A Roman Citizen

CLICK ON PICTURE TO VIEW MOVIE

by Ricky Ballester, Emily Ferrell, Kelsey Quanstrom, and Eryk Fisher

What’s a citizen? A citizen of the world cannot just be anyone. A citizen of the world is someone who holds rights and responsibilities. They are a person who is connected with the rest of the world. Someone who is isolated is not a world citizen. Participation is needed in the act of voting, helping, charity, recycling, and many others. They have manners and morals. A citizen should work hard and be part of the world around them. Citizens of today are very different from those of the ancient times. Today’s citizenship is accomplished in different ways and is a little harder to work on than that of the ancient world.

The meaning of citizenship can be viewed in many different ways. To be a citizen you must obtain and maintain the standards and values citizens hold. Being a citizen of the world is a way to connect with the world around you. The only way a person can be part of the world around them is to participate and interact with the surrounding areas across the world.

Originally, being a citizen in Rome was simply being born in Rome. The definition and meaning were eventually extended to being born Rome and the general vicinity around Rome. In 212 A.D., citizenship was broadened to include all free born people in the empire, or people born into a legal marriage, by Rome’s standards. With the population as well as the power of Rome growing they had to make some decisions about citizenship and the rights of the citizens. Many things could make people into citizens. These are, being born in Rome or being born in the surrounding area, being the child of frees slaves, being from a Latin state, being an outstanding help to the empire, and citizenship could also be bought, but the price was extremely high and almost none could afford to pay it.

Once granted a citizenship, many rights were given to you: the ability to vote, the ability to make legal contracts, the ability to get married, you could not be tortured, you would have the right to have a trial held if accused of a crime, you could not be sentenced to death. Except if you were accused of treason and if it was confirmed that treason was committed death was your future, but if sentenced to death you could not die on a cross.

The citizens of Rome were placed into classes. Those classes were Latini, Socii, Provincials, and Peregrini. The social class of Latini were made up of citizens with Latin rights. The social class of the Socii were citizens of other states who had an outstanding obligation to Rome, where typically some rights of the legal citizens were traded in exchange for goods or military service in the Roman empire. The social class of the Provincials were people in the influence of Rome but lacked the rights of the others. The social class of the Peregrini were originally the people who were not full Roman citizens. Not being a full Roman citizen was simply not giving them all of the rights that the official citizens of Rome carried, mostly when dealing with marriage and voting.

Citizens in Rome were granted the privilege of wearing the Roman toga. The toga represented many things, like just being declared as a citizen in the great state of Rome. The Roman toga represented being a man and an official citizen but it was also a sign of respect. If you were to see someone wearing a toga you would know that that person was respected and deserved the respect that was given to them.  Young boys at the age of sixteen were given their first toga to replace their child toga. The children’s’ togas were usually a darker color and not as long. The gift of the toga was the greatest present that a child could get. Once the toga was given, the boy was a man and his parents were seen as honored because of another citizenship being granted in Rome.

Citizenship could just as easily be lost as it could be granted. Many things could force a stripping of citizenship, these including murder, treason, theft, and many others. Once citizenship was lost it could not be regained. All of these things that would have a revoking of citizenship would also land you in jail, where citizenship would make no difference. Treason was the worst possible thing you could do in Rome. This crime was not just against the law it was a complete sign of disrespect and very disgracing. Romans looked upon murder as a minuscule crime next to treason. Treason is the act of betrayal and turning completely away from a world you knew.

Roman life was not always easy. There were rules and guidelines to follow in order to maintain your citizenship. Through the visual, the idea of Roman influences have connected the past with the present, linking Roman ideas with views of the world today. By watching the events in an ancient Roman life, citizenship can link our worlds together.

The visual movie takes you through the life of a common Roman boy. He was born in Rome and grew up like any other. He had his flaws like every human being but he went a little too far. He was a mischievous young lad. He held responsibilities; he went to school, helped his mother in the kitchen, and helped his father in the farming fields. On his sixteenth birthday he was given a toga, became a citizen, and was held at common respect. This was the time when he should be a man and stand tall proud of who he was. Instead of following the rules of a citizen he began to perform acts of immoral behavior. He started with stealing. He went deeper and deeper, buying people off, wasting his values away, and stealing what he wanted. He quickly began to spiral into debt, but he did not stop there. He was lying and cheating which eventually led to murder. He committed crimes and it caught up with him. He lost his citizenship and was banished. This was the risk he took when committing these crimes. There are always consequences to actions and wrong decisions.

