- Can you read the words on this Web site?
- Do you use a calendar to find out when it's your birthday or the start of summer vacation?
- Do you live in a country that has laws that people must obey?
- Does your country take a census or a count of the number of people every ten years?
If you answered 'yes' to any of these questions, the Roman Empire is an important part of your life… and you may never even have known about it!
Last week, we learned about the Roman Empire. We learned that it was based in Rome, a city in the country of Italy. We learned that it lasted for about 500 years starting about 2,000 years ago. And we learned that it covered much of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.
But why was the Roman Empire important? After all, it collapsed about 1,500 years ago… so what could it possibly mean to our lives?
Well, let's take a look.
Language
During the Roman Empire, Latin was the official language. Many people learned to speak and write in Latin. And Latin led to the development of many other languages, including the English language in which this Web site is written.
The Calendar
Did you know that the calendar we use today is more than 2,000 years old? It was started by Julius Caesar, a Roman ruler. It is based on the movement of the earth around the sun, and so is called the 'solar calendar.' The solar calendar has 365 days a year, and 366 days every leap year, or every fourth year. The names of our months are taken from the names of Roman gods and rulers. The month 'July,' in fact, is named after Julius Caesar himself!
Laws and a legal system
Most countries have laws. And most countries have a legal system, that is, a way to determine what to do with someone who is accused of breaking a law. Our modern legal system came originally from the Roman Empire. In fact, many of the well-known parts of modern government - such as a senate - come from the Roman Empire as well.
The Census
Imagine you were in charge of the Roman Empire. Your empire includes millions of people living over an area that covers thousands of miles. How do you keep track of all these people? Easy! You count them! The Roman Empire began the practice of taking a census, or a 'count,' of all the people within its boundaries every so often. Today, many countries - including the United States - take a census every 10 years.
The Roman Empire left behind many beautiful buildings and works of art. But in addition to these things, the Roman Empire also left behind many good ideas that people throughout the world are still using.
Wouldn't it be great if you thought up an idea that people could use for more than 1,500 years?
Check out past Trade Topics entries!
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