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Roman Drama
The ancient Roman era produced many outstanding historical figures. The personal histories of such fascinating men as Scipio, Hannibal, Julius Caesar, Pompey, Augustus, and others blend with the history of Rome itself. Have student groups conduct research about one of the leaders they have learned about. Ask those groups to collaborate on a dramatization of an important event in their leader’s life. To lend authenticity to their dramatic work, suggest that students incorporate any personal writings these men may have produced.
Chronicles of the Alps Passage
Ask students to imagine that they are Carthaginian soldiers under the leadership of Hannibal. Ask them to find out more about the treacherous march through the Alps to Rome and incorporate their findings into a first-person journal account. (A good resource for this information is Hannibal Crosses the Alps: The Enigma Re-Examined by John Prevas [Sarpedon, 1998].) Students should include descriptions about the hardships of the journey as well as feelings about the tragic loss of life incurred during the trek. Remind students to use details such as the clothing they wore, the food they ate, and what it was like to bring elephants through the Alps. Students should also illustrate their journals with a map of the route.
Tracing Tribes of the Empire
Explain to students that the Romans called people who had no written language “barbarians.” Barbarian tribes like the Gauls, Goths, Visigoths, and Franks—who lived in what is now modern-day Europe—poured into the Roman Empire after A.D. 200. Instruct students to create an illustrated map that indicates where these tribes originated, including informative labels describing each tribe and what it contributed to the Roman Empire. Encourage students to include descriptions of how each tribe evolved—for example, a description of the Franks and the Gauls might include mention of the fact that these two tribes were the ancestors of the French.
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Pay Up: Taxes in Ancient Rome and in the World Today
Students engage in an exercise in which they pay taxes just like an ancient Roman, then analyze the Roman and U.S. taxation systems.
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