The movie shows what it means to be a citizen and how you can lose your citizenship through a sequence of events. A citizenship may be easy to obtain but it is nothing unless it can be maintained. The choices we make reflect who we will become. The man in the movie made poor choices and he suffered the loss of the citizenship he was given. Following the values of a citizen of the world we can hold morals and standards of the world. Through these choices we make we can grow not only as human beings but as citizens of the world.

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To watch a multimedia presentation on knighthood click the picture below

Knighthood

Being a knight was a high honor hard to achieve by the common man. To become a knight you had to be the child of nobleman, pledge allegiance to the lords, and train for most of their lives. At the age of seven the boys were sent to serve at the Lord’s castle. At that point they were known as pages. They entered into hard labor and training. They would learn horsemanship, swordsmanship, and archery. A page could become a squire around the age of fourteen , if he learned quickly and had a very high potential to be a great knight.

A squire had to train alongside a knight. He was assigned to one individual knight. The knight would then train him in physical fitness, strength, and endurance. In order to supply whatever his knight needed a squire was taught to wield several different weapons. A squire also performed the dirty work of a knight. He tended to the knights horses and equipment. When a squire finally reached the glorious age of twenty-one he was considered a man and dubbed into knight hood through a ceremony.

Toward the early years of knighthood, a ceremony consisted of a blow to the neck, much like a slap today except with great force and power coming from a strong and well trained knight. In later centuries the ceremony gained a religious depth. It consisted of blessings for protection given by the church, and blessings to the knights to move forward and further protect churches.

The beginning of the ceremony started with preparation. A knight’s last night as a squire must be spent in the chapel of a castle. This was considered the Night of Vigil. During this time a squire was to perform the ritual bathing. The following ceremony could not take place unless the body was cleansed from head to toe. This bathing was a sign of purification. On the day of the ceremony, a soon to be knight must wear a traditional garb. They wore a white garment, symbolizing purity, and a red robe to cover, which symbolized nobility. Black tights and shoes were also worn to symbolize death. Next a shield and sword, which were blessed by the priest, were laid on the altar as the knight spent ten hours, on his knees, in deep and silent prayer. Induction into knighthood was not just the process of becoming a knight; it was considered an honor and an award.

As the day of ceremony proceeded, soon to be knights came together to hear a mass at the church on the duties and responsibilities of a knight. After the church service, a sponsor of the ceremony was to take possession of the shield and sword, and deliver them to the Lord of the land. The Lord would then use them to conduct the ceremony of knighthood. Each knight was presented to the Lord one by one. They were to take their vows and swear an oath of alliance to the Lord.

The oath of a knight was of utmost importance and a sacred commitment. It was so important that if broken, it was considered a crime against God, which led to eternal punishment in hell. Along with the powerful oath of allegiance, a knight was to swear to the vows of, never coercing with traitors, always defend and respect women at all cost, always practice fasts and abstinence, attend mass every day, and always make an offering to the church every day.

The last ceremony into knighthood was the dubbing. This was conducted by a local knight or greater noble. Once again the shield and sword were used. The Lord placed the sword, or a hand, gently on one shoulder and then the next, dubbing the squire by saying, “I dub thee Sir Knight.” The sponsor then placed spurs upon the knight and the sword was fastened on. At the close of the ceremony the young squire could finally claim the title “Sir.”

What are the middle ages? I always thought of the middle ages as a time of fantasy and wonder, with wizards, witches, and unicorns roaming the streets. That is how Hollywood depicts the middle ages. The reality is not quite the same.

Hollywood tells us through movies, television shows, games, and stories, that the middle ages was a time of “happily ever after.” The story line always follows the young love of a prince, princess, royal family, or peasant. In the case of a common peasant, they work as a “slave” to an “evil relative.” They follow their heart and learn that they are not worthless but, end up falling in love with the prince, or princess and marrying into the royal family. Other occasions a princess is locked in a tower. She hopes to be rescued by the daring and chivalrous knight. He fights his way through obstacles to reach his true love. He travels across the plains to find her, fighting through forests of unknown terror, and defeating a series of mystical beasts. He finally reaches her tower, but he must cross the crocodile moat and get inside, he thinks he will reach her at last, but to no surprise he must first slay the dragon.

Did all this really happen? Locking people in towers, water filled with crocodiles surroundinghouses, and fire breathing dragons at every corner, doubt it. I’m sure some may think this is the truth that all women are actually damsels in distress and all men are chivalrous, but these are the teachings of Hollywood. The middle ages was actually a less intense toned down version of Medieval depictions.

