Sophia Elahi RPC Blog

Families now days vary in ways, how they discipline, how they treat their children, and what kind of food they eat! Athens and Sparta, the two most important city-states in Ancient Greece, led very different family lives. In this essay you will learn about Athenians and Spartans way of life.

The Athenians families are kind of like ours present day. Fathers go to work, Mothers stay at home and take care of the house, and children went to school or helped around the house. While the Spartans trained everyone to be in the army from a young age.

Athenian boys were sent to school to learn at age seven, a Spartan boy were taught to steal and live a hard life and was taken away to a military barrack and never see his family again until he was an adult at age seven.

New, young couples were celebrated in Athens, in Sparta young couples weren’t allowed to be seen together in public.

Athenians enjoyed family dinners; Spartan men had to eat all meal in the military barracks! Even the king of Sparta!

Athenian boys were sent to school and girls were taught to be good wives. Women couldn’t be seen by themselves in public and didn’t have as many rights as the men did. But life was relatively happier.

Spartan boys were trained to be soldiers since age seven and girls were encouraged to be strong and fit. Women were allowed to be in public by herself and could run the household while the father was away. Spartan women had more rights than Athenian women. But family life was non-existent in Sparta.

If you think about it, some of us lead lives like the Athenians, and some like the Spartans. I live an Athenian style of life. Family first. But I know some people who have a strict way of living, like the Spartans. We’ve evolved, but things haven’t changed that much. Think about it. Thanks for reading!

 

This week I learned about the founding of Rome. In this essay I’m going to summarize the founding of Rome.

The Founding of Rome

This story probably never happened, but it’s how the Romans think that Rome was founded.

Rome was founded in 753 BC by twin brothers Romulus and Remus. They were cast into a river as babies by the king of where they lived (I don’t know where they were born). The king was afraid that the twins would take his throne when they got old enough. The twins were found by a she-wolf who was drinking from the river. She raised them as her own; she even let them drink milk from her like they were her cubs!

Later on the boys were found by a kind shepherd and his wife. They found out that they could have been kings of a city so they started their own. There was one problem though, the brothers wanted to have their city built in 2 different places! While fighting Romulus got so mad he killed his brother Remus! Romulus then founded Rome where he wanted, Palatine Hill.

There you have it, the founding of Rome. Now, remember kids, just because you had a disagreement with your sibling or your parent or your friend, it isn’t okay to kill them. Remember that! Thanks for reading!

Jerusalem, like every other city must come to an end eventually. In this essay, I’m going to talk about the fall of Judah.

Jerusalem got completely destroyed my Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC, they were overthrown by the Babylonians. After Josiah there were 4 other kings. Jehoiakim, son of Jehoahaz, and grandson of Josiah, was the king when Jerusalem fell. Before the fall of Jersalem the Babylonians captured Judah, and Jerusalem had to pay tribute to the Babylonians. One day when the tribute was required Jehoiakim refused to pay. Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem, destroyed it’s walls, burned down all the temples, stole all the treasures, and took all of the civilians as prisoners.

70 years after the fall of Jerusalem the civilians were finally released and allowed to rebuild Jerusalem.

 

Judah has seen many rulers, in this essay I’m going to list all the rulers after King Solomon.

After King Solomon sinned God revoked the kingdom from Solomon’s son. There were 20 rulers of Judah after King Solomon.

King Rehoboam was the first of the 20 rulers. He reigned for 17 years. He was a bad king, he was cruel to his subjects and didn’t worship God.

After Rehoboam his son Abijah took over the kingdom from his father. Abijah reigned for 3 years he was a bad king, he also didn’t worship God.

After Abijah his son Asa took over. He reigned for 41 years and was a good king compared to his fater and his grandfather. He restored the worship of God, and tore down the idols and everything that had to do with them.

Then Asa’s son Jehoshaphet became the king of Judah. He reigned for 25 years he was a good king like his father. Jehoshaphet was a God fearing man like his father.

Then Jehoshaphet son Jehoram reigned for 8 years. He was a bad king, he married a very evil woman named Athaliah. Athaliah brought back idol worship.

Then Jehoram’s son Ahaziah reigned for only 1 year. He was a bad king like his father.

Then Ahaziah’s mother became the first and last queen of Judah. She was a bad and cruel queen. She reigned for 6 years. She tried to kill all her grandsons so she could remain queen, but one escaped and became the next king at only age 6!

Athaliah’s grandson Joash was a good king. He reigned for 40 years! He was a God fearing man.

Then Joash’s son Amaziah reigned for 29 years. He was a good king, he was also a God fearing man.

Amaziah’s son Uzziah then reigned for 52 years. He was a good king and a God fearing man. However later in his life he sinned and God cursed him with Leprosey.

After Uzziah his son Jotham took over the throne for 16 years. He was a good king and, of course, a God fearing man.

After Jotham his son Ahaz took over for 16 years as well. But, I guess you can’t have a clean streak, Ahaz was a bad king. He worshipped idols and not God.

Ahaz’s son Hezekiah was an amazing person and king compared to his father. He reigned or 29 years and obviously an amazing king. He’s remembered as the most faithful follower of God. He was so faithful that God gave him 15 extra years of life.

After Hezekiah his son Manasseh reigned for 55 years. He was an idol worshipper and a bad king, but eventually repented unlike the other bad kings.

Amon, Hezekiah’s son was also a bad king. He reigned for 2 years.

Amon’s son Josiah then took over the throne. He was a good king and reigned for 31.

Jehoahaz was Josiah’s son and was a bad king and only reigned for only 3 monthes!

Jeoahaz’s son Jehoakim reigned for 11 years and was a bad king.

Jehoakim’s son Jehoiashin was a bad king like his father and grandfather and like his grandfather only reigned for 3 months.

