Thematic Lists

"Rome in a Day" is set in 128 AD, on a festival day and follows one day in the life of a father and his 9-year-old son, Titus Cotta Maximus, as they spend a public holiday together in ancient Rome. Spend the day with father and son as they awake and breakfast in their home; make their way down to the busy streets; follow the procession to the Temple of Jupiter; take in the game at the Colosseum; conduct some family business at the busy docks; relax at the Baths of Trajan; and watch the races at the Circus Maximus before returning home at the end of the evening. A very full day!

This lavishly illustrated history series is nonfiction at its best. With clear, readable text, information-packed illustrations, and a child-friendly design, these books provide exciting insight into life thousands of years ago. Each book includes a fold-out map. Travel on a fascinating journey to imperial Rome. From the glorious Colosseum to the thrill of Circus Maximus, history lovers will delight in this rich guide to Roman life. Information about the marketplace, home life, food preparation, and agriculture helps provide a thorough understanding of daily practices, while beautiful illustrations bring to life the expansion and rich culture of the ancient city.

Find out more about everyday life in ancient Rome and what it meant to live in this fascinating city at the height of its empire. Every aspect of this great civilization is explored, from the bloodthirsty gladiators and the terrifying chariot races, to a day in the life of the wealthy, to how the powerful senators controlled their city and expanded its empire.

Find out what life was really like in Ancient Rome through the adventures of a wealthy Roman businessman named Petronius, and his family. Watch gladiators fighting, charioteers racing, enjoy a feast, visit the baths and march into battle with the Roman Army. Lively text and cartoon-style illustrations bring the characters to life and are full of historically accurate detail. A brand new edition of the classic Usborne Time Traveller series.

This Ready-to-Read book retells the legend of Romulus and Remus, beginning with the separation from their mother through the childhood as they were raised by wolves, and all the way up to their founding of the city of Rome. This is an exciting and simple read that is sure to keep young readers hooked while bringing them into the world of mythology.

Princess. Captive. Gladiator. Always a Warrior. Fallon is the daughter of a proud Celtic king and the younger sister of the legendary fighter Sorcha. When Fallon was just a child, Sorcha was killed by the armies of Julius Caesar. On the eve of her seventeenth birthday, Fallon is excited to follow in her sister's footsteps and earn her place in her father's war band. She never gets the chance. Fallon is captured and sold to an elite training school for female gladiators--owned by none other than Julius Caesar himself. In a cruel twist of fate, the man who destroyed Fallon's family might be her only hope of survival. Now, Fallon must overcome vicious rivalries, deadly fights in and out of the arena, and perhaps the most dangerous threat of all: her irresistible feelings for Cai, a young Roman soldier and her sworn enemy. A richly imagined fantasy for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Cinda Williams Chima, The Valiant recounts Fallon's gripping journey from fierce Celtic princess to legendary gladiator and darling of the Roman empire.

Describes the history of gladiators, including types of armor, use of animals, amphitheaters, and how the practice fit into Roman society for almost 700 years

Discover more than 160 exhibits in this virtual museum, open all hours. Welcome to the museum! There are more than 160 historical artifacts to be discovered in Welcome to the Museum: Historium. Wander the galleries of this museum whenever you wish--it's open 365 days a year!--and discover a collection of curated objects on every page, accompanied by informative text. Each chapter features a different ancient civilization, from the Silla dynasty of Korea to ancient Rome.

Science geeks and armchair detectives will soak up this non-lethal, humorous account of the role poisons have played in human history. Perfect for STEM enthusiasts! For centuries, people have been poisoning one another--changing personal lives and the course of empires alike. From spurned spouses and rivals, to condemned prisoners like Socrates, to endangered emperors like Alexander the Great, to modern-day leaders like Joseph Stalin and Yasser Arafat, poison has played a starring role in the demise of countless individuals. And those are just the deliberate poisonings. Medical mishaps, greedy "snake oil" salesmen and food contaminants, poisonous Prohibition, and industrial toxins also impacted millions. Part history, part chemistry, part whodunit, Poison: Deadly Deeds, Perilous Professions, and Murderous Medicines traces the role poisons have played in history from antiquity to the present and shines a ghoulish light on the deadly intersection of human nature...and Mother Nature.
Includes a section on Rome

