According to scientists, the Roman Empire was an agrarian, agricultural power. Only 10% lived in cities, and 30% of the population lived on the territory of the Apennine Peninsula. The largest cities of Ancient Rome of that period were Rome, Trier, Alexandria, Carthage. Their story is interesting and fascinating.
The foundation of ancient Rome
The most famous city-state of Ancient Rome was its capital - Rome. There is a beautiful ancient legend about the foundation of the city of Romulus, who killed his brother Remus. In their honor, the name was given to the city of Ancient Rome - its capital.
The sculpture of the she-wolf who nurtured the brothers, the descendants of King Aeneas, is still kept in one of the museums of the city. It is located on seven hills and lowlands between them in the valley of the Tiber River. The most famous of the hills are Palatine, Aventin and the Capitol.
The history of the cities of Ancient Rome has more than 2 millennia. It was founded back in 754 BC as a center for the unification of several tribes living in the adjacent territory: Etruscans, Sabines, Latins. But Rome experienced its greatest flowering during the era of our era, at the time of the expansion of the empire. The majestic buildings of the nobility towered in the hills, the poor lived in the lowlands.
Structure
The city had a radial structure. The roads that went to Rome received a natural continuation in the city itself and were united by a forum - a large square in the city center, on which the Senate, markets were located. In Rome, on the one side of the main forum was the Colosseum, built in 72 AD and containing 50 thousand citizens. Here gladiatorial fights or fights of gladiators with wild animals were arranged.
On the other hand is the Temple of Vesta, built in honor of the goddess of the hearth. Attracted by the townspeople the Field of Mars, intended for recreation. Parks and gardens were laid out here. Nearby were the Mausoleums.
The most pathetic was the street of the patricians. Patricians are the most distinguished residents of the city, they occupied high bureaucratic places, could be elected to the Senate. The main highways were interconnected by numerous streets and alleys that had a chaotic character.
What structures created the appearance of the cities of Ancient Rome?
The architecture of the city distinguished houses of nobility, which became architectural monuments, temples, forums, palaces of emperors. They talked about the power and greatness of the Roman Empire, praised their founders. Each emperor left behind powerful structures that surprised the townspeople with their scale, beauty and the power of engineering.
Poor citizens or plebeians lived in lowlands, in houses with few amenities. Most often, these were multi-story insuls, similar to the current high-rise buildings. The upper floors of these houses were most often built of wood.
The pride of ancient Rome was the aqueducts - canals or pipes through which clean water was delivered to the city. Thanks to them, numerous fountains and baths, public toilets, and green gardens worked.
Baths or Roman baths were large. In them, in addition to bathhouses with cold and hot water, there were pools, libraries, treadmills. There were parks near the baths. In the imperial palaces built their baths.
The city was constantly under construction, and for some time stood without city walls. Only during the reign of Aurelian in ancient Rome were new walls 19 km long built. Their width was about 3.6 m, and the height reached 6 meters. Within the walls were 11 main gates, the approaches to which were covered with towers with loopholes.
The population of the ancient city of Rome
The population of the city during the period of the Roman Empire was constantly increasing. The number at its peak reached 49 million people. What did the population of the ancient city of Rome do? The rich led an idle lifestyle. They rested and had fun. In the capital, gladiators fought, hunted wild animals, and chariot races.
The bulk of the townspeople got up early. Someone worked in the fields, engaged in craft. Politicians and public figures developed strategies for the development of the city and empire. Worked schools, libraries. Wealthy parents sent their children to school from 6 years old. There they were first taught literacy, writing, then geometry, history, literature and oratory.
The children of the plebeians had to work. The slaves captured during the wars lived heavily in Rome. They did the dirtiest and hardest work. Strong and hardy men were forced to speak in gladiatorial battles.
Trier
Trier was laid by the emperor Augustus in 17 BC. e. on the land of Gaul, near the Moselle River. Fertile land in alliance with water could be an excellent nourishment for the Roman legions who fought in what is now Germany. Favorable geographical location contributed to the prosperity of trade and winemaking.
