My Educational Blog

The freedom of concrete also inspired the colonnade screen, a row of purely decorative columns in front of a load-bearing wall. Innovation started in the 3rd or 2nd century BC with the development of Roman concrete as a readily available adjunct to, or substitute for, stone and brick. At the foundation of ancient Greek education was an effective system of formal education, but in contrast, the Romans lacked such a system until the 3rd century BC. It was becoming a literary educational system. Prior to the 3rd century BC, the Roman system of education was closely bound to the Roman social institution of patria potestas, in which the father acted as head of the household (pater familias), and had, according to law, the absolute right of control over his children. It was not until the appearance of Ennius (239-169 BC), the father of Roman poetry, that any sort of national literature surfaced. Mousike – literally ‘the art of the Muses’- was a combination of modern-day music, dance, lyrics, and poetry, comparable to today’s liberal arts. The military arts were all that Rome could afford to spend time studying. It was not until 272 BC with the capture of Tarentum, the annexation of Sicily in 241 BC, and the period following the First Punic War that Romans were exposed to a strong influence of Greek thought and lifestyle and found leisure to study the arts.

In the 3rd century BC, a Greek captive from Tarentum named Livius Andronicus was sold as a slave and employed as a tutor for his master’s children. Few substantial examples survive from before about 100 BC, and most of the major survivals are from the later empire, after about 100 AD. The Romans produced massive public buildings and works of civil engineering, and were responsible for significant developments in housing and public hygiene, for example their public and private baths and latrines, under-floor heating in the form of the hypocaust, mica glazing (examples in Ostia Antica), and piped hot and cold water (examples in Pompeii and Ostia). Despite the technical developments of the Romans, which took their buildings far away from the basic Greek conception where columns were needed to support heavy beams and roofs, they were very reluctant to abandon the classical orders in formal public buildings, even though these had become essentially decorative. Formal schools were established, which served to paying students; very little that could be described as free public education existed.

Can you guess where the ancient Roman civilization existed? How can you navigate the city from the middle of a white square, or from a desert park atop the city, or from the walls of a castle, or from the spaces of an enormous grey building, or from the sidewalk at the port, or from a large avenue which traverses buildings of industrial archeology? More daring buildings soon followed, with great pillars supporting broad arches and domes. Roman architecture flourished in the Roman Republic and to even a greater extent under the Empire, when the great majority of surviving buildings were constructed. Their respective countries were equally as competitive, and even today Britain and France debate about the true victor in hieroglyphic translation as well as which country owns (or should own) the stone. A Roman student would progress through schools just as a student today might go from primary school to secondary school and then to college. Roman system of education carried out by the pater familias deteriorated as well. Roman education was carried on almost exclusively in the household under the direction of the pater familias. Due to the extensive power wielded by the pater familias over Roman families, the level and quality of education provided to Roman children varied drastically from family to family; nevertheless, Roman popular morality came eventually to expect fathers to have their children educated to some extent, and a complete advanced education was expected of any Roman who wished to enter politics.

Running 1,450 miles from La Poudre Pass Lake to the Gulf of California, it’s the main source of water for over 25 million Americans. Tapping into a plentiful supply of near-pure water ice will be critical for providing drinking water and a fuel resource, not to mention irrigation for crops. This will make them feel they are being watched and suspected to be a danger to the passengers. Or try for destinations south of the equator during their winter, when the climate might be cooler and damper-and thus, tickets will be cheaper. Thus, the city is world renowned for its historic and cultural background imprinted in the many well preserved landmarks bursting with an incredible architectural spectacle. Parents taught their children the skills necessary for living in the early republic, which included agricultural, domestic, and military skills as well as the moral and civil responsibilities that would be expected from them as citizens.