6.+50+CE+to+300+CE

= =

Nero (15 AD - 68 AD)
==== ** Nero was born in Antium on December, 15, 37 AD and was first named Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus. He was the son of Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus and Agrippina the Younger. Nero was later adopted by his great uncle Claudius and betrothed to his daughter Octavia. Nero's father is the grandson ** ====

Nero’s rule is often associated with tragedy and death. He is known for number of executions, including his mother and stepbrother. He was also known for his early and frightening persecuting of Christians. Nero was often nicked named as “the emperor who fiddled while Rome burned”. This view was based on the surviving sources of Nero’s reign. Only a few of these remaining sources hold Nero’s rulings in the utmost respect.

Nero’s physical appearance, in the book “The Lives of the Twelve Caesars”, was described as “about average height, his body marked with spots and malodorous, his hair light blond, his features regular rather than attractive, his eyes blue and some what weak, his neck over thick, his belly prominent, and his legs very slender.”

=Roman Coins=

Many historians thought that the first thought for the coins were used to announce who won battles along other important events. The coins were also considered portable pieces of art. Silver and bronze coins were used for trade with the Greek colonies. What the pictures were on the coins were decided by 3 men. They were referred to as the mint magistrates, they also shrunk the bronze, silver and gold as well.



The coin designs would usually have something to do with religions or tradition of the Romans. As time went on the images on the coins got more interesting. The mnoneyer’s family members wanted to be elected for government, so they pictures would put on coins. It was basically an advertising tool. With the Roman Empire, coins were basically dedicated to Julius Caesar who transformed the republic to an empire. The coins had his portrait on them.



The Roman coins was originally made from bronze but later it was made from copper. It was introduced in the year 280 AD. Since gold was difficult to find and mine in those times. The coins were often melted down and recycled. The coins of cores represent a sense of wealth. They also got news out as well.

=The Colosseum=

The colosseum is the first permanent stone amphitheatre in Rome. The colosseum is 52m High, and covers 3357 square meters and a capacity to seat 73,000 people. The main walls are built from traverline stone. The internal walls were made from tufa. Tufa is a brown volcanic rock, that was taken from other old city walls. The internal walls were plastered and painted. The usual colors that were painted are black, yellow, and red. Marble was also used for the seating areas and as some of the lower flooring.

The engineers of the colossum dug 6m below the bottom of a lake that use to cover the site where the colossuem was. Then they layed 4m of clay subsoil until they had an oval shaped ditch, 50m wide and 200m long. The upper structure of the colosseum has 4 levels. The first 3 levels have 80 arcades and have many column types. The arcades at the ground level have half doricx columns. All the columns are rectangular. The rectangular columns are known as “Corinthian pilasters”.

The seating of the colosseum was divided into 5 levels. The arena floor was wooden and covered with sand. The arena was entered from the basement of the colosseum. The basement was also somewhat of a storage area. The seating in each level were different social classes. The ima cavea was the level nearest to the arena. It was reserved for VIP’s, like priests, foreign diplomats and senators. The next level was called the //maenianum primum//, this area had 8 to 9 terraces and it was reserved for knights. The third level was called the //maenianum secundum imum// it had 19 to 20 tarraces. It was reserved for ordinary citizens. The forth level was called the //maenianum secundum in ligneis// or other known as the attic. It was the highest area of seating. It consisted of 10 to 11 terraces of wooden seating. This area is where the lowest class, slaves and women sat. Each person would get a ticket when they enter the gates, that ticket then would tell how much they would pay and what level they should sit in.

=Mount Vesuvius ( 79 A.D.)=

The land around mount Vesuvius shook with a huge earthquake on Aug. 24, 79 AD. The top of the mountain blew up with great force. From the eruption molten ash, pumice, and stones had covered all of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae. We do not know a whole lot about the eruption. The writing of Pliny the younger was the only way we new some of the great details about the eruption.

In Pliny the younger writing he describes the sights and sounds of the eruption. He started off with talking about the major earthquake that came right before the massive explosion. From where they were Pliny the younger, Pliny the elder, and their men could see the eruption. So than in Pliny the younger writing he says that they were 18 miles away in Misenum, but Pliny the elder decided to turn his war ships around and go help the people in need in Pompeii. The writing than go on says how hot it was hot and Pliny the elder, Pliny the younger uncle dies from what they think now was gas poisoning.

Pliny the younger story was the only writing on this eruption but some time after. Scientists discovered the towns that had been buried since 79 A.D. with perfectly preserved shell body caseings. Also the scientists found loaves of bread that were about 2000 years old. This was just part of the story of Pliny the younger and the great eruption.