"Rome wasn't built in a day..." What does this saying tell us about Rome?

Over many centuries the ancient city of Rome grew from a small city state to a vast empire. The lands under Roman control were linked by:

• Roman cultural influences (like religious practices.)

• engineering feats (like aqueducts and an extensive road system.)

Monuments built by Romans are found throughout the Mediterranean and beyond. They were a physical connection between the lands controlled by Rome and Rome herself - "caput mundi" - the capital of the civilized world. Throughout the Empire these structures symbolized the power of Rome.

We will look at objects that were made in the city of Rome and in the provinces that formed the Roman Empire. All of these materials will help us discover more about this fascinating civilization.

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