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Romans primary resource

Discover the secrets of the roman empire and life in ancient rome.

This primary resource introduces children to Roman life and culture. Discover the secrets of the Roman Empire and what life was like for Roman citizens. What were the Romans known for? What made the Roman army so successful? How did they live?

Pupils will learn about how and where the Roman Empire started, who the rulers of Rome were and what went on in the famous Colosseum in our National Geographic Kids’ Romans primary resource sheet.

The teaching resource can be used in study group tasks for understanding aspects of Roman life, as a printed handout for each pupil to review and annotate, or for display on the interactive whiteboard using the illustrations and short snippets of information for class discussion.

Activity: Ask children to choose one of the subheadings in the resource and use the information and their own research to create their own comic strip based on that topic. They could also design their own statues of the Roman gods mentioned, in the style of the photographs shown in the resource.

N.B. The following information for mapping the resource documents to the school curriculum is specifically tailored to the English National Curriculum and Scottish Curriculum for Excellence . We are currently working to bring specifically tailored curriculum resource links for our other territories; including South Africa , Australia and New Zealand . If you have any queries about our upcoming curriculum resource links, please email: [email protected]

This History primary resource assists with teaching the following History objectives from the National Curriculum :

• Know and understand significant aspects of the history of the wider world: the nature of ancient civilisations; the expansion and dissolution of empires; characteristic features of past non-European societies; achievements and follies of mankind.
• Know and understand the history of these islands as a coherent, chronological narrative, from the earliest times to the present day: how people’s lives have shaped this nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world.
• Gain historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the connections between local, regional, national and international history; between cultural, economic, military, political, religious and social history; and between short- and long-term timescales.

National Curriculum Key Stage 1 History objective :

• Pupils should be taught significant historical events, people and places in their own locality.

National Curriculum Key Stage 2 History objective :

• Pupils should be taught about: the Roman Empire and its impact on Britain

This History primary resource assists with teaching the following Social Studies Second level objective from the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence :

• I can discuss why people and events from a particular time in the past were important, placing them within a historical sequence
• I can compare and contrast a society in the past with my own and contribute to a discussion of the similarities and differences

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Homework tasks The Romans

Subject: History

Age range: 7-11

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

3 February 2015

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Home » Romans

The Romans facts

The Romans facts for kids KS2 learning at Primary School. Homework help with the history of Romans, the Roman Empire and places to visit in the UK where you can learn more about the Romans.

Time: 750BC - 500AD

How did the Romans begin?

The legend says there were two twins called Romulus and Remus. When their uncle decided to have them killed they were put in a trough and into the River Tiber. They were found by a wolf and a woodpecker, and then raised by a shepherd. The twins eventually went back to the River Tiber where they were found, and created A city. Romulus set a boundary around the city to keep his brother out. but his brother Remus crossed the boundary and Romulus killed him and named the city after himself. The city of Rome.

It was nearly 3,000 years ago when the population of Rome started to grow into the most powerful city in Italy. It was ruled by Kings until the last king was driven out. The city then choose their own leaders, a group of men who came from the most important families. This was the beginning of the Roman Empire as the Romans (the people of Rome) controlled the whole of Italy.

The Roman Empire

The Roman Empire grew even more and took control of many counties in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa over the next 500 years. The Romans were ruthless and bloodthirsty and had a strong army so they won battles and took over the land. But the Romans didn’t stop there, they wanted to control even more land.

A gladiator slave called Spartacus gathered a group of Gladiators together to revolt (do battle) against the Roman army. After a year of travelling through the Roman Empire doing battles, they still haven't managed to take control of Rome. Eventually, Spartacus died in battle and the other gladiators were crucified by the Roman army.

Who was Julius Caesar?

As the Romans became more powerful and took more land, the Senators started to argue how they should run the land. In 49BC a man called Julius Caesar came to Rome with his army and took power. Although he tried to make peace, the Senators thought he might become another king and not wanting that again, they killed him.

Who was the first emperor of Rome?

While the Senators still argued, Julius Caesar's great-nephew, Augustus, fought and won control of Rome. He became Rome's first emperor. Altogether, there were 147 Roman Emperors over the whole time the Roman Empire ruled.

Horrible Histories - Rotten Romans

The Roman Army

Over the next 150 years, the Romans took control of even more land. They had a strong, well-organised army that could surround a whole city so no one could get out and then eventually, force their way in. Soldiers were very well trained and could march over 50km (30 miles) a day. Any healthy man who was aged between 17 and 46 had to join the army. They would then remain in the army for 25 years.

Places to see Romans

Roman britain.

By 55 BC The Roman Empire had reached Britain where the Celts controlled the land. In their first invasion, under Julius Caesar's rule, the Celts won and the Romans didn’t get what they wanted. So they tried again 100 years later when Emperor Claudius was ruling. This time they won and took control of southern Britain.

