Childrens Illustrated Encyclopedia

childrens_illustrated_encyclopedia_template_US_layer_v1

roman empire

444

Gaul

Spain

Britain

Rome

Egypt

AfRicA

Commanding officers often wore

crests on their helmets so that their

men could recognize them in battle.

Roman aRmy

The power of the

empire depended

on the might of its

legions, or professional

armies. Soldiers belonging

to a legion (about 5,000 men)

were called legionaries. They

were highly trained and well

equipped with spears, shields, and

short swords. They built roads

and forts to defend their conquests.

Upon retirement, veteran soldiers

were often given land in colonies

throughout the empire.

TECHNOLOGY

AND CRAFTS

The Romans were highly

skilled engineers and

craftworkers. Their towns

had water supplies and

drains, and rich people

lived in centrally heated

houses. The houses often

had detailed mosaics on

the floors. artisans

worked with glass, metals,

bone, and clay to make

beautiful objects that have

lasted to this day.

The Roman empiRe

at its height, the Roman empire stretched from the

middle east to Britain. The inhabitants were of many

different races and spoke many different languages.

ROmAN EmpiRE

c.753 bce First settlement

built.

509 bce Last king of

Rome driven out of the

city. Republic established.

275 bce italy conquered.

expansion overseas begins.

146 bce punic Wars

against Carthage end with

Roman control of Spain

and north africa and the

destruction of Carthage.

71 bce Slaves revolt, led

by Spartacus.

52 bce Gaul (France)

conquered by Julius

Caesar.

44 bce Caesar

assassinated.

27 bce augustus becomes

first emperor.

43 ce Claudius conquers

Britain.

117 ce empire reaches its

greatest size.

284 ce empire splits into

two halves.

410 ce Visigoths sack

Rome.

476 ce Western part of

the empire falls.

hadRian’S WaLL

The emperor hadrian ordered

a wall to be built across northern

Britain to defend Roman lands

from the fierce, unconquered

tribes who lived in the mountains

of Scotland. The wall, parts

of which can still be seen today,

was 75 miles (120 km) long and

studded with forts. The army built

defensive ditches, fortress bases,

and signal towers along it.

Find out more

Barbarians

Byzantine empire

Caesar, julius

europe, history of

italy

Decorated

clay oil lamp

Keys were

made of

metal.

Glass jar for

holding liquids

US_444_Roman_Empire_2.indd 444 22/01/16 4:47 pm