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Picture-book story

Ancient Rome: a story in three chapters

A Roman town gets a new road, water for its fountains and a feast of thanks. You are the young builder with the satchel and the toolbox.

Chapter 1 The Road to the Hill

A centurion in a red cloak and helmet hands you a map at a building site. — A centurion hands you a map: a road must reach the hill town before winter.

Workers lay big paving stones for a straight new road. — Stone by stone, the road grows straight and true.

A cart loaded with grain sacks rolls up the new road into the hill town. — Carts roll in with grain and news. The hill town is joined to the world.

From real life: Roman roads were built in layers of earth, gravel and stone, and many ran almost straight for miles. Some are still used today.

Chapter 2 Water for the City

Townspeople look at a dry fountain in the hot sun. — In the summer heat, the fountains run dry.

You and an engineer check the stones of an aqueduct arch. — You work with the engineers to check every arch of the aqueduct.

Water pours from the fountain again, and children splash in it. — Water rushes into the forum, and children splash at the fountains.

From real life: Aqueducts carried water downhill on a very gentle slope, sometimes from many miles away, to the city's fountains, baths and homes.

Chapter 3 The Harvest Feast

Neighbors gather at long tables with grain, bread and grapes. — The city plans a feast of thanks for the harvest.

Your family takes loaves from an oven and carries bread to the tables. — Your family bakes bread and sets long tables for the neighbors.

The city eats together at long tables under strings of lanterns. — The whole city eats together under the lanterns.

From real life: Bread was the main food in Rome, and cities had many bakeries. In Pompeii, archaeologists found a bakery oven with loaves still inside.

The end. Now explore the real places

Explore the Ancient Rome Meet the people

The paintings come from Life RPG, the city-building game behind this site · Take the guided tour.

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