"Make haste slowly." ~Emperor Augustus, the first Roman Emperor
from the California Department of Education:
"This... unit builds on the sixth-grade study of Roman civilization. Students should develop a map of the Roman Empire at its height, review briefly the reign of Augustus, and consider the reasons for Rome’s fall to invading Germanic tribes with attention to the role of Clovis, a Christian Frank.
"To help students relate this remote historical period to the present, teachers should emphasize the lasting contributions of Roman civilization, especially in the areas of law, language, technology, and the transmission of the Christian religion to the West. By learning that the law codes of most Latin countries are still based on Roman law, students will appreciate the continuing importance of Roman law and justice. Critical thinking skills can be developed by students as they compare citizens’ civic duties as taught by Roman Stoic philosophers with citizens’ civic responsibilities in America today. Such skills also can be developed by comparing modern-day public works, architecture, and technology with those of the Roman Empire."