Ancient Celts - War, Slavery, and Exile

The Ancient Celts by Patricia Calvert
Read-aloud: The Romance of Arthur: An Anthology of Medieval Texts in Translation by James J. Wilhelm, ed.

Discussion:
Celtic warriors and their accoutrements
Women at war
Why they couldn't beat Rome

Activity:
History journal - three sentences
Playmobil people Celtic wars against Rome

Medieval Europe - Byzantine Empire - From Latin to Greek Traditions

The Byzantine Empire: A Society That Shaped the World by Kelly Rogers

Discussion:
Change of capital: from West (Rome) to East (Byzantium)
Change of language: Latin to Greek
Change of religion: From Greco-Roman gods to Greek Christianity
Why did the Byzantine Empire survive while the West fragmented?

Activity:
History journal
Make a chart comparing the (Eastern Roman) Byzantine Empire to the (Western) Roman Empire

Medieval Europe - Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire - Geography and History Review

The Byzantine Empire: A Society That Shaped the World by Kelly Rodgers

Discussion:
Diocletian and the tetrarchy
Extent of the Eastern and Western Roman Empires
Constantine moves the capital to Byzantium (Constantinople)

Activity:
History journal
Mapping the Eastern Roman Empire (ie, the Byzantine Empire) - blank map

Ancient Rome and Medieval Europe - Religious Beliefs - Augustine and Jerome

Augustine, Confessions, Book II, Chapter 4
Jerome, Letter 38, To Marcella

Discussion:
Augustine's view of sin - innate to man, need for grace
Jerome's views on women

Activity:
History journal
Propositional Debate: Teacher asks questions, students answers in the mode of Augustine or Jerome

Ancient Rome - Religious Beliefs - Christian Disagreements

Athanasius, On the Incarnation of the Word, Chapter 2, 7-8
Ambrose, Exposition of the Christian Faith, Book I, Chapter 19

Discussion:
Who and what is Jesus Christ?
Arian point of view
Council of Nicea

Activity:
History journal
Propositional Debate: Teacher asks student questions about nature of Christ - student answers first as an Arian, then according to the Nicene Creed

Ancient Rome - Religious Beliefs - Christian Martyrdom

Perpetua, Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicity
Tertullian, Apologetic, Apology, Chapter 10, (Accusations against Christians)
Saint Valentine by Ann Tompert and Kestutis Kasparavicius

Discussion:
Roman charges against Christians
Types of martyrdoms
Why Christians embraced martyrdom

Activity:
History journal
Narration - Perpetua's martyrdom

Ancient Rome - Religious Beliefs - Early Christian Practices

Justin Martyr, First Apology, Chapter 67, "Weekly Worship of the Christians"
Justine Martyr, First Apology, Chapter 61, "Christian Baptism"

Discussion:
Religious practices of early Christians

Activity:
History journal
Compare present-day Christian worship services to Justin's description
Compare present-day baptismal practices to Justin's description

Ancient Rome - Religious Beliefs - Destruction of the Temple

The Story of Shabbat by Molly Cone and Emily Lisker
Josephus, Wars of the Jews, Book 6, Chapter 4, 5-8

Discussion:
Review of Jewish return to Jerusalem after Babylonian exile
Jewish wars against Rome
Destruction of the Second Temple - exile throughout the Mediterranean

Activity:
History journal
Map study of Jerusalem during the second temple period
Bake Challah

Ancient Rome - Religious Beliefs - Jesus and the Apostles

The Twelve Apostles by Marianna Mayer
Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book 18, Chapter 1, Chapter 3

Discussion:
Review of first 5 Roman Emperors, Roman religion, structure of Roman Empire
Political context of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem and Roman Empire - Pontius Pilate
The Apostles' message and early travels

Activity:
History journal - three sentences
Map activity - trace routes of Apostles' journeys

Ancient Rome - Religious Beliefs - Judaism at 0 CE

Pirkei Avot, Chapter One, Hillel and Shammai et al.
Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 3, John the Baptist
Dead Sea Scroll 1QS, Manual of Discipline, "Of loving and hating fellow men; and of duty to God"

Discussion:
Sects of Judaism (Essenes, Sadducees, Pharisees, Zealots, and others such as John the Baptist, Jesus Christ)
Public debates about Mosaic law
Schools and their followers - oral traditions
Relationships to Roman authorities

Activity:
History journal
Proposition and debate: teacher gives student a question; student attempts to answer the question in the manner of each sect discussed (ie, who is my neighbor? or, on the Resurrection)

