Famous Men of Rome · Ch. XX, part 2 · Unit 4: The end of the Republic

28. Pompey the Great, part 2: Rome in Pompey's day

Goal: Your child can describe the city of Rome in Pompey's time: its size, its houses, its slaves and its schools.

⏱ About 20 minutes · 6 steps

Open it at the Internet Archive ↗

You'll need

  • The book, open to this chapter
  • A map of Italy and the Mediterranean (a free online map or a globe)
  • Paper and colored pencils

What's in the book

Section III of Chapter XX: a picture of Rome at the height of the Republic. Rome rules a vast territory; the city has about half a million people, narrow paved streets, temples, baths and marble houses. Rich men live grandly; enslaved people, many of them educated, do nearly all the skilled work and teach the children. Pompey is greatly loved, but a rival named Julius Caesar is rising.

The lesson, step by step

  1. Set the scene

    SayToday is less of a battle story and more of a visit. Imagine walking through Rome when it was the richest city in the world.

  2. Read the chapter

    Read section III of Chapter XX to the end of the chapter. It begins:

    At this time the Romans ruled a vast territory

    On the map, point to each land the book lists as ruled by Rome.

  3. Tell it back

    Prompts:

    - What were the streets and houses of Rome like?

    - Where did many rich Romans get their wealth?

    - What kinds of work did enslaved people do?

    - What did Roman children learn, and who taught them?

  4. Talk it over

    Read this:

    In fact it was by slaves that nearly all the skilled work in Rome was done.

    SayMost of these people had been captured in wars and were bought and sold in markets. Rome's riches were built on their work.

    Ask: How do you think it felt to be a doctor or a teacher and still be owned by someone?

  5. Compare

    Read:

    The Roman children were taught to read and write Latin, which was their own language. They were also taught arithmetic and history.

    Ask: How is that like your school? How is it different?

  6. Remember it

    SayAt the end of the chapter we meet Julius Caesar. The next three lessons are all about him.

Tip

Slavery comes up throughout the book. A short, honest sentence (people were captured and forced to work, and that was deeply wrong) is all most children need.

Answers to the book's problems

Streets were narrow and crooked but paved and clean; there were temples, baths and marble houses with pillars. Rich men got wealth by plundering conquered countries. Enslaved people were cooks, builders, tailors, farmers, doctors and scholars. Children learned to read and write Latin, arithmetic and history, mostly from educated slaves.

Worked out for this site from the scan. If a number in your copy differs, trust the book.

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