Lords did rule over a land, they held the power in the family. Below them was the vassals. Like their servants they had duties to follow, like pledging their allegianceto the Lord which gave them the title. They had to remain loyal to their Lord, make payments, perform forty military service hours per year, and supply advice when asked. In return the Lord would supply them with land, and protection. Below the vassals were a another form of vassal which performed likewise duties. Peasants were the lowest form in the communities. They were treated as slaves and given very little land where they lived in poor villages. There were also knights living among the communities. They were thought to be brave and courageous. They held power in their own way as well because they were also ruthless. To a knight a women was a prized possession and placed on a pedestal. Commonly though, a women was a peasant farmer who worked for the Lord like any other peasant, farming and harvesting for the royal. Peasants had to work and perform all tasks to help and supply for the Lord of that land.

The way Hollywood depicts the middle ages is a quite different point of view then how the middle ages actually existed in history. Hollywood tells us that the middle ages was a fantasy time filled with dragons and dueling but, in actuality it was a time of ruling through feudalism.

The Most Gruesome Game Known To Man
Click The Picture To Watch A Video And Learnn More About Gladiators

A roar of savage cries come from 50, 000 mouths, every eye on the arena, the intensity of nerves pulsing through bodies, a loud heart beat, and two men stand alone in the center of it all. A gladiator stands tall awaiting the battle of fate. Another directly across hoping for today to be his day. The crowd cheered and the bloodthirsty attacks began.

In 264 BC Junius Brutus arranged an event to be held in honor of his recently passed away father. Such events were held in the Roman Colosseum. The event was commemorated by watching two savage and mighty gladiators battle to the death. These so called ceremonies caught on pretty quickly as entertainment and often took place. Who were these men? Gladiators, meaning swordsmen, were slaves, criminals, prisoners of war, and volunteers. Many of the volunteers battled gladiator against gladiator, but often it was a battle of man vs. beast.

Cages were built under the colosseum to add more excitement and to keep the viewers entertained. In the world of a Roman, crimes, such as treason, murder, robbery, and many others, got you sent to the arena. In these such cases, a criminal was to battle a beast, such as a lion, bear, or even buffalo, to the death. If this criminal won and killed the animal he was set free and forgiven of his criminal past. If he was unlucky and lost….well I think we l know his fate.

Free volunteer gladiators often fought, for who knows why. Was it for the glory of winning, the challenge of battle, the bloodthirsty spirit within them, or for the mere entertainment of the public. These men were also paid for the battles won. This occupation was for the outcasts, slaves, and barbarians. The crowd had no problem cheering them on and they had no problem murdering a fellow comrade.

The games went from dawn to dusk, and lasted over a series of days. This savage game turned into a sport. Gladiators from all across the Roman empire, stretching from Italy to Africa, gathered to watch the competition take place. The imperial games would stretch across a series of months. These sports continued until about the early 5th century. Each year the games were played in a celebration of the god Saturn.

In the morning events animals battled each other, including lions, bears, buffaloes, elephants, hippos and rhinos. When the animals became tired and the spectators became bored the animals would be executed and something new would start. In doing this the Romans managed to wipe out a variety of species over the ages. Since this the hippopotamus has become extinct in the area. As the days of celebration proceeded animals battle gladiators, and gladiators battled gladiators. These historic events have never been forgotten in history and remain the most gruesome game known to man.

Today the Colosseum can only be seen in ruins. It stands today as a tourist attraction and is no longer home to the fearless gladiators but home to the Americans with cameras. Although there are no lions or rhinos seen there today it is still home to many wild animals, a  large variety of stray cats.

The Final Persian War

To learn more about the Persian War click the above picture.

The Spartans were a well focused society. They believed they were designed  and born to fight, and fight alone. The main focal point of Sparta was the military. They had an oligarchy government, where the power lies in the hands of small businesses or an elite few. They didn’t believe in very much freedom and pushed oligarchy to other Greeks.

People grew up, not obeying the rules of their religion or worshipping in temples, but preparing for battle. At the age of seven  boys were enlisted into the army. They didn’t go straight to war, of course, but they did spend the next twenty-three years living in barracks. A barrack was a training camp, of sort, where they suffered a brutal existence. This prepared them for hardships of battle. Toughened by a poor diet, agonizing exercises, and course discipline, young Spartans became well accomplished soldiers.

