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Khajeim Davidson
Ms. Hartness
English 2 honors
March 22, 2015
Ancient Rome
The Ancient Roman civilization flourished over a thousand years. It has
been known for its architecture, social classes, and tremendous wars and
battles. Rome conquered many places as in Wales, Spain, France, Greece,
and parts of the Middle East and North Africa (Ancient Rome). The
architecture was amazing, the wars were brutal, and the separation of social
class made Rome one of the most dominate forces of all time.
Roman architecture was magnificent. Roman architects continued to
follow the guidelines made by the usual forms the Greeks had first shaped:
Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian (Ancient History Encyclopedia). Architecture had
many similar characteristics of Ancient Greek architecture, but Rome created
a new architectural style. The Roman use of the arches and the use of
concrete allowed huge public spaces such as the public baths and basilicas
(Architecture in Ancient Roman ). Ancient Roman developments in housing
and public hygiene were amazing even at their time period. They also had

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success in under-floor heating, in the shape of the hypocaust1, and piped

water. The multi-story apartment blocks called insulae2 were built for a wide
range of settings. These buildings could reach several floors in height. They
were often dangerous, unhealthy and prone to fires (Ancient History
Encyclopedia). With the architecture came social class.
Rome was a class base society, but there was the possibility of moving
through some classes. The upper class depicted Senatorial and Equestrian.
Senatorial was built upon political power. It had all men from the senate and
their families. The first man in his family to be elected consul would qualify
his family for noble status (Roman Social Class and Public Display). The
senatorial class consisted mostly of noble families. Senators had to prove
that they had property worth at least 1,000,000 sesterces3. There was no pay
with the work in the Senate. Senators were not allowed in enacting in
personal nonagricultural business. Men of the senatorial class wore the tunic
with broad stripes. (roman social class and public dispaly ). The Equestrian
bases were economic. A man could be formally enrolled in the equestrian
order if he could prove that he possessed a stable minimum amount of
wealth, thus his family members were also considered equestrians. (roman
1 A hollow space under the floor of an ancient Roman building, into which hot air was sent
for heating a room or bath.

2 was a kind of apartment building that housed most of the urban citizen population
of ancient Rome
3 an ancient Roman coin and monetary unit equal to one quarter of a denarius.

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social class and public dispaly ) Equestrians were usually involved in

business forbidden to senators. Equestrians wore the tunic with narrow
stripes (Roman Social Class and Public Display). The lower class made up of
Commons, Latins, Foreigners, Freedpeople, and Slaves. Comons where
usually freeborn Roman citizens. Common men special mark of dress was the
toga. All ciitzens had the right to marry another and their children would
become a Roman citizen themselves. Latins were freeborn people of Italy
and certain other Romans that had some legal rights but wasnt a full citizen.
Foreigners are all freeborn Roman citizens from Roman territories. (roman
social class and public dispaly )freedpeople were men an women that bought
their freedom. But they were not truly free. They had certain restrictions on
their rights and owed their former master certain duties. They could become
citizens if they were formally manumitted4. With the next generation their
freebrorn children will become full citizens of Rome. The lowest of them all
were slaves. They were born into slavery or sold into slavery through war or
piracy5. Slaves were the property of their owner by law. Roman slaves were
not racially based, and they could save up money to buy their freedom. The
social class was nothing compared to the battles and wars.
The Roman army, huge and vicious, was well known for its battles.
Originally Romans wildly rushed their enemy. They started to realize that this
was not going to keep working so they started to form a strategic plan. They
4 Release from slavery; set free.
5 a practice similar to piracy but in other contexts, especially hijacking.

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put in perspective the terrain, the strength of the opponents troops, and the
strength of Roman troops. (Formations of the Legion | Strategy & Tactics |
The Roman Military). They had certain legion formations. 6 Legion numbers
differed depending on the time period. Augustus had 28 legions under him
during 25B.C.E (Roman Army part 1 ). The cavalry rode up front, on the
sides where they could protect the flanks. In between them were two rows of
five cohorts. The rightmost cohort consisted of 1100 infantry and 30
mounted troops, while the others contained 550 infantry and 65 cavalry.
Behind the main group were seven units of light troops, followed by seven
units of reserves (Formations of the Legion | Strategy & Tactics | The Roman
Military). This was the default arrangement for a full legion battle.
The Romans were notorious for their wars. The 3 Punic Wars were
fought between Carthage and Rome. It started in 264 B.C. and ended 146
B.C. The Romans had become the most dominate power throughout the
Italian peninsula. (punic wars ). The first Punic War broke out when Rome
interfered with in a dispute on the Carthaginian-controlled island of Sicily; the
war ended with Rome in control of both Sicily and Corsica and marked the
empires emergence as a naval as well as a land power (punic wars ). In the
Second Punic War, the great Carthaginian general Hannibal invaded Italy and
scored great victories at Lake Trasimen and Cannae before his eventual
defeat at the hands of Romes Scipio Africanus in 202 B.C. left Rome in
control of the western Mediterranean and much of Spain (punic wars ). In the
6 Legions were all roman citizens and fought primarily as foot-soldiers

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third war Rome captured and demolished the city of Carthage in 146 B.C. It
made North Africa another province of Rome (punic wars ).
Rome was a very successful nation. Rome conquered many places as
in Wales, Spain, France, Greece, and parts of the Middle East and North Africa
(Ancient Rome). The Ancient Roman civilization flourished over a thousand
years.

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