Zedekiah is Jehoiashin’s son and the last of the 20 kings of Judah. He was a bad king like his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He reigned for 11 years like his grandfather.

There you have it, the 20 kings of Judah! Thanks for reading!

 

 

Now days we have fashion shows, magazines, and TV to show us the new fashion trends. But in Ancient Rome there were no fashion shows, magazines, or TV. The Romans got their fashion from the Emperor and his wife.

The common men and women wore tunics or togas. Tunics were used on a daily basis. ; while togas were used for formal occasions due to their uncomfortableness.

Women wore ankle length tunics and a stola over their tunics, a stola is a robe that the women put over their tunics. They wore a palla on their hair, which is a rectangular piece silk or cotton over their hairstyles. Now, what did they do with their hair, was, at first, simple buns (before the Empire), then it was plaids, braids, and wigs (after the Empire).

Men wore knee length tunics. Before the Empire they had short hair and beards. After the Empire they had clean shaven faces and their hair was a bit longer.

All Romans wore leather sandals, only soldiers or worker who had to be outside constantly wore boots.

Children typically wore what their parents wore. Tunics and sandals.

That’s basically all the Romans wore on a daily basis. Thanks for reading!

Hi! I’m Aelia. I’m a seven year old girl in Ancient Rome. Sophia asked me to tell you, readers, to give you an idea of my daily life, so, here I go!

Since I’m seven I can go to school, after school I have to go home and do a lot of homework. My older brother, Aurelius, is 11 and almost done with school. Mother and Father are always talking about secondary school for him. He thinks he’s so smart because he’s going to secondary school.

I’m 11 now! I’m already finished school! Now I don’t have to go to school, instead Mother teaches me cooking, sewing, and all the other things that a good wife should know. Aurelius is 15 now. His ceremony for when he becomes a man has passed, he’s now learning in Greece with great philosophers. Mother and Father are already looking for a man for me to marry.

I’m 14 now. Tomorrow is my wedding day. Mother and Father have found a perfect man for me. His name is Magnus. He’s studying to be a part of the Senate. Magnus is quite nice, I’ve only met him once before this time though but he’s very nice and kind and is sweet to me. But the only thing that Father cares about is how much money he has, which is a lot.

Aurelius is 18 now. He’s come back from Greece for my wedding. He lives there now so we don’t see him much. He came this morning; he’s been talking politics with Father for the past four hours!

For my wedding day Mother is passing on her beautiful white dress and red veil that has been passed on since my Grandmother, Mother’s mother.

I’m 20 now. I’ve been happily married to Magnus for six years now. Magnus is now a part of the Senate; because of that we go to the bathhouses quite often with his friends. I spend time with their wives after we’ve all been rubbed with oil and have been scrapped.

Well that’s my life, so far. Hopefully Sophia will call me back again and I’ll tell you more! I hope that you have pretty good idea of a young girl in Ancient Rome. Thanks for reading!

Everyone knows a bit about Pompeii, but did you know that Pompeii was located near modern-day Naples? Or that Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD completely destroying Pompeii and Herculaneum, the closet cities? You did? Well then I’ll just get on with my essay.

Like I just said, when Mt. Vesuvius erupted Pompeii and Herculaneum were completely destroyed and we have a wonderful eyewitness of this horrible event in history thanks to Pliny the Younger, so, thank you Pliny.

After the eruption a massive ash cloud covered Pompeii and Herculaneum. It was so thick that it didn’t lift until 3 days later, and during those three days  it was as dark as night. When it lifted Pompeii was under 13 feet of ash and Herculaneum was completely destroyed. The cities were never rebuilt and thus forgotten; until 1863 when Giuseppe Fiorelli came and found Pompeii.

Giuseppe poured plaster into cavities that were left behind by the decayed bodies, making casts that show us the Romans that used to live in Pompeii. While he was digging he found frescos that were perfectly persevered because the mudslide/igneous rock came down so fast. Some houses, pottery, and objects were perfectly preserved because of this.

Fun Fact: Some frescos found in Pompeii are in restricted access in most museums.

I hope that you enjoyed this essay. If you’re now interested in Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius I suggest going to a museum that has artifacts from Pompeii or looking at pictures online. Thanks you for reading!

 

The Year of the Four Emperors consisted of Emperor Galba, Emperor Otho, Emperor Vitellius, and Emperor Vespasian. They all were Emperors in the following year of Nero’s death.

Even though this period is called The Year of the Four Emperors there were actually 5 rulers. ; but technically started after Nero died, so I won’t focus on him.

Emperor Galba reigned for 7 months; nothing significant happened in his reign. He was a pretty good ruler until he offended the people and the head of the Praetorian Guard murdered him. The Praetorian Guard was instilled to protect the current emperor, not kill him! This rebellion of the Guard was started by Otho, a greedy man who only wanted power. Somehow he Otho was able to bribe the guard to kill Galba and his successor so Otho would become the next emperor.

Power hungry Otho was the emperor for a little more than three months before he cracked under the pressure and committed suicide.

The position then fell to Vitellius, but he then fell out of favor with the people. He became Pontius Maximus, the role of high priest in Ancient Rome, on a very “evil” day in Roman history (the Romans lost a  great battle and didn’t want to do anything important) and Vitellius had been spending lavishly which emptied the treasury and made taxes go up.

While all this was happening Vespasian the Roman general at the time was in Judea trying to calm a rebellion. He was called back, murdered Vitellius and became emperor. This is becoming a reoccurring pattern.

Vespasian was the best emperor in this year of emperors he started a new dynasty called the Flavian Dynasty and he created a period of relative stability and continuity between rulers.

As you can see, History repeats itself, it even repeats itself IN history. Thanks for reading!