Selene has grown up in a palace on the Nile with her parents, Cleopatra & Mark Antony--the most brilliant, powerful rulers on earth. But the jealous Roman Emperor Octavianus wants Egypt for himself, & when war finally comes, Selene faces the loss of all she's ever loved. Forced to build a new life in Octavianus's household in Rome, she finds herself torn between two young men and two possible destinies--until she reaches out to claim her own. This stunning novel brings to life the personalities & passions of one of the greatest dramas in history, & offers a wonderful new heroine in Selene.

This sumptuous, innovative recreation of Roman life traces the rise and fall of a great empire. Superb illustrations retell the lost story of Pompeii--the life of its people, its conflicts and disasters, and the changing fortunes of a house at the center of it all. Beginning in the sixth century bce, a simple hut becomes a farmhouse, and gradually the farmhouse is swallowed up by the expanding new city of Pompeii. The house grows as the city and its inhabitants prosper. But finally it also suffers the devastating effects of the natural disaster that swallowed up the city--the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. This is the story of the growth and destruction of a house, a city, and an empire. Further, it is a tale of discovery and revelation that tracks the extraordinary archaeological work involved in unearthing and interpreting Pompeii's remains.

In ancient times, Pompeii was one of the largest cities in the Roman Empire. Its 20,000 inhabitants lived in the shadow of Vesuvius, which they believed was nothing more than a mountain. But Vesuvius was a volcano. And on the morning of August 24, A.D. 79, Vesuvius began to erupt. Within twenty-four hours, the entire city of Pompeii--and many of its citizens--had been utterly annihilated. It was not until hundreds of years later that Pompeii saw daylight again, as archaeological excavations began to unearth what had been buried under layers of volcanic rubble. Digging crews expected to find buildings and jewelry and other treasures, but they found something unexpected, too: the imprints of lost Pompeiians, their deaths captured as if by photographic images in volcanic ash.

In the best book ever written to prove history teachers wrong, pester parents and disgust grandmothers, you will find out the truth about the Rules of War and meet fifty of the most vicious villains of all time in a bonus feature pull-out. Want to know... --The ghastly fate of Captain Cook? --What smelly sport was played by Samurai warriors? --Who tried to kill her enemies with a cake made from poisoned bath water? ...then let The Wicked History of the World be your guide. History with the nasty bits left in!
Includes a section on Rome

Atticus, a young boy who has been torn from his family and home and sold as a slave to a Roman aristocrat, quickly learns that not all is as it seems in the republic of Rome. Politicians and greedy merchants plot against each other, and Atticus must do his best to protect his kindly master...and, in turn, the Emperor of Rome. Murder and lies fill his new life as a spy for Lucius Opimius.

Imagine if you could travel back in time and walk the streets of the past. Where would you go first? Incredible History turns back time to reveal realistic reconstructions of the most incredible locations and exciting moments in history. You'll feel the roar of the crowd in the Roman Colosseum, walk the ramparts of the Great Wall of China, and ride the first railways. Each story begins with an archaeological site or artifact. You'll learn when and how it was discovered, and what it teaches us about how the people who lived at the site might have spent their days. Then, you'll see the location recreated in jaw-dropping 3D detail. Using archaeological evidence, the people and places of the past will be brought back to life before your very eyes. With each page packed with fantastic facts and extraordinary pictures, Incredible History brings together the best parts of history and archaeology to recreate the entire history of the world.
Includes a section on the Roman towns

Julius Caesar was the Roman dictator who brought an end to the republic and who was assassinated as a result. Caesar was a great general who extended Roman power into Gaul (France) and the territories of Germania, not to mention his conquest of Egypt. But his attempts to reform the Senate and Roman government led him to dictatorship.

Cicero was a Roman statesman and orator who tried unsuccessfully to preserve the republican form of government. His assassination was sanctioned by Rome's first emperor, Augustus. Cicero's prolific writings have survived and have given us an intimate and exciting picture of Roman politics.

