When visiting Rome, you will need to know how the government is set up and how it has changed over many years, as well as the trade and commerce of the ancient Roman empire. Also you will need to know about a few of the cultural ceremonies that might happen on your trip to Rome. This page will explain the importance of what you may be required to know.
Trade in Rome
Trade plays a major part in Rome. They mostly rely on their sea routes for trade, like in the Black Sea and Mediterranean. They trade with Spain, France, Middle East, and Northern Africa. Their imports were beef, corn, glassware, lead, marble, leather, and many more. They manly exported wine, olive oil, pottery, and papyrus. The biggest port in Rome is Ostia. This is located at the mouth of the Tiber River and it runs fifteen miles long.
Government
The first type of government they had was the republic. This lasted from 500 B.C.E to the end of B.C.E. There were two main branches, the executive and legislative. The executive branch was made up of three parts, the consuls, or chief executive, the praetors, or judges, and the census, or patricians and plebeians. Then at one point in ancient Rome’s history there was a dictator, but only for six months. In the legislative branch there is the senate and the assembly of centuries. The center of power was in the senate. While having a republic, Rome decided to expand their territory. They fought with Carthaginians and won their land. With new provinces, there were senators sent out each year to govern. Their main job was to collect taxes, defend from attack, and decide any legal cases. As Rome was expanding, the republic started to fall. Contributions to this were the amount of farmers out of work because they were in the army and their estates had been bought by investors, while they were away at war.
Once the republic falls, a new leader arises, Octavian. He changes his name to Augustus and he ruled for 50 years. He ruled over Egypt, parts of the Middle East, and Central Europe. He was also the head of the church; from this he spread the religion of Christianity. Augustus creates the golden age in ancient Rome. By the time Augustus dies, the majority of the population does not remember the republic. This was the start of the downfall of Rome.
Once the republic falls, a new leader arises, Octavian. He changes his name to Augustus and he ruled for 50 years. He ruled over Egypt, parts of the Middle East, and Central Europe. He was also the head of the church; from this he spread the religion of Christianity. Augustus creates the golden age in ancient Rome. By the time Augustus dies, the majority of the population does not remember the republic. This was the start of the downfall of Rome.
Public Roman Ceremonies
There were many different public ceremonies. One main ceremony was sacrifices to the gods and most of the time this happened in the Colosseum. This sacrifice would be used to determine in the games in the Colosseum may begin. This can only be determined when the priest declares it. There are human sacrifices but the most common was animal. When an animal was sacrificed to the gods, the sex of the animal would have to make the sex of the god or goddess. White or light colored animals were offered to the gods in the heaven, while black or dark colored animals were offered to the gods in the underworld. One of the most common animals to see sacrificed was an ox or bull. Once the sacrifice was over, the priest would then determine if the gods have accepted it, and if they did , then they could begin with the games.
Another religious ceremony is the crop or harvest ceremony. This is where the roman people would sacrifice certain animals to give to certain gods, so harvesting could begin. For example in April, the Romans would sacrifice a pregnant cow at a festival of fertility called Fordicidia. This sacrifice related to the fertility of the earth.
Another religious ceremony is the crop or harvest ceremony. This is where the roman people would sacrifice certain animals to give to certain gods, so harvesting could begin. For example in April, the Romans would sacrifice a pregnant cow at a festival of fertility called Fordicidia. This sacrifice related to the fertility of the earth.