The Celts, not happy with the invasion tried to fight back, but the Roman army was too powerful and each time the Romans defeated them.

The Romans never managed to control Scotland as it was ruled by fierce warrior tribes. In the end, the Romans built a wall called Hadrian's wall in the north of England to keep those fierce warriors out.

Roman facts

• Romans were great engineers. They built everything from road, bridge and aqueducts (raised channels to carry water), to drains, sewers and the first-ever block of flats.
• Public bath-houses were a great way for Romans to relax and meet friends. They had hot and cold swimming pools, sports facilities and offered massages and beauty treatment.
• Before having a bath Romans would rub olive oil over there bodies and scrape it off with metal scrappers called strigils.
• The Romans were the first to have underfloor heating. Hot air,  heated by a furnace and circulated through brick-lined pipes underneath the floor. 
• Romans spent their time by eating, drinking, gambling, going to the theatre, chariot races or gladiator fights.

Follow Super Brainy Beans's board Romans on Pinterest.

What is Hadrian's wall?

Hadrian's wall was ordered to be made by the Roman emperor Hadrian. It is 117 kilometres long and 4.5 metres high in places. Built-in the north of England, its main purpose was to keep out Celtic raiders.

How did the Roman Empire end?

Around 200AD, the Roman Empire started to fall apart with soldiers were choosing their own emperors and fighting among themselves. In 395AD, the Roman Empire became split permanently into two, East and West.

Then the city of Rome was attacked twice. A Visigoth chief called Odoacer made himself King of Italy and ended the Western Empire. The Eastern Empire continued for another thousand years.

Also on Super Brainy Beans

Lessons and resources for primary history

Rotten or revolutionary, the Romans certainly did leave a lasting legacy! From gladiators and gods to eruptions and emperors, we love diving into this history topic! 

There's plenty to explore in this topic, but n il desperandum ! Our team at KS2History has put together everything you need to bring your Romans history topic to life in the classroom, from planning packs and downloadable lessons to book ideas and info guides.

Planning Packs

Romans In Britain

Lessons Pack

A complete 10-lesson history unit of work for Key Stage 2 (ages 7-11), with detailed lesson plans, Powerpoint slides, teacher guides and printable activity sheets.

Escape From Pompeii English Pack

A two-week narrative writing English unit for Y3/4 based on the book 'Escape From Pompeii'.

Romans Instructions

English Pack

A two-week instructional text writing English unit for Y3/4, based on reading and writing instructions for gladiator fights and building Roman roads.

FREE LESSON: How did Britain become part of the Roman Empire? ​

A free-to-download lesson exploring the question of why the Romans wanted to invade Britain and comparing the different invasion attempts.

Recommended Books

Visit BooksForTopics for a full range of ks2 Romans books.

1. Where did the Roman Empire come from?

2. How did the Roman army help to expand the Roman Empire?

3. What was Britain like before the Romans invaded?

4. How did Britain become part of the Roman Empire? (FREE)

5. Who was Boudica and how did she rebel against the Romans?

6. What did the Romans build after they settled in Britain?

7. What were houses like in Roman Britain?

8. What can archaeological sites tell us about Roman Britain?

9. How did bathhouses provide leisure for Romans in Britain?

10. What lasting impact did the Romans leave in Britain?

Romans in Britain Resource Pack (Download)

Free downloadable lesson .

Info Guides

Cross-curricular Ideas

Video Links

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00hdldw

A video from BBC Hands-on History about 10-year old Eric and his adventures in Roman Britain. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYdoqFmJf6o

A video from Sing Up teaching a witty song about life in Roman times.

The Romans & Roman Empire History Lessons, Worksheets & Resources

Browse our online library of the romans & roman empire lessons and resources. aimed at students 11-14 years old (ks3) & 14-16 year old (gcse). great for home study or to use within the classroom environment., featured resources.

Looking to save time and find the most popular and useful resources on School History? Take a look at the featured resources below.

GCSE/KS3 Resources

Are you teaching GCSE or KS3? If so, you can save a lot of time with our specific Romans modules below.

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Roman life and culture

Who were the Romans?

The ancient Romans lived in a city called Rome. Rome still exists today, and it is the capital of Italy .

The Romans and their culture had a big impact on how we live our lives today, and gave us things like ways to get clean water, ways to build roads and even the basis of our language. Britain was part of the Roman Empire for amost 400 years , so a lot of the things that Romans did stuck with us and influenced modern life.

