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Watch: Punishing crimes in Ancient Rome

Watch this video to find out how crime was punished in Ancient Rome.

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Life under Roman rule

  • The Roman Empire spans from roughly 700BC - 476AD.
  • At its height, under Emperor Trajan in 117AD, Rome ruled more than 45 million people in countries across Europe, North Africa and Asia.
  • Its army was the most powerful in the world. As it conquered more countries, the city of Rome grew from a town into an enormous capital.
The Roman Empire - street scene with vendors.
Image caption,
A painting of shops in a Roman street.
  • With over one million people living there, Rome was a dirty and dangerous place, with a maze of side-streets and slums.

  • There were many of the same crimes as today, such as murder and theft.

  • The Roman Empire had many slaves, as well as citizens who were free men and women. They were often treated differently if they broke the law.

Did you know?

Three question marks
  • The Roman system of law and punishment is the basis of many laws that we still use today.

  • Wearing purple was against the law unless you were super rich!

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Was there a Roman police force?

Statue of Justitia holding the Scales of Justice.
Image caption,
Statue of Justitia holding the Scales of Justice.
  • There was no police force in Roman times but they did have a group called the Vigiles.

  • There were about 7000 Vigiles, who dealt with criminals like thieves and enslaved people who ran away. They also acted as the fire brigade and put out fires!

  • If the Vigiles couldn't deal with some crimes, such as riots (angry groups of people), then they would call in Roman guards to help.

  • If there was ever a risk to the Emperor, his special protectors, the Praetorian Guard, would be called in.

  • The Roman God of Justice was called Justitia and she holds the scales of justice.

Statue of Justitia holding the Scales of Justice.
Image caption,
Statue of Justitia holding the Scales of Justice.
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How did the Romans punish people?

The Tarpeian Rock was a steep cliff in ancient Rome. It was commonly used during the Roman Republic as an execution site.
Image caption,
The Tarpeian Rock was a steep cliff in ancient Rome. It was commonly used during the Roman Republic as an execution site.
  • The Romans designed their punishments to discourage potential criminals.
  • How you were punished depended on who you were and your position in Roman society.
  • Whipping and fines were the most common punishments.
  • Wooden shoes were sometimes placed on the feet of prisoners, making escape difficult.
  • An enslaved person could be forced to carry a piece of wood around their neck that stated their crime.
  • For very serious crimes you could be killed by crucifixion, thrown from a cliff, into a river or even buried alive. Crucifixion was saved for serious crimes such as revolts against the empire.
  • Over time Roman punishments became more and more violent.
The Tarpeian Rock was a steep cliff in ancient Rome. It was commonly used during the Roman Republic as an execution site.
Image caption,
The Tarpeian Rock was a steep cliff in ancient Rome. It was commonly used during the Roman Republic as an execution site.
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Activities

Activity 1: Compare and contrast

Watch this 91热爆 Teach video about life for children in Roman Britain.

Can you write down 3 things that you notice are different about your life and their lives back then.

What to look out for:

  • Clothes they wear
  • Education
  • Jobs that people did
  • Any other interesting things that you can spot

Children in Roman Britain from 91热爆 Teach

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Activity 2: Roman crime quiz

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