As young children they were encouraged to steal food in order to learn cunning techniques and learn to fend for themselves in the world. They were also taught life lessons, like “Don’t get caught stealing or you will be severly beaten.” They had to learn from their mistakes. At the age of thirty they took their place in the military assembly, where they fulfilled their life goal of fighting.

Women also had training to go through, very hard, although more self focused. Their life goal was to have healthy baby boys, so these children could go into the military. The women had to train, as well, keeping their bodies fit , and strong They ate healthy and exercised on a regular basis, not for their own benefit, but for the up coming of their child. Like other Greek women the Spartan women obeyed their fathers and husbands. Unlike most, the Spartan women had the ability to hold and inherit land property. Because the men were training and fighting, the women ran the family estates.

Spartans isolated themselves from other Greeks. They found trade and wealth a waste, and forbade people to travel. They had little interest in new ideas or arts. Many Greeks were envious of the highly skilled Spartan military, but never desired to copy their crual way of life. Spartans were willing to die defending their city. To a Spartan their was no other reason to live.

Ying & Yang: The Chinese believed that the world revolved around the balance between two forces, yin and yang.

Yin: Was linked to Earth, darkness, and female forces.

Yang: Stood for heaven, light, and males forces.

The first tombs of the Pharaohs were made out of mud. They were like a large mountain of mud and mortar. When Djoser was given the title of Pharaoh the first thing he did was start working on this tomb. He hired a talented architect, Mhotep. Mohtep wanted to make this tomb bigger and stronger then any other tomb in the past.

Instead of collecting mud the Egyptians hired, collected large slates of stone. The hired help would worked for food, beer, and clothes as a payment. Over 10,000 men had to cut large symmetrical squares out of stone. They hauled these stones across the desert for miles on a sled to the location of the tomb, in Saqquara it would take about 4 generations of workers to complete one pyrmid.

The tomb was build first down below the surface. It was composed of chambers going in every direction. He had two under ground tombs that held his body, organs, treasures, and possessions, that would pass on with him to the afterlife. After building down Mhotep worked upward. He built this pyramid six layers high, entirely out of stone. He also built it twice as large as a normal mud pyramid. The Egyptian pyramids still stand after almost  4,500 years thats a long time.

   In 3,000 B.C. water started discharging north from africa flowing 800 miles across egypt to form the worlds longest river, The Nile River. The Nile river to the egyptians was valuble  because it was a source of food and irrigation. Also it was a way of transportation when the water would flow north and when the wind blew south thats the way they would go. Egyptians would also build man made cannals to go east and west. But the only defect is that it would flood which wold often ruin the farmers crops and leave people homless. But then they rebuilt and everything was back to normal.

Explain the importance of religion in ancient societies: Egypt, Mesopotamia, and China.

Religion is highly respected in every society. Sometimes it plays a government role, a unification process, or a form of worship. I believe that religion is a way of life. Every civilization has a form of religion. Egyptians, believing in many gods, have priests who can communicate with the gods, and have a Pharaoh leader, thought of as a god. Priests were highly respected and were known  to be the only people who can talk to the gods.

In Mesopotamia, the Sumerians had rulers called priest/kings. These selected few had the respect of kings but the power of the priests. In some countries kings are thought to be the official ruler and what they say goes. In other regions priests rule the government. They tell the nation what to do. If the priests decided to tell everyone that the gods were angry at a certain person, the person would be executed. What the priests said, the people thought the gods said. These priest/kings were a combination of both higher powers and had double the authority.

In China religion ruled as a government when the Zhou dynasty was established. Although the Zhou people set up this religion out of spite for the Shang, it still grew into a supported religion. Each religion has a set of rules, like a government, that are  to be followed, in order to keep peace. The Egyptians had priests to inscribe rules, the Jews and Christians have the ten commandments, the Sumerians had the Hammurabi Code, and the Zhou dynasty had the Mandate of Heaven.

The Chinese kept the Mandate of Heaven, and as long as the dynasty provided a good government, and supported the Mandate, the people were happy. Everyone has a strong belief in something, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, even an atheist. No matter what the belief is, its always a strong one. If a nation has a religion the government is based on it in one way or another. Sometimes through rituals, politics, celebrations, sacrifices, powers, or leadership. In any ancient civilization, there was always a form of religion that was held the highest in the country.

  King Nebuchadnezzar did everything to rebuild the kingdom by planting tress and flowers fixing canals and walls he also created one of the seven wonders of the world called the hanging gardens. Your probably wondering what made them have to rebuild. Let me tell you, in 612 B.C. neighboring forces joined to crush the one hated Assyrian armies and allot got destroyed.