In the 3rd century AD, Trier, as one of the main cities of Ancient Rome, became the western capital of the empire. Emperor Diocletian even called him "the second Rome." During this period, the population of the city began to grow.
At some point, by the will of Emperor Constantine, Trier almost became the capital of the Roman Empire. He settled here, having decided to settle for a long time, even built huge baths. True, they were used as intended. Baths were too expensive for the city budget.
On the orders of Constantine and the request of his mother Elena, the Cathedral and Church of Our Lady was built in Trier. But family drama prevented this: the son from his first marriage and the second wife of the emperor were convicted of adultery and executed. The pious Constantine left for Byzantium, and Trier began to weaken. In the V century, it was captured by the Franks, and in the IX century the city was almost completely destroyed by the Vikings. But later Trier was restored.
The city lives now. Many buildings of Roman times have been preserved in it: the baths, the basilica, the remains of an ancient amphitheater, the Black Gate, the cathedral are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. They do not allow citizens to forget about the rich history of their hometown.
Alexandria
The city of Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great in 334 BC. e. Unlike Rome, a regular street layout was adopted here. That is, the streets were divided into rectangular or square quarters. According to the project of the urban planner Hippodamus, the city was divided into a sacred, public and private area.
For a long time, Alexandria remained the capital of the Egyptian state. The largest city became a province of the Roman Empire after the capture of the country by Emperor Octavian in 30 AD. e. He became one of the main cities of ancient Rome, the largest shopping center, seaport and agricultural estate of the country.
Alexandria became famous as a scientific center. The largest library worked here, where more than 500 scrolls were stored. But in the time of Caesar, the library burned down. On the shores of the Mediterranean Sea stood a 120-meter Faros lighthouse, recognized as one of the 7 wonders of the world. It stood for almost 10 centuries and collapsed during an earthquake in the 14th century. In the III century BC, Museyon appeared here, an analog of our academies of sciences, in which the mathematician Euclid, the scientist Archimedes, and the geographer Strabo worked at different times.
Carthage
Carthage was in North Africa. It was founded by the Phoenicians in 814 BC as a trading port. Subsequently, Carthage became the capital of the Carthage State. The Carthaginians had a strong fleet, they were skilled sailors and dominated the sea.
One of the most skilled commanders was Hannibal, who swore to his father on the altar that he would fight against Rome his whole life. He fulfilled his oath. But the Romans had a large army on land, and the ancient Phoenician capital subjugated to the empire after several Punic wars, which lasted about a hundred years.
In 146 BC, Carthage fell. Residents burned themselves, closing in the temple. The army that arrived destroyed the city. The remaining Carthaginians were captured. A hundred years after its capture, the city was rebuilt on the orders of the emperor in the likeness of Rome. Carthage became the third largest Roman city with a population of about 300 thousand people. But the city no longer had any political influence.
From Carthage, the rich Romans ruled their lands in Africa. Here flourished art, culture, trade. The Romans built a circus, an amphitheater. As in the capital, a giant aqueduct delivered water to houses, palaces, baths. In the IV century, the Roman Empire fell into decline, which led to the end of many cities, including Carthage.
Timgad
The construction of cities in ancient Rome did not stop. In the first century AD, the Romans began to build settlements on the border of the empire to protect against raids by wild tribes. One of them was Timgad, based in North Africa.
A small military base of 16 hectares was rebuilt in the city and surrounded by a powerful wall at the expense of the Senate. Former soldiers lived here with their families. As in other Roman cities, Timgad crossed two streets: from west to east - decumanus, from north to south - cardo.
The streets were highlighted with triumphal arches. Quarters divided the city into squares and rectangles. In the center was a walled forum. Here social life was in full swing.
The largest building of Timgad was the Capitol, a temple in honor of the supreme deities of Jupiter, Minerva and Juno. The inhabitants of the city were mostly wealthy people, therefore spacious houses were built for them with a swimming pool (occupation) inside, where rainwater gathered, with a yard (peristyle) and a garden.