Rome's first and greatest emperor, Augustus ushered in the Augustan Age and the glory that was Rome. Known as Octavian as a young man, he defeated the assassins of Julius Caesar at the Battle of Philippi, defeated his rival Mark Antony at the Battle of Actium, and then seized power from the Senate for himself.

Hadrian was the emperor who put an end to Roman expansion and who constructed some of Rome's greatest monuments. His reign marks the farthest limits of Roman expansion, from Britain in the west to Egypt in the east.

A dictator is a strong leader who holds complete control over the government of his country. Sometimes elected, a dictator often rules when the people would prefer a different leader or different form of government. Dictatorships have existed since ancient times, though many countries have succeeded in ridding themselves of their dictators, adopting democratic systems. With primary source documents and images, this illuminating history of dictatorships profiles Caesar, Napoleon, Hitler, Franco, and many others.

It is A.D. 79, and Flavia Gemina, daughter of a successful Roman sea captain, is about to celebrate her birthday. Then the dogs in her neighborhood start dying mysteriously, and there are rumors of burglary in the houses on Flavia's street. Set in the graveyards, houses, and alleyways of an ancient Roman city.

The incredible panorama of Roman civilization, from the founding of Rome on the famous seven hills in 753 B.C. to the fall of its empire to European Germanic tribes in A.D. 476, is presented here, along with some of the more important literary and archaeological evidence for this influential people.

Who wants to vacation next to a volcano? Jack and Annie are about to find out when the Magic Tree House whisks them back to the days of the Roman Empire. They arrive in Pompeii and soon discover that it is the very day the city will be destroyed. Now Jack and Annie must race against time to find an ancient library before it is buried in ash!

With a farm of pigs as his abacus, Arthur Geisert uses elements of a search and count game to bring Roman numerals to life in this unintimidating math-concept book. First, the seven Roman numerals are equated with the correct number of piglets. Then the reader may practice counting other items--hot-air balloons, gopher holes, and more--as the remarkable adventure unfolds. (And yes, there are one thousand pigs in the etching for M!)

Cleopatra was not the renowned beauty of legend-her strength lay in her intelligence, courage, and charm, and she would need all three in her short and perilous reign. She became Queen of Egypt at eighteen and by twenty had been driven from her throne. But she raised an army and won the support of the great Julius Caesar, who helped her return to rule. In the note on sources, the authors indicate that much of the information about Cleopatra has been based on legend & that many documents from her lifetime were destroyed after her death. Even Plutarch's histories were written a hundred years after her death. The large picture-book presentation lacks reference aids & would be challenging for researchers, but it is smoothly written & fascinating to read. The gouache illustrations for this book add to the narrative presentation. Cleopatra's name still glitters across history, evoking opulence, ambition, and tragedy. Raised in the shadow of the mighty Roman Empire, she dared to dream of a world united under Egyptian rule. She almost succeeded, and if she had, we would live in a far different world today. We will never know what these two brilliant and ambitious people might have accomplished together, for Caesar soon fell to Roman assassins. Instead, it was Mark Antony, another famous Roman, who risked everything with Cleopatra in pursuit of world power.

In this lavishly illustrated gift book for mythology fans and word lovers, ancient names come to rich and fascinating life. Did you know that "museums" were initially temples built to worship the nine muses, the goddesses of the arts? That Janus was the god of the doorways and hallways, and we have named our janitors after him? Where did these words--and other words, such as chaos, genius, nemesis, panic, echo, and narcissus--come from? From the ancient stories of the Greeks--stories that rang so true and wise that the names of the characters have survived for centuries as words we use every day. The brief stories here not only impart the subtle wisdom of these ancient tales, but make us understand the words, and our own world, more deeply.

Ambitious, ruthless, shrewd, cruel, and intelligent are a few of the words that have been used to describe this man who changed the course of civilization. Caesar's military conquests and political alliances altered Rome's decaying system of government, producing the greatest of all ancient empires. This richly illustrated graphic novel takes readers on a journey to the ancient world where political intrigue and military might gave birth not only to the rise of Caesar but also to his bloody assassination.

