- Acropolis [a-CROP-olis]
- The Acropolis is a large hill in the centre of Athens. On top of it were many temples and other buildings, the remains of which can be seen today.
- amphitheatre
- A place like a stadium, where Romans went to watch animals and people fighting.
- aqueduct
- A system of pipes and channels used to bring water into towns.
- archaeological site
- A place such as a ruined fort studied by archaeologists.
- archaeologists
- People who study the past by looking at old things, often found underground.
- archaeology
- Studying the past by looking at old things, often found underground.
- Aristophanes [aris-TOF-a-neez]
- Lived in Athens in the 5th century BC. He wrote comedies for the theatre in Athens.
- Aspasia [as-PAY-zia]
- Was a woman to taught public speaking in Athens. She was the partner of the famous general Perikles. Aspasia had much more independence than most women in Athens.
- barbarian
- A person who lived outside the Roman Empire, seen by Romans as violent and uncivilized.
- basilica
- A large building where town business was carried out (like a modern Town Hall).
- assembly
- The Assembly was the public meeting of the giovernment of the city. All citizens could take part and vote there.
- Athena
- The patron goddess of Athens. A huge statue of Athena stood outside the Parthenon.
- Attica [A-tik-a]
- The region around Athens.
- aulos [OW-los]
- A wind instrument with a reed similar to a modern oboe.
- capital city
- Main city of a country, the centre of government.
- catapult
- A machine that threw rocks or burning tar at the enemies. In Latin it was called an onager.
- cavalry
- Soldiers who fight on horseback.
- chariot
- Cart with two wheels pulled by horses. Romans raced chariots, and Celtic warriors rode into battle on them.
- celts
- People who lived in Europe, including Britain, and who fought the Romans.
- centurion
- An officer commanding about 80 legionaries.
- citizen
- Person with special rights such as the right to vote and own property in the Roman Empire. Only men could be full Roman citizens.
- cohort
- There were ten cohorts in a legion.
- crossbow
- Weapon like a bow and arrow, only the string is pulled back by turning a handle and the bow is fired by releasing a trigger. In Latin it was called a ballista
- druids
- The priests of the old Celtic religion.
- election
- Process where people vote to choose the people they want to be in charge.
- empire
- A large area with many people ruled by one strong leader, called an emperor.
- forum
- An open space in the middle of a town for markets and meeting people (like a market square). It was the centre of Roman town life.
- fort
- A building with walls to keep out enemies, used by soldiers.
- foundations
- Firm base for a road or building.
- general
- leader of an army, the soldier giving the orders to everyone else.
- gladiator
- A person trained to fight other gladiators or animals in amphitheatres.
- governor
- The ruler of Roman Britain, who worked for the Roman Emperor.
- hypocaust
- Roman central heating. Hot air from a furnace (fire) flowed through gaps between walls and flooring
- latin
- The language spoken and written by the Romans
- legate
- The officer commanding a whole legion.
- legion
- The main battle unit of the Roman army, its soldiers were called legionaries. There were between 4,000 and 6,000 legionaries in a legion.
- legend
- A story made up about people in the past
- mosaic
- A pattern made from coloured pieces of stones and pottery.
- myth
- A made-up story, often about gods and spirits, told to explain things such as why the sun rises and sets every day.
- pension
- Money paid to a retired worker or soldier.
- picts
- people who lived in Scotland
- republic
- A country without a king, queen or emperor. The Roman republic was ruled by the elected Senate. Most countries today are republics.
- sacred
- Something that is believed to be holy and to have a special connection with a god or gods.
- scroll
- Roman book, written on a long strip of paper rolled around a stick.
- senate
- The Roman government, made up of senators.
- senator
- A person elected to the Roman Senate who helped run the government. Some countries today, like the U.S.A., have senators.
- sewage
- Dirty water and toilet waste which flows into sewers from drains and toilets.
- sewers
- Pipes or tunnels that carry away sewage.
- slave
- Someone who can be sold to another person to work for nothing. A slave is not free and has no rights.
- slingshot
- Weapon for throwing stones, made from a long strip of leather and whirled around by the thrower.
- standard
- Roman army emblem, a pole with special decorations (such as a metal eagle) carried by a soldier. Each legion had its own standards.
- stirrups
- the metal holder for a rider's foot. Attached to a horse's saddle by a leather strap.
- strigil
- A metal object used in Roman baths to scrape sweat, dirt and excess oil off.
- stylus
- A metal pen for scratching words into soft wax on wooden tablets.
- taxes
- Money or items taken by the government from people, to pay for things like the army, wars, emperor's palaces and building roads.
- Thatched roofs
- Roofs of buildings made from bundles of straw or reeds.
- treadmill
- Machine like a big wheel inside which slaves walked round, to turn the machine.
- tribe
- A group of people who live in one part of a country and are ruled by a chief.
- tutor
- A teacher who gives lessons to a student at home.
- underworld
- A gloomy place where Romans believed your soul went after you died.
- villa
- A large house in the country. Some Roman villas were farmhouses and some were like palaces.
- warrior
- A trained soldier, someone used to fighting in wars.
- wreath
- A ring or crown made of leaves or flowers.
