Contextualization

Ancient Rome is one of the pillars of modern Western civilization. It was an empire that stretched from northern Scotland to the Sahara Desert, and from the Atlantic Ocean to the Euphrates River, with Rome - the 'eternal city' - at its heart. Its legacy is vast, from Roman law that still influences our legal systems, to architecture and infrastructure, visible examples in the form of amphitheaters, aqueducts, and roads.

This Empire lasted for over a thousand years, considering from the foundation of Rome in 753 BC to the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD. This period was marked by various social, political, cultural, and economic transformations that deeply influenced the course of Western History.

Project Introduction

The Roman Empire is a fascinating topic of study. To understand the greatness of Rome, we need to delve into its history, understanding how it was possible for a small Italian city to expand into a vast and powerful Empire. Through this journey, we will identify the military strategies, the political system, engineering and infrastructure, as well as the culture and social aspects that allowed Rome to maintain its dominance.

Studying Ancient Rome also allows us to reflect on contemporary issues. After all, many of the modern institutions we know, such as the Republic and Law, were born in Rome. How they dealt with issues such as citizenship, slavery, territory administration, and social conflicts can give us insights into understanding our own time.

In this project, I invite you to embark on this journey through time, where you will collaborate with each other to explore, learn, and retell the history of the Roman Empire. Each of you will have the opportunity to be a researcher, a historian, and a storyteller, using different sources to gather information and then share it with your classmates.

Practical Activity

Activity Title: Rebuilding the Roman Empire

Project Objective

The objective of this project is to understand more deeply how the Roman Empire expanded and consolidated its influence, its main cultural, social, political, and economic characteristics, and its legacies for Western civilization. Students will work in groups of 3 to 5 people to research, discuss, and present their findings to the class.

Detailed Project Description

Each group will be responsible for investigating a specific aspect of the Roman Empire, so that, together, all parts form a complete panorama of this historical period. The themes for investigation will be:

• Empire Expansion: investigate how Rome expanded its territory, what military strategies were used, and how it dealt with conquered populations.
• Politics and Economy: research the political structure of Rome, the Empire's economy, and how these factors contributed to its rise and fall.
• Society and Culture: study Roman society, its customs, values, religion, and art. How Roman culture influenced and was influenced by the cultures of the peoples that were part of the Empire.
• Legacies of Ancient Rome: identify and explain the Roman contributions that have influence to this day, in areas such as law, architecture, literature, and much more.

The final presentation can be done in various ways: an oral exposition, a play, a video, a slide presentation, a poster, etc. Groups are free to choose the format they consider most suitable to communicate their findings.

Required Materials

• Books, reliable websites, documentaries, and other resources for research
• Materials for the final presentation (will vary according to the format chosen by the group)

Detailed Step-by-Step for Activity Execution

1. Formation of groups and choice of each group's theme.
2. Research on the chosen theme. This research should be based on reliable and varied sources.
3. Discussion within the group about the discoveries made in the research. It is important that all group members understand the theme well and contribute to the discussion.
4. Preparation of the presentation, including the creation of a script or screenplay, the production of visual materials, rehearsals, etc.
5. Presentation to the class.

Project Delivery and Report

At the end of the project, in addition to the presentation, each group must deliver a written report with the following sections: Introduction, Development, Conclusions, and Bibliography.

• In the introduction, the group must contextualize the theme and explain why it is relevant to understanding the Roman Empire.
• In the development section, the group must detail the discoveries made during the research, explaining how the research work was carried out and presenting arguments and evidence to support their conclusions.
• In the conclusion, the group must summarize the main findings, reflect on what they have learned, and how this knowledge contributes to the understanding of the Roman Empire.
• In the bibliography, the group must list all sources of information used.

Remember that, in addition to the technical knowledge about the Roman Empire, this project also aims to improve socio-emotional skills, such as teamwork, time management, communication, problem-solving, creative thinking, and proactivity.