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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

History of Ancient Rome Lesson Plan

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners examine the history of ancient Rome. In this ancient Rome lesson, students examine primary sources regarding Rome's growth from a republic to an empire. Learners discover details regarding the emperors of Rome.
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Primary
PBS

Pbs Frontline: The Martyrdom of Saints Perpetua & Felicitas

For Students 9th - 10th
The actual prison diary of a young Christian women who as killed in Carthage in 202 C.E. for her religious beliefs. Excellent primary source document.
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Article
PBS

Pbs Frontline: The Martyrs

For Students 9th - 10th
A very nice account which delves into the background of the persecutions of the early Christians under the Romans. The article provides specific historical details as to why and how Christians were being attacked.
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eBook
Other

Salariya Book Company: You Wouldn't Want to Be a Roman Gladiator!

For Students 3rd - 8th
A web-book designed to show the pitfalls of being a Roman Gladiator. Although this is a cartoon book, it does give you some elementary knowledge about the Roman Empire.
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Article
PBS

Pbs Frontline: Pliny's Policy of Execution

For Students 9th - 10th
An nice article which describes the first attempt of the Romans to deal with early Christians in 112 C.E. Pliny the Younger decided to use execution and it marks the beginning of the Roman persecution of the Christians.
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Primary
PBS

Pbs Frontline: Letters of Pliny the Younger & Emperor Trajan

For Students 9th - 10th
The actual letters written between Pliny and the Emperor about the issue of early Christianity. It was the first time the Romans recognized the religion as separate from Judaism.
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Article
A&E Television

History.com: Ancient Rome

For Students 9th - 10th
Article on the history of ancient Rome, as well as a video on the fall of Rome.
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Handout
PBS

Pbs: Nova Online: Real Roman Recipes

For Students 9th - 10th
"To give you a flavor of food that Romans may have eaten at the baths, we have reprinted ancient recipes." The majority of the recipes are 2,000 years old and come from Apicius, a Roman chef.
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Website
Other

Gladiator: The Real Story

For Students 9th - 10th
This personal site is an account that examines the movie "Gladiator," and compares it to what actually happened in Roman history. There is information about Marcus Aurelius and his son, Commodus.