Learning

Advances in Learning

The early Romans advanced in many subjects. Their discoveries in math, science,
engineering, literature, art, law and philosophy are still used to today. Along with Greece,
Rome was said to be one of the most advanced early civilizations. Romans had their own
calendar, language, alphabet, and numeral system. They also had the first major road
system.

The language of the Romans is called Latin. The Latin language was once spoken all
over the ancient Empire. Many languages derived from Latin, such as French, Italian,
Portuguese, Rumanian and Spanish are still spoken today. The alphabet we use today
was also used by the Romans. The Roman calendar had twelve months, just as our
calendar has today. The only difference is that their first month was March instead of
January. The names of our months also derived from those of the Romans. The numerical
system of the Romans is what we now call Roman numerals. Roman numerals are used in
copyright dates, reports, and as organizational tools. In addition, they are used in art.

Scientific ideas of the Romans were mostly taken from the Greeks. The Roman's did
not really do their own experiments, but they applied scientific findings to many things.
Pliny, a Roman scientist, put together scientific encyclopedias for geography, zoology and
botany.

Roman laws advanced as well. By 453 B.C. they created basic laws. They wrote the
laws down on twelve tablets called the twelve tables. These were known as the first
written laws in the empire. A Roman emperor of Constantinople, Justinian, changed many
of the laws and collected them all into one work. This is known as the Justinian Code and
it was completed in 529 A.D. These laws form the basis of all today's justice systems in
the western world.

Ancient Roman engineering was also very advanced. The Romans built the first
arches and domes. They also built great aqueducts, temples, palaces, baths and walls.
One of the most famous things built by the Romans was their roads. The Romans were
known to have the first paved road system. Romans also built effective roads by building
them slanted so water drained off of them. Aqueducts were not first built by the Romans
but the Romans were the ones to master them. By 97 A.D. Rome had 9 aqueducts. The
aqueducts were a symbol of the organizational ability and technological advances of the
Roman civilization.