ROMAN

CIVILIZATION
THOMAS O’TOOLE AND DRYDEN HAWN
ECONOMY

• Agrarian (farming) and slave-based economy

• Main farming method was 2-tier crop rotation
• Main concern was providing food for vast number of citizens and legionaries in region
• Staple crops were grains, olives, and grapes
• Small scale industrial production
• Largest industry was mining, which provided stones for large building projects
• Currency called “Aes”
• Brass, bronze, copper, silver, and gold coins
 POLITICAL STRUCTURE

• The Political Structure is separated into three major groups:

• The largest of the three is the Consuls
• Monarchy Branch
• The second largest grouping was the Senate
• Aristocratic Branch
• The smallest and final group was the Assembly
• Democratic Branch
SOCIAL STRUCTURE/SOCIAL LIFE
• Followed a Class System:
• Patricians (Highest)
• Wealthy land owners
• Counsel members, senators, and judges
• Descendants of “Founding Fathers”
• Could Veto Laws
• Plebians
• Ordinary citizens, but could marry patricians
• One common job was a shopkeeper
• Could hold a position in political office and
vote
• Freedmen
• Craftsmen and traders
• Free from slavery but have little rights
• Could own small shops and farms
• Slaves
• No rights
• Worked in mines and farms and built roads
• Could pay to get out of slavery, but took a
long time to save enough money
MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS
TO THE WORLD

• Architecture
• Aqueducts
• Arches

• Government
• Used senators to represent groups of people
• Used check and balance system so no one
could gain too much power

• Medicine
• Surgical tools
• Tourniquets