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About Rome
Language Spoken: Latin
Religion: Polytheism
Currency: Denarius ("containing ten")
Capital: Rome
Area: From Britain to Syria
Government: Republic
Suffrage: Land-owning citizens (male & female) |  "Senatus Populus Que Roma",
the Senate and the People of Rome (Asterix Obelix) |
History in Brief: According to legend, Rome is believed to be founded by Romulus and Remus. They were the twins born to Rhea Silvia and Mars the god of war, abandoned after birth, and raised by a she-wolf. The twins decided to build a city near where they were swept by the river. It was settled the city be built atop Palatine Hill. Romulus was supposed to be king of the new city of Rome. Remus jumped over a trench as the city was being built and Romulus, in a fury, killed his brother.
The city was located in the center of the Italian peninsula. The region of Italy is surrounded by the sea and has the Alps as mountainous protection from the north. The Greek civilization was near which furthered Rome’s prosperity. The Romans learned many basic skills from the Greeks such as reading, writing, and even religion. The size of the Roman Empire grew as various emperors strived to attain new lands. (The Roman Empire)
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Roman Clothing
Roman culture is the basis for much of today's society, culture, and fashion. Much of Roman culture was based on Greek principles and ideas, from their clothing all the way to their gods and religion. Although Rome was influenced by the Egyptians around 200 BC, Romans developed their own unique style of clothing. (Roman Clothing)
Throughout the existence of Roman Empire, clothing was not just used as means to cover the body, but it signified class, social status, and office. This was especially true in men’s clothing. Men’s clothing was exceedingly elaborate and detailed because men were the most important and significant in the Roman society. On their bodies, men wore tunics made of wool, the rough equivalent to today’s T-shirts. Over their tunics, finely folded togas were worn; each designed to differentiate one man from the other. Even the poorest of workers and slaves could be identified by the clothing they wore.
On the other hand, women had little way to express and differentiate themselves from other women, in terms of clothing. Their clothing was simple and lacked exquisite elegance. Women had to rely more on jewelry and hairstyles to stand out from the crowd. (Rome: Republic to Empire)
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