Roman City Project

Project

Designing a Roman City

Time Frame:  Assign as homework, can do in class if desired by teacher.  Takes a few hours to complete if done neatly.

Supplementary Material Recommended:  City: A Story of Roman Planning and Construction, by David Macaulay, (Houghten Mifflin, 1974), also found in video format under the same name as a production of Public Television.

You have just been named governor of the Roman province of Idahonia, a farming province in the extreme west of the empire (and unknown to many historians).  You have been commanded by the emperor to build a city there as you capital and your base.  The year is 30 BC.  You have until Tuesday to submit your plans to the Emperor.  You must follow the instructions below exactly.

1. City must be on a large, white piece of thick paper, and done either in pen or colored pencil, not just pencil.
2. City must have all the following Roman buildings and amenities, in areas that make them easy to access and use.

v  A wall around the city, with an arched gate facing each direction, as well as watch towers.

v  A road into the city, connecting it with the Roman road network

v  The city must be built to house 50,000 people, per Roman order

v  The city must be laid out in a grid pattern, and the streets must be named or numbered

v  An aquaduct connecting the city to a water supply, and fountains throughout the city to supply drinking water.  You need several reservoirs in the city to store the water

v  A central Forum for meetings

v  At least one large market and possibly some small ones in areas with high population

v  Enough public thermae, (Baths) for your citizens.

v  An amphitheater for gladiatorial contests, horseraces, and other entertainment

v  A theater for plays and performances

v  A section of town for the wealthier citizens

v  A section of town for the working people, with insula (apartment houses)

v  An armory for your soldiers and their equipment, and a stable for their horses

v  Any other buildings or businesses you feel would make the city better

v  Temples for the worship of the gods

v  Your own housing

3. You may work individually or in pairs.  If working in pairs, you will also need to do a floor plan and drawing of your house, using the traditional Roman design of walls, courtyard with atrium, surrounding rooms and gardens and whatever else you decide to put in.  It is NOT a fair division of labor for one person to design a whole city and the other to design only a house.
4. You need a compass rose, a  map key, and a scale showing the size of your city.
5. Project will be graded on whether or not you have all the structures listed above, on neatness and accuracy, and on creativity.  You do not have to color it, but it will look better if you do.  Neatness counts.
6. Project is worth 75 points.  Enjoy.  Late projects half off on second day, after that you will get a zero.

Roman City Project Rubric

Roman City Rubric

75 Points

______ Walls, Four Gates, at least 4 Guard Towers, connected to Roman road system (10)

______  Water Source (River or Aqueduct) with Reservoirs   (10)

______  Fountains in Residential Areas                                   (10)

_______ Central Forum and Marketplace                                (5)

_______ Public Baths (at least three)                                      (5)

_______ Gridded, named streets                                              (5)

_______  Housing for 50,000                                                        (5 )

_______  Entertainment (Amphitheater, Theater, Circus)  (5)

_______  Armory for Soldiers, Horses and Weapons         (5)

_______ Personal Villa                                                                  (5)

_______ Ink or Colored Neatly                                                   (10)

Bonus

______  Creativity/Neatness (up to 25 points)    =   TOTAL:  _____________

Honors Essays Rubric Roman Republic

Honors Essays

Roman Republic Test

Directions:  Write a five-paragraph essay for each of the prompts below.  Make sure in your essays that you respond directly to the prompt with a thesis sentence in your introductory paragraph, with three supporting paragraphs, each with a transition sentence, and with a solid conclusion.  The essay should be a standard five-paragraph essay. Essay must be either word-processed or written in ink.  No pencil-written essays will be accepted.  Essay must be double-spaced whether typed or hand-written.  If typed, use only a standard font and print in black ink.

Prompt One

If a leader does good things for selfish reasons, either in order to gain power or to stay in power, should he still be considered a good leader?  Pick three things that Julius Caesar did that made Rome a better place to live for citizens or non-citizens.  For each, tell who the decision helped and what his possible motives for taking the action was.  In conclusion tell whether these actions prove him to be a good leader or simply a self-serving one.

Prompt Two

Defend or argue against the following statement:  “Democracy is doomed to fail because over time democratic society becomes corrupted by those in positions of political wealth and/or power.”  If you agree, state your argument and back it up with examples.  If you disagree, state why you disagree and give examples of democracies that have not failed due to these weaknesses.

Rubric  (20 points per essay)

________ Introduction, Thesis Sentence, all parts of question included but not answered in detail   (5 Points per question)

________ Body of paper covers every area required in the question and each is answered logically and backed up with evidence.  (5 points per question)

________ Paper has proper grammar, punctuation, spelling, transitions, and usage ( 5 points per question)

_______Thesis is re-stated in conclusion, but in a different way.  The author’s views on each specified part of the question are summarized clearly and match the arguments in the paper. (5 points per question)

Make sure your answer is well-reasoned, serious, and appropriate for a reader with an interest in the subject matter who reads critically (such as a teacher or professor).  Avoid using any slang.  Don’t be conversational.    Your individuality will show itself in the clarity and individuality of your answer.  Be original.  Go out on a limb.  Say it in your own way but back everything up.  You may use any notes you have taken.