricians. Over the next 200 years, the plebeians conducted a series of protests to gradually win political equality.
First, they demanded that all the laws in Rome be written down so that the patricians couldn't change them whenever they wanted to. Around the year 451 B.C.E., the patricians agreed, and the laws were published on tablets called the Twelve Tables where everyone could see them.
Next, in 367 B.C.E., a new law said that one of the two consuls must be a plebeian. This also allowed plebeians to become senators. This was a big change!
Finally, in 287 B.C.E., the plebeians earned the right to make laws for all Roman citizens, patricians AND plebeians.
Although women in Rome were citizens, they did not have equal rights and could not vote or hold office. Many patrician women rose to important positions anyway. Women in Rome were also active participants in business. However, the society was still male-dominated.
Rome's new kind of government, a republic, inspired future European and American leaders. Rome became an example of a type of government ruled by a set of laws that were written down. This new Roman government also inspired people to believe that the government should rule for the good of the people. Cicero (SIS-eh-roh), a famous Roman political figure, believed this when he wrote, "The people's good is the highest law.”
Now you know how the common people of Rome gained some political power! Julius Caesar will come along later to take things into his own hands…
9. Who did the Tribunes of the Plebs represent in government?
10. What were the Twelve tables?
11. What important change happened in 367 B.C.E.?
12. What did this new Roman government inspire people to believe?
Part 2: Roman Timeline
Write on the paper that looks like this:
Click on the button below to take you to the Timeline Page. Follow the instructions there.