Ancient Rome - The Empire - Sack of Rome (410)

Tools of the Ancient Romans by Rachel Dickinson
Religions of Rome Vol. II: A Sourcebook by Mary Beard, John North, and Simon Price

Discussion:
Visigoths - background
Three sieges and the sack
Import of the sack to Romans

Activity:
Review of Emperors Chart
Narration of Emperors from Trajan to Constantine

Ancient Rome - The Empire - Constantine

Religions of Rome Vol. II: A Sourcebook by Mary Beard, John North, and Simon Price
Tools of the Ancient Romans by Rachel Dickinson

Discussion:
Wars - Gauls, Civil war within the tetrachy
Conversion to Christianity and Edict of Milan (religious tolerance)
Founding Byzantium (Constantinople)

Activity:
Add Constantine to the Emperors Chart

Ancient Rome - The Empire - Diocletian

Religions of Rome Vol. II: A Sourcebook by Mary Beard, John North, and Simon Price
Tools of the Ancient Romans by Rachel Dickinson

Discussion:
Diocletian comes to power
Tetrarchy
Attempts at reforming religion
Subsequent rulers (to Constantine)

Activity:
Map exercise: divide the empire up under the tetrarchy
Matching exercise: match the Roman emperor to his accomplishments (or nefarious deeds)

Ancient Rome - The Empire - Crisis of the Third Century

Tools of the Ancient Romans by Rachel Dickinson

Discussion:
Civil war after Commodus' murder
The empire starts to break apart
The many short-lived emperors (exceptions: Septimus Severus and his son, Caracella)

Activity:
Add "civil war" to List of Emperors
Pattern study: List of Roman Emperors - looking for patterns of behavior, accession, origin, method, etc

Ancient Rome - The Empire - Marcus Aurelius

Life in the Roman Empire: The City by Katherine Hinds
Life in the Roman Empire: The Patricians by Katherine Hinds
Religions of Rome Vol. II: A Sourcebook by Mary Beard, John North, and Simon Price

Discussion:
Succession of Marcus Aurelius
Stoicism (wisdom, courage, justice, temperance)
Campaigns in the Eastern part of the empire

Activity:
Add Marcus Aurelius to the List of Emperors.
Narration: Tell the story of the succession of emperors from Octavian to Marcus Aurelius.

Ancient Rome - The Empire - Hadrian

Life in the Roman Empire: The Patricians by Katherine Hinds
Religions of Rome Vol. II: A Sourcebook by Mary Beard, John North, and Simon Price

Discussion:
Imperial succession
Hadrian's achievements

Activity:
Add Hadrian to the Emperors Chart
Add Hadrian's wall to the map of the Roman Empire

Ancient Rome - The Empire - Roman Provinces

Roman Britain by Ruth Brocklehurst and Stephen Wright
Religions of Rome Vol. II: A Sourcebook by Mary Beard, John North, and Simon Price

Discussion:
Rome's acquisition of provinces
Life in the provinces
Administering the enormous empire

Activity:
Color and label a map of the Roman Empire

Ancient Rome - The Empire - Trajan

Life in the Roman Empire: The Patricians by Katherine Hinds (primary sources)
Life in the Roman Empire: The City by Katherine Hinds
Rome in Spectacular Cross-Section by Stephen Biesty

Discussion:
Domitian - Nerva - Trajan (line of succession and adoption)
Military achievements
Public works (market, forum, column)
Welfare and infrastructure projects

Activity:
Add Trajan to the Emperor Evaluation sheet
Draw your own Column, putting yourself on the top as a statue

Ancient Rome - The Empire - Gladiators

Gladiators Battling in the Arena by Katherine Frew
A Roman Gladiator by Don Nardo
The Colosseum by Elizabeth Mann

Discussion:
Participants: slaves, criminals, prisoners of war
Ludi - training programs
Types of gladiators and events

Activity:
Correctly outfit our Playmobil Colosseum gladiators with the right trappings for their type of event.

Ancient Rome - The Empire - Colosseum and Circus Maximus

Roman Amphitheaters by Don Nardo
The Roman Colosseum by Elizabeth Mann
Rome in Spectacular Cross-Section by Stephen Biesty

Discussion:
Structure and purpose of the Colosseum/Circus Maximus
When/how the Colosseum was built
Naming the Colosseum (for the statue, not the amphitheater's size)
Events at Colosseum vs. Circus Maximus

Activity:
At last, our Playmobil Colosseum set is used for its intended purpose.  Let the games begin!