This inquiry focuses on the social hierarchy of ancient Rome, viewed through the lens of statues that tell us about life during this time. Through analysis of videos, photographs of ancient statues, and images of architectural reliefs, students develop an argument supported by evidence that answers the compelling question, “What stories should statues tell about ancient Rome?”The inquiry prioritizes depth over breadth: rather than broadly describe contributions across categories, the inquiry instead invites students to take a close look at the influence of ancient Roman art and architecture on statues and monuments today. Through this deep study, students will hone analytical skills required to notice and interpret details in art and architecture while also building their knowledge about the social structure that divided the citizens and enslaved people of the ancient Roman republic and empire.

This art history video discussion looks at the Mosaics of Santa Prassede, Rome, early 9th century Mosaics from the early 9th century, under Pope Paschal. The church is dedicated to Saint Praxedes and her sister Saint Pudentiana, daughters of Saint Pudens. The sisters were martyred because they provided Christian burials for martyrs, against Roman law.

This art history video discussion looks at Gian Lorenzo Bernini's "Sant'Andrea al Quirinale", 1658-70, Rome; commissioned by Cardinal Camillo Francesco Maria Pamphili for the nearby Jesuit seminary.

Students work with specified materials to create aqueduct components that can transport two liters of water across a short distance in their classroom. The design challenge is to create an aqueduct that can supply Aqueductis, a (hypothetical) Roman city, with clean water for private homes, public baths and fountains as well as crop irrigation.

This video provides a virtual tour of Hadrian's Villa using a 3D digital model of the villa created under the direction of Dr. Bernard Frischer. The ruins of Hadrian's Villa, in the town of Tivoli, near Rome, is spread over an area of approximately 250 acres. Many of the structures were designed by the Emperor Hadrian who ruled from 117 until his death in 138 C.E. This virual rendering is based on current archeological research and has been created in consultation with art historians, archaeologists, and museum curators with expertise in this area. Please note, a few features are necessarily assumptions based on the best available evidence.

This art history video discussion looks at Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola & Giacomo della Porta's "Church of Il Gesù", consecrated 1584, Rome; and Giovanni Battista Gaulli's (also known as il Baciccio) "The Triumph of the Name of Jesus", Il Gesù ceiling fresco, 1672-1685.

This art history video discussion looks at Michelangelo's Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, 1508-12 (Vatican, Rome).

We all know that students can retain more knowledge when they have something concrete for it to stick to, why not actually build something that they can build their knowledge upon? Using the MakeDo kits and the stencils that come in this lesson. Let students take some cardboard that is just waiting to be recycled and upcycle it into the Rome Colosseum!!

Explore objects from Ancient Rome and discover how Romans portrayed themselves and wished to be remembered. This student-facing resource includes text, images, maps, as well as interactive exercises that call invite students to closely examine authentic objects from Ancient Rome.

The first three activities provide close-up views with guiding questions and background information. What will you learn about the connections between power, status, citizenship, and images in ancient Rome? How do these objects relate to identity and how people are portrayed or remembered? Who is represented and who is not?

The next three investigations offer pop-up hot spots on selected objects to reveal intriguing information about Roman culture, gods, goddesses, and mythology.

How do these objects relate to what the Romans thought was important?

Trans-regional exchange through routes such as the Silk Road across Asia to the Mediterranean basin, maritime routes across the Mediterranean Sea, the Indian Ocean, and Trans-Saharan routes across North Africa allowed groups of people to exchange goods, knowledge, and ideas. Conflict and cooperation, economic pressures and political alliances, as well as conquest, migration, and trade have all resulted in rich cultural interchange. Use this resource set to explore how art can illustrate various ways in which technologies, forms, images, symbols, beliefs and concepts are adopted, adapted, and/or reinterpreted by communities across the globe until 1500.

Ten works of art from Virginia Museum of Fine Arts are presented with contextual information. Suggested inquiry-based activities paired with each object can be used in the galleries or classroom to promote discovery, critical thinking, and authentic engagement with art.