Ancient Rome's hunger for conquest was matched only by its hunger for combat--especially in the form of its brutal gladiator contests. But in 73 BC, Spartacus, a slave and gladiator, led a revolt against the Romans that shook the empire to its root. In time, about 90,000 men--mostly runaway slaves--joined Spartacus's rebellion, waging often-successful--yet ultimately futile--battles against the Roman army. This colorful, dynamic biography will have readers marveling at the life of Spartacus, ancient freedom fighter.

A humorous look at history, in the form of a chat show in which Adam Murphy digs up and interviews famous and infamous historical figures. In graphic novel format.
Includes sections on Julius Caesar and Cleopatra

A history of theater from its origin in Greece and Rome through the English restoration. Following an introduction to each period, the book offers a night at the theater from the theatergoer's perspective.

With more than 80 activities in each book, these valuable resources will enrich your curriculum. For each activity, literature links promote reading, while Internet links encourage the best use of technology. Individual and team projects for K-5 classrooms, connected to NCTE standards.
Has an activity for the Ides of March

The author's aim is to help those working with children to develop in them a knowledge of and enthusiasm for fine art by telling stories that connect to a particular kind of art or artist. Art in Story focuses on art of the ancient world, of the East and Africa, of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Chapters consider the European Masters, Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, art of America and Mexico, and computer art. Each chapter has background information for the teacher, a story completely written out as it is meant to be told, suggestions for viewing art, a journal writing activity, an art activity related to the type of art being studied, connections to other topics of study, suggestions for drama possibilities, and an extensive bibliography of adult reference as well as children's books and other materials. This new edition presents new chapters on Middle Eastern art and revisions of all other material. The bibliography updates have been extensive. Grades K-6.
Includes a section on Ancient Roman art

Examining natural phenomena through the lens of ancient mythology and from the perspective of modern day science, this unique book encourages students to appreciate the magic in both myth and science. This twofold approach helps to clarify the commonality of all human experience with nature, across cultures and throughout time. Eight myths, each from a different cultural background, are accompanied by scientific explanations. By comparing the different explanations for such occurrences as comets, meteors, and eclipses, students will learn to appreciate the similarities in experiences of these phenomena, as well as the contrast between ancient and current comprehensions of the world. Helpful diagrams and engaging illustrations enhance student interest and understanding. Ideas for activities, projects, and field trips, along with lists of recommended bibliographies and websites, serve as springboards for further study. An invaluable resource for studies of science and ancient history, Wonders of the Sky provides a refreshing approach for students in school library, public library, and classroom settings. Grades 4-8
Includes a myth from Ancient Rome

A book that every children's librarian will love, this series of games and quizzes (cryptograms, word searches, scavenger hunts, plays, and much more) will encourage reading, reading competitions and games. Covering all types of children's literature from Mother Goose to the Classics to the Award winners, this is a hands-on book made up of reproducible game and quiz pages that will be easily and often used in school and public library programming. A book that every children's librarian will love, this series of games and quizzes (cryptograms, word searches, scavenger hunts, plays, and much more) will encourage reading, reading competitions, and games. Covering all types of children's literature from Mother Goose to the Classics to the Award winners, this is a hands-on book made up of reproducible game and quiz pages that will be easily and often used in school and public library programming. The quizzes can be easily adapted to Battle of the Books programs and other library- and classroom-based literature competition programs.
Includes a section on Ancient Greek and Roman myths

Practical strategies, activities, and assessments help teachers differentiate lessons to meet the individual needs, styles, and abilities of students. Each unit of study includes key concepts, discussion topics, vocabulary, and assessments in addition to a wide range of activities for visual, logical, verbal, musical, and kinesthetic learners. Helpful extras include generic strategies and activities for differentiating lessons and McREL content standards.
Includes an activity related to Ancient Rome

Includes a section on Roman numerals

Gladiatorial combat in amphitheaters, a popular and well organized sport, along with fighting animals and others contests constituted an important form of entertainment in the ancient Roman world. David Potter, a professor of Classical Studies with a keen interest in sports, both ancient and modern, re examines the facts about these popular athletes. To learn the truth about this sport, Dr. Potter takes the viewer on an historical tour