SLAVERY IN ANCIENT ROME

A WEBQUEST FOR LATIN 

Designed by Patricia B. Underwood

latinpat@home.com

Introduction / Task/ Process / Evaluation / Conclusion / Credits

INTRODUCTION:

What was it like to be a slave in Ancient Rome?  The response to that question would have depended on whether you were a house slave or an agricultural slave.  You would have probably been able to use the many talents and skills which you possessed in order to better help the Romans in their many pursuits.  Of course you would have been sold to the highest bidder and then your destiny would have been determined by your attributes and the needs of your "new owner".  One of the major considerations which you would have thought about was "what would happen to me if I did not obey my master"?

THE TASK

You are part of a group which has been appointed by the Senate of Rome to investigate the life of a slave.  You will be responsible for investigating the following areas using resources available on the Internet and in print format.

   1. Sale of slaves

   2. Punishment of slaves

   3. Life of a city slave

   4. Life of a country slave

Your assignment is to make a PowerPoint presentation about slavery focusing on the above 4 categories and or any other category you may choose to add.

PROCESS:

   Divide the class into groups of 4 students

   Assign each group to investigate Slavery in Ancient Rome from a different perspective - each member of the group will have a different aspect of slavery to research

   Each group should prepare a presentation consisting of:                       

              " A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION"

              YOUR PRESENTATION  MUST ALSO INCLUDE BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES 

                 A) WEB SITES WHICH YOU USED (you may use sites other than those which I have provided)

                 B)  ALL PRINT MATERIAL WHICH YOU HAVE USED

    All members of the group must contribute to the presentation of the final project.

RESOURCES

http://www1.enloe.wake.k12.nc.us/enloe/lang/latin/slavery1.html   -  General info. with many other links

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/slavery-romrep1.html - Descriptions of slavery in Roman Republic by Roman authors

http://www.richeast.org/htwm/Greeks/Romans/slavery/slavery2.html - General statements on slavery

http://bama.ua.edu/~dunla003/  -  General statement on slavery

http://www.crystalinks.com/romeslavery.html - How the Romans conquered their slaves and other links

http://bama.ua.edu/~dunla003/ - Research on slavery and other useful links

http://www.fsmitha.com/h1/ch18.htm  -  Spartacus and the decline of slavery

http://www.fidnet.com/~weid/RomanII.htm#slavery  - Spartacus and slavery

EVALUATION 

A (90-100) EXCELLENT

 Abundant and appropriate information included.  Hard copy and disk or CD included.  10 + slides.  Excellent class presentation in which each person contributed equally to the oral presentation.        

B (80-89) GOOD

Appropriate information included.  Hard copy and disk or CD included.  *+ slides.  Good class presentation in which each person contributed equally to oral presentation.

C (70-79) SATISFACTORY

Information included.  Hard copy and disk or CD included.  7+ slides.  Class presentation in which all members did not contribute equally.

D (60-69) 

Minimum information included.  Hard copy and disk or CD included.  5-6 slides.  Class presentation in which not all members contributed.  

F (BELOW 60)

Insufficient material .  Fewer than 5 slides.  No hard copy, disk or CD included.  No class presentation.

CONCLUSION

You have been a household slave in the city of Rome for six months. You are writing a letter to a friend in your old hometown (your friend did not get captured). Describe what has happened to you — beginning with the auction block until your present position in the household.   Include all of your experiences using information based on your reading and Internet research.

(If you are a girl, please be a female slave; if you are a boy, please be a male slave.)

CREDITS

The picture "Slaves" is found in The Time Traveller Book of Rome and Romans by Heather Amery and Patricia Vanags.