Analyze the Roman Empire under the Pax Romana (27 BCE - 180 CE) — including daily life across classes, Roman religion (polytheism + emperor cult + later spread of Christianity), Roman engineering (roads, aqueducts, concrete), AND Roman chattel slavery honestly per Walter Scheidel: ~30-40% of Italian population enslaved at the Pax Romana peak — the largest slave society of ancient Mediterranean
Exercise Difficulty 4 ~7 min hist.g6.f.ex_39

Source Analysis

MG-7 Interactive Physical / non-image

Ancient-World 6-Question Source Card — 8.5x11 laminated tool with 6 questions: (1) WHO made this source and WHEN? (sourcing); (2) WHAT was happening in this civilization at the time? (contextualization); (3) DOES this source agree or disagree with other sources from the same civilization or other civilizations? (corroboration); (4) WHAT does this source actually SAY (close reading); (5) WHO are the LIVING DESCENDANTS of this civilization today, and what do they say about this source? (NMAI-inspired 5th move); (6) WHO TRANSLATED this source from its ancient language? WHOSE INTERPRETATION are we reading? WHAT IS LIKELY MISSING from the source-record entirely (silences)? (World History Association-inspired 6th move). Scaffolded short-form for Lessons 3-7; full form for Lessons 11-21. Style: educator-tool, durable laminated card.

Prompt

Apply MG-7 Source Card to Pliny the Younger Letters 6.16 + 6.20 (describing Vesuvius eruption 79 CE + uncle Pliny the Elder's death attempting rescue, written 25 years after to Tacitus). Particular attention to LIVING DESCENDANTS (modern Italians) and CORROBORATION (archaeological evidence at Pompeii + Herculaneum corroborates).

How it's presented
mode text
Answer criteria
type rubric scored 6 question source card
rubric
3 stars: 6 questions answered substantively with specific details. 2 stars: 5 answered. 1 star: 4. 0: <4.
Hints
  1. WHO/WHEN: Pliny the Younger writing to Tacitus c. 105 CE about 79 CE eruption.
  2. Corroboration: Pompeii + Herculaneum archaeology.
Misconceptions to watch
  • Treating Pliny's letters as 'just literary,'
  • Forgetting that Pliny wrote 25 years AFTER the event
Used in lessons