Unit 14 Ancient History

Vocabulary:

Free People/ Gente Libre                                                                                               Floors/Suelos

Rich/ Rico                                                                                                                          

Merchants/ Mercaderes                                                                                                 Tiles/Azulejos, Teselas

Landowners/ Propietarios de Terreno                                                                         Glass/Cristal

Humble/ Humilde

Craftsmen/Artesanos

Farmers/ Granjeros

Rights/Derechos

Participate/ Participar

Government/Gobierno

Slaves/Esclavos

Own/Pertenecer

Domestic Service/Servicios Domesticos

Circus/Circo

Gladiators/Gladiadores

Adopted/ Adoptado

Legionaries/ Legionarios

Settled/Asentaron, Establecieron

Spread/ Extenderse, Difundir

Christianity/Cristianismo

Empire/ Imperio

Cement/Cemento

Concrete/Hormigón

Mixture/Mezcla

Bridges/Puentes

Aqueducts/ Acueductos

Hispano-Roman Society

There were two groups of people in the Hispano-Roman Society. 

Free People were very rich men and women like, merchants, landowners and families from Rome.  Others were more humble people like craftsmen and small merchants and farmers.  Free people had rights and could participate in government.

Slaves were owned by another person.  They worked the land, in domestic service, or gladiators at the circus and had no rights.

The Roman way of Life

The inhabitants of Hispania gradually adopted Roman customs.  Roman soldiers called legionaries began this process.  They settled in Iberian and Celtic villages and transformed them into Roman cities.  They spread the Latin language and Christianity.  In 380 A.D., Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire.

Roman Art

The Romans were excellent builders.  They used two new materials, cement and concrete, which is a mixture of stones, cement and sand.  They built bridges and also aqueducts to carry water to the cities. To decorate walls and floors they used paintings or made mosaics with tiles made of colored glass.