CITIES


 * The Myth of Rome**

The story of how Rome began is that twin boys, Romulus and Remus, who were the sons of Mars, had an evil uncle who took them from their mother and threw them into the Tiber River when they were just babies. They floated to land and were taken care of by a wolf and a herdsman. Mars later told the boys to make a city at the site where they were found. The building of Rome was started in 753 BC and this is one of the most famous legends in world history. -In the beginning, Rome was ruled by the Etruscans, but in 509 BC, the Romans drove out the last king and became a republic. []
 * Bailey W.**


 * The Uniqueness of Rome**

The city of Rome was one of the largest cities during its creation in ancient times. Rome had many advanced systems for their times, such as the aqueduct which transported water throughout the entire city. They also had many important buildings for many purposes, such as governmental and entertainment, like the Colosseum. At one point the city of Rome had a population of 1 million, one of the highest of there time. The upper class lived in the hills and lower class would live in the city. http://www.spanisharts.com/arquitectura/i_roma_urbano.html **Mollie Rouan**


 * Common Structures and their Functions in Roman Cities**

Most Roman cities contained many of the same structures, the forum, the baths, or thermae, and the marketplace. The Forum was like the town square of the Roman city, it would be where people would meet and socialize, but also a place for many temples and the basilica, a government building with a courthouse in it. The thermae were public baths with a well engineered method for keeping them heated. The baths had many separate rooms and was a social place. The marketplace had shops and places to buy food, for it was the only place to get food inside the city limits. Wealthier citizens had lavish houses filled with many slaves and were many floors high. The poor lived in cramped areas densely populated with apartments that were prone to fires. **Ben King** []

Roman cities all contained central buildings and areas such as the forum, which was a paved area that served as a center for the community; the Capitol which was the principal temple of the town or city; and the basilica, which served as a local and imperial administrative center. **Alex Li** 


 * The Importance of Architecture and Infrastructure to the Roman Empire**

Architecture of Roman Cities was a necessity because it helped unify citizens. For example, bridges and roads improved communication through a large empire. Aqueducts are one example of utility architecture and were used to supply clean water naturally from other bodies of water. Amphitheaters, for example, used for Gladiatorial matches, were used to show that their society had desire to appeal to the majority, and Arches were built to show off military power. Also, because religion was a large part of Roman society, the architecture of temples was very important, and it was based on the Greek style. They were used to worship by the public and, along with basilicas, appeared in public squares. **Tessa W.** [|Source]