If you had lived in the Roman Empire, where would you rather have lived – in the towns or in the countryside? Explain why.

Compile a list of some of the towns, cities, rivers, seas and provinces mentioned in this chapter, and then try and find them on the maps. Can you say something about any three of the items in the list you have compiled?

Imagine that you are a Roman housewife preparing a shopping list for household requirements. What would be on the list?

Why do you think the Roman government stopped coining in silver? And which metal did it begin to use for the production of coinage?

Suppose the emperor Trajan had actually managed to conquer India and the Romans had held on to the country for several centuries. In what ways do you think India might be different today?

Go through the chapter carefully and pick out some basic features of Roman society and economy which you think makes it look quite modern.