Who were the Romans? We've got the answer to this question in our blog, as well as some fun facts about the Romans that your child will love. 

What's more, our interesting facts about the Romans and the activities in our blog are a perfect way to support your child as they learn about the Romans at primary school.

Read on to find out more.

Who were the Romans?

We know that the first Romans came from Rome, a city next to the river Tiber in modern day Italy.

Augustus Caesar became the first Emperor of Rome in 27 BC. Subsequent Emperors (such as Nero, Claudius and Vespasian) conquered massive areas of land. The Roman Empire was at its largest under Emperor Trajan (AD 98 to AD 117), when he reigned over land which today makes up 40 different countries, from the Mediterranean Sea to parts of Great Britain! This meant that Roman influence stretched far and wide across Europe. 

It is for this reason that aspects of Roman life are still visible in Britain today (the Roman baths in Bath, Hadrian’s Wall etc.).

Facts about Roman Life 

We've got lots of interesting Roman facts for kids below.

• Roman society was divided into citizens, non-citizens and enslaved people. Citizens had certain rights, including the right to vote (although only male citizens had this right) and the right to a fair trial. Unless they were found guilty of treason, citizens couldn't be sentenced to death. 

• Non-citizens could earn their citizenship if they'd achieved something special, such as service in the army. 

• The life of an enslaved person was full of hardships. They were considered the property of the family they served and could be beaten for little or no reason.

• Latin was the main language of the Roman Empire.

• Women, whether citizens or not, had very few rights in Rome. They received a very basic education and were expected to take a traditional role in the household, preparing and cooking meals, making clothes and raising children. They lived under the authority of their father or husband at all times.

• Poor Romans in towns and cities lived in apartment-style buildings called ‘insulae’. Rich Romans in towns and cities lived in houses called a ‘domus’; those in the countryside lived in villas.

• Poor Romans ate meals consisting mainly of vegetables and porridge. Rich Romans enjoyed food such as dormice, wild boar and venison. At dinner parties, Romans ate lying down on couches. They mainly ate with their fingers.

• The Romans enjoyed watching chariot races at a stadium. A Roman stadium was a long rectangular course with curves at both ends. The Circus Maximum in Rome is a stadium that seated 150,000 spectators. Enslaved people fought as gladiators in amphitheatres such as the Colosseum in Rome.

• Each town or city would have a complex of public baths, known as the ‘thermae’, where Romans would go to keep clean.

Enjoying our Roman facts for kids? Here's five more fun Roman facts:

• Romans used cobwebs to stop bleeding.

• The streets of ancient Rome were covered in graffiti.

• The Colosseum could be flooded to re-enact naval battles.

• Mouse brains were used as toothpaste by some Romans.

• Anyone who stood behind Julius Caesar would face the death penalty. This was because he was going bald and didn't want people to notice.

Facts about Roman Food

What did the Romans eat and drink?

• Mostly, they only ate food that they could grow, such as vegetables, but they also ate meat. 

• Traditionally they ate three meals a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

• However, rich Romans had much more extravagant diets. They had dinner parties with pig, deer, goat, cheese and even peacocks!

Roman Activities for Kids

Romans Facts Powerpoint

A good starting point is this Romans facts PowerPoint. This includes some of the interesting Roman facts for kids listed above and many, many more. 

Roman Facts KS2 PowerPoint

Reading Comprehension

Test your kids' reading and comprehension skills with this Romans activity sheet. The pack is differentiated for different abilities and includes the answers too. 

LKS2 The Romans Differentiated Comprehension Activity

Spread of the Romans Powerpoint

Want to learn more about how the Romans conquered land across the world? This powerpoint is a great place to start. 

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Timeline

A great way to teach your child about this topic is to get them to put key events in chronological order. Use these cards to help. 

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Roman Army Powerpoint

Learn all about the Romans and their army using this powerpoint, which includes lots of fun facts. 

R

Roman Empire Map

Use this map alongside the spread of the Roman Empire powerpoint as a geography activity. 

Spread of the Roman Empire Map Worksheet

Roman Numerals Worksheet

Test your kids' knowledge of Roman numerals using this handy worksheet. 

Roman Numerals Worksheet

History Unit Pack

Everything your child needs to learn about the Romans is in this unit pack. It includes word searches, art tasks, worksheets, timelines and more. 

History: Romans LKS2 Unit Pack

BBC Teach Videos About The Romans

What other educational activities can I find for my child at Twinkl?

Besides our facts about the Romans for kids, we have many more fun educational activities for your child at Twinkl.

• Twinkl Kids TV or Twinkl Parents have many educational videos on various aspects of the school curriculum.

• The Homework Help has a wealth of information to help your child with homework.

• Does school jargon flummox you? Head over to our Twinkl Parenting Wiki page where we explain it all in parent-friendly terms.

• Twinkl Yum is the go-to place for delicious recipes.

• Your child will love the inspirational books on offer at Twinkl Originals.

• Are you looking for craft activities? Then pop over to Twinkl Crafts.

• To connect with other parents and gather new ideas, visit our Twinkl Parents Facebook Page.

If your child enjoyed our facts about the Romans for kids, why not head over to our Top Ten February Colouring Activities?

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Top Ten Norse God and Goddesses Activities

Top Ten February Crafts

This blog post is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is your responsibility to ensure that the information and activities this blog post contains are safe and appropriate to use in your situation.

Writer’s Bio 

Bethan Drew works at Twinkl as a Content Writer for the Classic Topic Team. With 16 years’ experience teaching EYFS through the Year 6, she enjoys bringing a practical and creative approach to teaching.