The origin of Rome is marked by the legend of the bickering brothers Romulus and Remus. The city was named for the prevailing brother, Romulus, and it flourished to become the origin of a powerful empire. Citizens of Rome became rich traders and landowners thanks to an organized agricultural system and prosperous trade, and mass migration from other nations began.
At the height of its rule, the Holy Roman Empire extended from Sicily to the North Sea. From Charlemagne to Napoleon, through crusades and conquests, witness the powerful unification of Emperor and Church that lasts for over a 1,000 years and changed the political and spiritual landscape of Europe. The discovery of the New World, the Protestant Reformation, and finally, the French Revolution all contributed to the decline and eventual fall of the Holy Empire.
The Roman Empire was born almost three thousand years ago in central Italy and left a deep and lasting imprint on the history of Western civilization. "All roads lead to Rome," and Romans exported their goods to and integrated cultures from every corner of the known world. However, after the rise of the empire in 31 BCE, environmental problems, disease and political corruption took their toll.
They were the wealthiest members of society -- a group who reported to their king and ruled over their serfs. In The Noble, students will delve into the nobility of the Middle Ages, exploring the castles that served as both fortification and living space for the noble family, while taking in the personal effects and food that demonstrated a noble’s affluence.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the first explorers traveled from Europe to the land of Egypt and searched for archaeological treasures along the banks of the Nile. But the realm of the pharaohs presented them with puzzling questions. Who were these rulers? Where did their immense riches come from? And why was so much of it lost to the sands of the desert? Discover the history, culture and key figures of ancient Egypt from its mere beginnings until its dramatic Roman conquest.
