Ancient Civs

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A vast network of roads helped to unite the Roman Empire.

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The area known as the Forum was the heart of Rome’s business, government, and religious life.

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Bulls were often sacrificed to Mars, the Roman god of war.

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For young men and women in Rome, getting married was a step into adulthood.

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In Rome’s bustling marketplace, merchants sold many kinds of food and other goods.

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In this atrium of a wealthy Roman’s home, you can see the roof opening that let in light and the indoor pool that helped to cool the house.

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Unlike the rich, the empire’s poor lived in crowded, dirty apartment buildings.

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Rome’s gladiator contests were bloody—and deadly.

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At the Circus Maximus, chariot races thrilled thousands of spectators.

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As shown in the painting, the city of Rome was attacked and looted in 410 C.E. by a Germanic tribe. In 476 C.E., the last emperor in Rome lost his throne. This is the event that Gibbon marked as the official fall of the western Roman Empire.

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American artists have often used a Roman style in sculptures and paintings of heroes. Here you see a Roman statue of the emperor Caesar Augustus.

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American artists have often used a Roman style in sculptures and paintings of heroes. Here you see a modern American statue of George Washington.

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With their frescoes and mosaics, wealthy Roman homes were like art galleries.

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The Roman Colosseum has inspired stadium builders throughout history.

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Roman arches (left) have been copied and adapted around the world. The Arc de Triomphe in France (right) is one famous modern example.

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Ancient Roman aqueducts were so well built that some still stand in Europe today.