The Romans

Roman Chariots

Fast travel was very important to the success of the Romans because they had to transport food, goods and solders quickly across the empire. The roads were made of stone and brick and were very straight. Due to that, they were fast and protected because they could see further down the road.

Circus Maximus

The chariot is driven by Romans and pulled by horses. About 2,500 years ago, the ancient Romans built the Circus Maximus in Rome. The Maximus was a race track and it was designed to race chariots. Women could attend the races and could sit with men. It could seat over 250,000 people. Anyone could attend the races, including Roman’s poor people. There were races every day.

Houses

In 55bc the Romans invaded Britain, and decided to settle in Cirencester. The Romans were very intelligent for they invented underground heating. This heating was made by trees cleared out in the middle and attached back together. These pipes were burried under ground and hot air traveled freely through them. Also they were the first ones to have mosaic floorings, for these things to happen they brought slaves with them.

Hygiene

It was very important to the Romans to keep themselves clean. In their villas we have discovered an extensive bathing room with four different areas which were the changing room, the hot plunge, the cold plunge and the hot tub. Firstly, after they had got changed, they would go into the hot plunge to open their pores. Slaves would rub oil onto their master or mistresses skin to clean and soften the skin. They would scrape it off after (indeed women would scrape it off into pots and use it as a hair treatment). After this, a dip in the cold plunge would be necessary to close up their pores to stop more dirt entering the skin. The hot tub was used to remove any remaining oil.

They were very advanced as they created proper flushing toilets. Although they didn’t invent toilet roll, they did use a sponge on a stick dipped in vinegar to kill germs! They were also satisfied with sitting next to one another while on the loo.

Shields

The roman shields were very well thought about and made. The design of the shields were normally straight lines forming beautiful shapes, generally red and yellow. Unusually the base of the shield was curved to go round the body. Also on every roman shield there is a big metal lump called 'The boss.'

The boss was used for lots of things. If two Celts were coming towards you at either end, well for the first one you could just stab him with your sword, and for the other one you could smash him with your shield and finish him off with your sword.

The shields were used for tactic formations, like the testudo and wedge.

Foods

Romans weren’t big meat eaters. They were fine living on a stuffed mouse. They did import Roman snails which were also one of their favourites. These can still be found in the British countryside nowadays. The Romans gratefully introduced wine to us from their vines in Rome and also bought olives of green and black and used the oils to cook with. Delicious herbs and spices were bought to our shores to use for a number of things.