Scene #

Description

Narration

1

Ancient Roman buildings are being shown. A Roman theater is the focus. As the narrator describes the theater the features she describes are shown. A painting of actors wearing masks is shown.

[MUSIC PLAYING] If we visited the ruins of Roman cities that were located in different parts of the empire, cities that were built very far from one another-- we would always find the same kinds of buildings.

For example-- nearly all Roman cities had theaters that looked a lot like this one, which is in Spain. In these theaters, people sat on stone seats. While on the stage below, actors performed plays with their faces hidden behind masks. The actors wore masks because masks made it easier for the audience to understand what the play was all about.

2

The Roman Colosseum is showing. Paintings of gladiators fighting wild animals are shown, such as lions, giraffes, bulls, and rhinos. An image of a man with a halo around his head being eaten by lions is shown.

Another type of building found in Most Roman cities were the coliseums. Here, we see the Colosseum in Rome. It was a huge building that could hold about 70,000 people.

These people were ordinary citizens who came to watch men called gladiators fight other men and animals to the death. In fact, wild animals-- such as rhinoceroses and even giraffes-- were captured in Africa just so they could fight against the gladiators in the coliseums. And because for a long time Christianity was illegal in the Roman Empire, Christians were sometimes fed to the lions just to please the crowd.

3

A circus building is shown. It is being described by the narrator as its features are shown. Chariot racers are shown.

Besides coliseums and theaters, most Roman cities also had places called circuses. The Circus in Rome was a huge racetrack where as many as 200,000 people came to watch the chariot races. Chariots were wheeled carriages that were pulled around the track by powerful teams of horses.

4

The Roman bath house is being shown and described by the narrator as it is being shown. Running water is coming out of different fountains. The Roman Aqueducts are shown.

The Romans also loved being clean. And just about every town in the Roman Empire had public bath houses-- like the one seen here. They were places where people could take hot or cold baths. And also get exercise.

The Romans were able to have bathhouses because every town had an excellent system for supplying running water. Not only for bathing, but for drinking and for sanitation, as well.

That was why on the outskirts of many Roman towns, you would see structures that looked like bridges, but were really things called aqueducts, through which fresh water was carried to the cities from streams in the nearby hills.

5

Roman apartment buildings are shown. A Roman Villa is being described by the narrator, as she describes it the features of the villa are shown.

In Roman cities, most ordinary people lived in apartments that were in buildings like these. But the richer people and their slaves lived in private houses, called villas. In these villas, it was very common to find floors which were made from Mosaic tiles-- thousands of tiny pieces of colored glass, stone, or pottery which were cemented together to make a beautiful designs. And oftentimes, hidden under these floors were passages through which hot air flowed to keep the houses warm in winter.

The Romans loved decoration. And they usually painted the walls of their houses with all kinds of colorful designs-- such as those seen here.

6

Roman sculptors are making sculptures. Different statues in Rome are being shown. They are described by the narrator.

And that was why Roman sculptors carved beautiful statues and monuments of stone, which stood in every public square.

Some like the Emperor Trajan's column-- seen here-- had very complicated carvings. Many of the carvings showed Romans fighting their enemies. And it was so the citizens would always be reminded of Rome's important military victories that special monuments, called triumphal arches, were built. These enormous carved structures also helped make the Romans feel proud of the greatness of their empire.

7

Trajan’s market building is showing. The narrator describes what it was like a long time ago as it is shown on screen.

Roman cities also had special places where you could go shopping. Here, we see Trajan's market in Rome where a long time ago, you would have found people selling and buying all kinds of things.

8

A large Roman public square is shown. The narrator describes its features as they are shown.

Besides all the different sorts of buildings we've just seen, Roman cities also had large public squares, called forums, where people gathered. Where government buildings were located. And where speeches were made. But usually, of all the buildings in their fine cities, the most beautiful ones were the temples they built for their many gods and goddesses.