Top 10 facts

• Legend has it that Rome was founded by Romulus, the son of a god, in 753 BC.
• The Romans spoke Latin , a language that is the basis for other languages spoken today – even English!
• Romans decorated floors and walls in mosaics, which were pictures made from small pieces of coloured tiles.
• The calendar that we use today was based on a system  Julius Caesar  established.
• We have the Romans to thank for sanitation – they created aqueducts that kept water clean as it got to peoples’ homes.
• As a way to relax and have fun, the Romans would to go the Colosseum to see plays and watch gladiator fights.
• The Romans were so good at building roads  that some Roman roads still exist today!
• Romans wore togas , which were long pieces of cloth that they draped around their waist and shoulders.
• Bath houses were used by everyone to take a bath, have a massage and chat to friends.
• The Romans used different letters to represent numbers – we call these Roman numerals , and we still use them sometimes today.

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Did you know?

• The Romans had quite a story to explain how the city began. They said that the god Mars or Hercules had twin boys named Romulus and Remus , but that these boys were raised by a mummy wolf. When they were older, they wanted to create their own city but couldn’t agree where. They ended up fighting so badly that Romulus killed Remus, which meant that only Romulus went on to rule the city, which he named Rome (which sounds a bit like Romulus).
• Rome was built near the Tiber River , which is the third longest river in Italy.
• If you wanted to look your best in Rome, you’d need to wear a toga . A toga was a long piece of cloth that men would wrap around themselves. Underneath the toga, people just wore plain tunics.
• The numbers that Romans used look very different from the numbers we use . They counted using a sort of code of letters – I stands for 1, II stands for 2 and III stands for three. It gets more complicated after that – V stands for 5, and the number 4 in Roman numerals is IV. This means 5 minus 1, which equals 4.
• The way we set up our calendar is like the calendar that the Romans used. Julius Caesar made a calendar based on 365 days in a year, and 366 days in leap years.
• The Romans spoke a language called Latin. While nobody speaks Latin anymore, lots of languages we speak today are at least partly based on Latin words – even English!
• The Romans all went to the same place to take baths – these were called bath houses. They would be decorated in pretty mosaics, and have hot and cold water so people could wash properly. People could get a massage there if they wanted, play sports, and even stay a while to chat with friends.
• In 79 AD, a volcano called Mount Vesuvius erupted in one of the most famous explosions in history. The ash that came out of the volcano buried two cities – Pompeii and Herculaneum . These cities weren’t uncovered until 1,700 years later!
• plebs – people who weren’t slaves, and who owned shops, land or had a certain kind of trade (like being a blacksmith)
• equestrians – people who were rich and successful, but weren’t born into patrician families. You had to own a certain amount of property to become an equestrian.
• patricians – people who were part of families that had been in the first ever group of senators that governed Rome

Roman image gallery:

• The Colosseum in Rome
• A Roman statue
• The Roman road, Via Appia Antica
• A Roman toga
• A gladiator
• Inside the Colosseum
• A recreation of a Roman chariot race
• Roman ruins in Jordan
• A road in Pompeii
• A Roman aqueduct in France
• A Roman theatre in Syria
• Remains of a Roman temple in Turkey
• A Roman tombstone

The Roman empire dominated Europe and the lands around the Mediterranean Sea for hundreds of years.

The city of Rome started as a farming village near the river Tiber in present-day Italy. The city grew and was initially governed by kinds; around 509 BC Rome became a republic ruled by Senators, men from the wealthiest families. Over time the Roman republic took over all of Italy and in 49 BC a general called Julius Caesar seized power. His great-nephew Octavian became the first emperor of Rome in 31 BC. Over the next 150 years Rome conquered lands all around the Mediterranean Sea; the Empire was at its largest in 117 AD when Trajan was emperor.

The Romans' success was due to their powerful army . Once they had conquered a new place (which they called a province), the Romans established their way of life there and the people they conquered had to pay taxes to Rome, follow Roman laws and worship Roman gods and goddesses . The Romans built a huge network of roads around their lands, as well as aqueducts to supply water to cities and public buildings like temples and bath houses.

If you had to make a road, what would you do? The Romans knew exactly what to do. they made sure their roads were straight and even. In fact, Roman roads were so good that some are still around today! When they built roads, they started by digging a long hole that they’d fill up with different layers of rocks and dirt. They also made sure that water had a place to go when it rained, which kept the road in good condition.

When the Romans wanted to have fun , they’d go to the Colosseum to watch gladiators fight or to see plays. You can still see the Colosseum in Rome – it’s not exactly like it was back in Roman times, but you can get an idea of how impressive it would have been back then. The Colosseum was first called the Flavian Amphitheatre. It is shaped like an oval, and is called an amphitheatre because it doesn’t have a roof. Chariot races weren’t held at the Colosseum – people would go to the Circus Maximus for that. It was as long as about six football pitches put together, and it had two rounded ends where the chariots would turn to complete another lap.

