Special Sub-Topic: All About the Romans Click Here To Play: All About the Romans

Who were the Romans?

People who came from Rome.. Legend says that Rome was founded by a man called Romulus and his brother, Remus. It is said that they were the twin sons of the Roman god of war called Mars. About 2000 years ago, the Roman Empire was so big it would have taken 100 days to ride from one end to the other.

Over the years, who ruled Rome?

All of these. (Kings, Officials who were elected by the people., Emperors). Throughout history, Rome was ruled in three different ways: first by kings, then by a number of officials who were chosen by the people, and finally by emperors. Really, an emperor was just a king with a different title!

How did the Roman army use tortoises?

The "tortoise" was a name for the way they used their shields.. The "tortoise" was a special trick the army used to protect themselves as they advanced. They formed a square with the soldiers on inside holding their shields above their heads so that they would be protected on all sides.

Why did the Romans wear togas?

To show that they were Roman citizens.. Only Roman citizens were allowed to wear togas. An ordinary citizen wore a plain white one, a member of the senate had a purple edge to his toga and the emperor's was purple all over.

The Romans had toilets that up to sixteen people could use at the same time.

t. The Romans did not go to the toilet on their own. They would all sit side by side. Most of the cities had multi-seat public toilets. Most homes did not have toilets; they used big pottery jars instead!

Why did the Romans sometimes throw up at banquets?

To make room for more food.. There was always a lot of food at a wealthy Roman banquet. In order to be able to try everything, people would often go outside to make themselves sick so that they could eat more. Boiled ostrich or dormice in honey, anyone?

Why were Roman roads straight?

Because it was the shortest route from one place to another.. Before the Romans built a road, they would work out were it should go. They then chose the shortest straight route and got rid of any obstacles that were in the way rather than curving the road to go around them.

What language did the Romans speak?

Latin. Everyone who lived in Italy at this time spoke Latin. People from other parts of the Empire had to learn Latin as well, so that they could all understand each other.

What was a Hippodrome?

A sort of sports stadium.. The hippodrome, or circus, was a huge stadium with an oval shaped racetrack. This was where they held chariot races, which were very popular at the time.

What does "cave canem" mean?

Beware of the dog.. Lots of Roman homes had a picture of a guard dog by the entrance with the words, "Cave Canem" beside it. This was supposed to scare away burglars! I think a real dog would have been better.