Excavate! Rome Game

Game Overview

Piece together the daily life of ancient Rome in this immersive social studies educational game! Use Archaeological thinking to apply C3 skills of Inquiry and Evaluation of Evidence to aspects of Roman daily life not covered in textbooks. Excavate and analyze four significant locations to make connections and deduct facts about the people who lived, worked and played there. Explore a Domus and Insula, homes that highlight very different lifestyles and illustrate social class differences. Investigate the Baths, a cornerstone of private and social life for all Romans. Examine the depths of the Colosseum to gain a deeper understanding of what really went on inside this iconic Roman building. Visit the sites in any order; your progress will be recorded in journals that log collected artifacts, field notes and achievements. At each location, make meaning of how artifacts were used through a series of analysis questions and reports that help you consider the historical context of the primary source artifacts to make connections. Finally, players see each site come alive as artifacts populate an historically accurate image of Roman life. You’ll soon realize why Rome wasn’t built in a day!

Featured Learning Goals:

Distinguish the roles of men, women, children and slaves in ancient Roman society

Compare and contrast the lifestyles of upper, middle and lower-class Romans

Explain the significance of public baths in Roman life

Gain a new perspective on the Colosseum and understand how its structure reflected Roman society

Describe the lifestyle and role of gladiators in Roman society

List methods of medical care used to treat gladiators

Explain architectural innovations that were used to build private homes, tenement apartments, public baths and the Colosseum

Describe the diet and cooking methods of ancient Romans