In big cities, sometimes there isn’t enough water in nearby lakes and rivers for everyone to get what they need to cook and clean. The Romans solved this problem by inventing aqueducts that carried water from sources that were farther away from the city, making sure that everyone in the city was able to get fresh water delivered straight to them. Aqueducts are long lines of grooves that water could run along, and they were built high in the air to make sure the water stayed clean. You can still see some Roman aqueducts around today.

By around 200 AD Rome was becoming less powerful. In 395 AD the Empire was permanently split in two parts; in 476 AD the Western Empire ended after the city of Rome was destroyed by the Visigoths, called "barbarians" by the Romans.

Roman names to know:

Virgil (70-19 BC) – Virgil was a famous Roman poet who wrote the Aeneid, an epic poem about a prince called Aeneas.

Claudius (10 BC-54 AD) – Claudius was the fourth Roman Emperor and led the Roman army that conquered Britain.

Cicero (106-43 BC) – Cicero was a famous Roman orator, which means he was known for giving good speeches. He could write well, and could also speak well in public. He is also known for being a philosopher. 

Pliny the Younger (61-112 AD) – Pliny the Younger wrote many letters about the life and times he lived in, which have helped us understand more about Rome and the things that happened then. Pliny lived during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which killed his uncle, Pliny the Elder.

Related Videos

Just for fun...

• Quiz yourself on your knowledge of Ancient Rome
• Make lots of Roman artefacts , from coin hoards to Legionary swords and helmets
• Go to the Baths in Roman times
• Discover the people of Roman Britain by digging for clues with archaeologists from Reading University
• Celebrate Saturnalia , the ancient Roman winter celebration held in honour of the god Saturn. Did you know that lots of today's Christmas traditions are adapted from Saturnalia traditions?
• Explore Minecraft versions of a Roman fortress and the Roman city of Exeter
• Join historian Greg Jenner for a  BBC Sounds kids' homeschool history lesson about Roman gladiators
• Reassemble a Legionary's armour
• Make a model Roman villa
• Play QED: Cosmo's Casebook , a game set in Ancient Rome during the final decades of the mighty Republic, in which you play a public advocate with a heart of gold who must defend his clients by investigating a crime and battling it out in court with a rival prosecutor, Gracchus
• Colour in pictures of Romans
• Make your own paper model of the Colosseum
• Read a kids' comic set in the Colosseum
• Find out how to decipher a Roman tombstone
• Solve the archaeological mystery of an amazing Roman/Anglo-Saxon burial
• Make a Roman mosaic
• Explore the Romans in Britain by listening to short dramas, comic sketches and monologues about Roman life on BBC Schools Radio
• Make some Roman food by watching step-by-step videos and then having a go yourself: how about lentil pottage or libum (a sacrificial cake)
• Make your own Roman mosaic (with step-by-step instructions) and Roman shield (with video instructions) with Hobbycraft's tutorials
• Read adventure stories set in ancient Rome; three recommended series are Roman Brit , Dorkius Maximus and Jeremy Strong's Romans on the Rampage , or look through our complete list of great kids' fiction books about Ancient Rome

Best children's books about ancient Rome

Find out more about ancient Rome:

• Watch BBC animated videos and clips about life in Roman times
• Romus and Remus were the legendary founders of Rome
• Videos about growing up in Ancient Rome
• Read the BBC Bitesize guide to Roman life
• 10 facts about ancient Rome for kids
• Detailed information guide to life in Rome , from the army and rulers to food, entertainment and status
• Learn about the jewellery, emperors and animals of imperial Rome and see coins, busts and sculptures of Roman emperors
• Look at the floorplan of a typical Roman villa
• Examine a  Roman mosaic
• Find out more about Roman gods and goddesses
• Take a virtual tour through a Roman bath house
• Read about the Roman Forum and see inside the Colosseum where gladiators fought
• All about chariot races
• Cook some Ancient Roman recipes
• Look through a list of rulers of the Roman Empire and see some of the coins they were pictured on
• Read 10 facts about the Colosseum
• See what a Roman banquet would have looked like
• Watch clips of classicist Mary Beard explaining what a gladiator's helmet looks like and introducing an ancient Roman
• Can you guess what a vomitarium was in ancient Rome?
• See animated maps explaining Rome's history

See for yourself

• See the spas of the ancient world – visit real Roman baths !
• The Museum of London has exhibits about the time when Britain was a part of Rome, and when the Romans lived in London.
• Go to the British Museum to see some Roman mosaics from the time when Britain was part of the Roman Empire.
• Walk around a Roman villa .
• Explore the Roman city of Verulamium on the site of the modern city of St Albans, in Hertfordshire
• See a reconstruction of a Roman bedroom

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