Select an age below
-
Egyptian
Click Here - Roman
Click Here - Tudor
Click Here - Victorian
Click Here - World War 2
Click Here - Present Day
Click Here - The Future
Click Here
Roman Museum Room
Below you will see some examples of real Roman Artefacts.
Roman Die
Roman Dice were often made from antler or ivory and engraved with small dots like the dice we use today. These little dice were popular with troops as they played gambling games to combat boredom while on duty or during long military campaigns.
Gambling was only legal during the 7 days of Saturnalia, the winter festival which was later taken over by Christmas.
Belt Fastener
The Roman belt was a decorated belt for a soldier. It was called a "Cinculum Militaire." The Roman soldier did not wear a uniform like modern soldiers, but could be recognised by his type of belt which was highly decorated. One type of Roman belt was made of studded leather with different numbers of hanging leather strips and sometimes metal rings.
The hanging strips were mainly for decoration and would make a noise as the soldier walked, so people would know a soldier was nearby. Some soldier's belts were fastened with studs made from antler or bone.
Sword
The best known type of Roman sword would be called a 'gladius', which is its Latin name. A gladius was a short, double edged sword measuring around 51cms long and 3 inches wide. The gladius was designed for thrusting into an enemy rather than swinging at him.
This sword was discovered in South Shields and is over 2,000 years old; it is called a Spatha and is a long, slashing sword. It would have been a very expensive sword and made from iron or steel. The handle was made from bone or wood, and had a large ball on the bottom to help the balance.
Roman Miniature Axe
Miniature tools and weapons were not used in battle; they were given to the Gods as a gift. Known as "votive" offerings, they were often used at burials or thrown into streams.
This miniature axe would have been made from bronze and is the most common tool found at religious sites. Other offerings would include wheels, swords, knives and spears.
Spoon
There were many different shapes and styles of spoon in Ancient Rome. This spoon is made from bone and although it looks like a spoon, it is very flat, so it might have been used for stirring and mixing. This spoon was found in Arbeia Fort in South Shields.
The Romans often made items from bone as it was readily available and easily shaped. They would make items such as jewellery, toggles, knife handles and even hair pins.
Stylus
A stylus was used in Roman times to scratch writing into a wax tablet. It was made from iron or bronze and would resemble the shape and weight of a pencil. Some Romans would bend their stylus to make it more comfortable when writing.
One end was sharpened to a point and used to scratch words into the wax. The other end would be flat and circular to smooth the wax over if a mistake was made, much like an eraser.
Roman Ruler
This Roman ruler is made from bone. Roman measurements are different to the ones we use today, a Roman foot is slightly shorter than an imperial foot (30cms).
Most children in ancient Rome usually started school when they were seven years old. Your school day would begin before the sun had risen and did not end until late afternoon!
Family-Man.co.uk has been developed by The North East Regional Museums Hub and Children North East Fathers plus, to be a fun filled interactive website helping children learn about life through the ages. All content is linked to the national curriculum, which makes Family-Man.co.uk a great resource for teachers, parents and children to help to encourage learning.
Designed & Developed by Armadillo Creative 