The Pantheon in Rome, Italy

The ideas, institutions, and contributions of Ancient Rome played an important role in the development of Western Civilization. Throughout the time of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire, ancient Romans developed new building techniques, invented new technologies, created art, and wrote important works of literature. In addition, the Latin language was an important basis for literature throughout Europe, and it was used widely by the Catholic Church as part of its services. In this topic, you will explore the important contributions made by the ancient Romans.

Essential Question

• What were some important contributions of ancient Rome to Western civilization?

 

Warm-Up

The image on the right is the reverse side of a United States half dollar coin. Look closely at the motto above the eagle's head. It reads E PLURIBUS UNUM. Do you recognize the language? If you said Latin, you are correct. The literal translation is "out of many, one" in reference to the original thirteen colonies joining together to fight the American War of Independence. This motto appears on various coins and was the unofficial motto of the country for many years, until it was replaced with "In God we trust" by an act of Congress in 1956.

Although Latin is no longer a spoken language, it is still widely studied. Various languages like French, Spanish, and Italian (called Romance languages) evolved from Latin. Additionally, many words in the English language, which is not a Romance language, were borrowed from Latin. As you investigate this topic, pay close attention to how Latin still plays a role in modern society.