What is the most significant threat to the relatively high standard of living people are accustomed to the united states

Many Romans lived in cities throughout the Roman Empire. Like cities and towns of today, Roman cities were centers for culture, business, and government. We know quite a lot about life in places like Rome and Pompeii from studying the archaeological ruins. Even though the Roman Empire was widespread, the heart of the empire was on the Italian Peninsula in the city of Rome.

The Empire's Chief City

Rome was one of the largest cities in the ancient world. By about a.d. 1, more than a million people lived there. People traveled to Rome from every part of the empire. Like many other Roman cities, Rome was carefully planned. It was laid out in a square with the main streets crossing at right angles.

The emperor lived in Rome in a splendid palace on the top of a hill. At the foot of the hill was the Forum (FOHR • uhm). This was a large open space that served as a marketplace and public square, much like the malls we visit today. In the Forum marketplace, Romans shopped for food and luxury items, played games, and chatted with their friends. Temples and other public buildings surrounded the Forum.

Like the emperor, wealthy Romans lived in large, comfortable houses on the city's hills. Their homes had marble walls, tiled floors, and running water. Houses were built around a courtyard called an atrium, which was open to the sky. The atrium often had a garden. Wealthy Romans also had homes called villas on large farms outside the city.