Antioch
Antioch is a city on the Mediterranean coast (now it is the coast of Turkey). He was laid by one of the military leaders of Alexander the Great, Seleucus, not far from the laurel grove. According to legend, it was here that Zeus turned the nymph Daphne at her request into a tree. The nymph who had taken the vow of celibacy could not stand the shame after Apollo, who loved Daphne to madness, raped her.
Seleucus built a city similar in layout to the city of Alexandria. It was divided into the same square quarters. First, the city towers were erected, then on the top of the hill - the Acropolis. In the center is a beautiful fountain. Then came the temples in honor of the gods, palaces, a theater.
Gradually, the city grew. Favored by this and a favorable geographical position. Sea ships came here to bring goods for trade with Asia. Thus, the city became the gateway to the Asiatic lands for the Romans.
Antioch flourished, the population grew. The Syrians who lived here loved lush holidays, festivities. Maybe that's why they were punished. Quakes of God became earthquakes. For seven centuries, the city experienced 6 major earthquakes, but was restored every time. In 450-525, the city was twice wiped off the face of the earth. But the inhabitants stubbornly lifted him from the ruins. Unfortunately, now on the site of the once-greatest city is a wasteland. After the conquest of Antioch by the Turks, he gradually fell into decay.
The history of other cities in Rome
After the formation of the Roman Empire, all of Italy fell under its rule. It was necessary to build defensive fortresses for its protection, shopping centers. The population of the Roman Empire was expanding, the resettlement of Roman families into the territory of nearby lands began. Such colonies were the cities of Alba Fuchens, Koz, Palestrina.
Alba Fuchens
The name of this city comes from the words alba, which has two meanings: “hill” and “white”, and fucens, associated with the nearby Lake Fucino. The city was located near Velino Mountain and had a very important strategic location. He defended Rome from the attacks of Hannibal during the Second Punic War, guarded the approaches to the capital during the years of the Allied War.
The distance between the cities was only 68 Roman miles, which is equal to approximately 126 kilometers. In 303 BC e. Alba Fuchens was conquered by the Romans and rebuilt on the model of other cities: two streets intersecting in the center, where the square (forum) was located, its own amphitheater, built at the expense of the administrator Macron.
The area of the settlement was 34 ha. Alba Fuchens grew and grew rich until the emperor Caligula ordered the prefect to be arrested. He too loved to weave court intrigues. The viceroy and his wife, fearing the wrath of Caligula, committed suicide.
Goat
The city is located on a hilltop in Tuscany. It was originally built as a military base to protect Roman cities. Here was the main road of the empire. After the threat of attack from external enemies weakened, the Goat became an agricultural province. The heyday of the Goat was short-lived. One reason for the decline is the problem of delivering water to the top of the hill.
Palestrina
It is one of the oldest cities in Rome. It was founded, according to legends, Telemachus, son of Odysseus. According to archaeologists, it existed already in the 7th century BC. Palestrina is located on a high hill, 37 kilometers from Rome. During the period of empire power, noble and wealthy residents of the capital rested here. The huge temple - a monument to Fortune, the goddess of fate and fortune, attracted the imperial nobility.
People from all over the vast country came here to bow to her and find out their future from the oracles. But during the Civil Wars of 83-82 BC. e. the entire male population of the city was killed. Subsequently, the Romans built in Palistrin terms, markets, temples and forums. The warm climate allowed the city to turn into a resort area for the rich Romans.
The list of ancient cities of Rome could be continued. In the II century AD, new cities appeared on the territory of the lands captured by the Romans, rebuilt in the Roman likeness of the settlement of barbarian tribes. Some appeared on the site of the station, for example, Budapest, Bonn, Vienna, Paris, London. Some of them have become wineries or shopping centers.
Cities competed among themselves in the beauty of architectural buildings, wealth, and glory. Schools, aqueducts, temples, houses, workshops were built. A millennium has passed since the formation of the Roman Empire. But still the history of the cities of Ancient Rome attracts us with its secrets.