HASS · Year 7

Active learning ideas

Slavery and Social Hierarchy in Rome

Rome’s social hierarchy and slavery were the backbone of its economy and daily life, shaping who held power and who did not. Active learning helps students move beyond abstract facts by engaging directly with the lived realities of these systems, making them tangible and memorable through discussion, role-play, and mapping.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9H7K05

• 20–40 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Inquiry Circle
• 40 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: Mapping the Spread

Groups are given a map of Roman roads and trade routes. They must 'trace' the journey of an early missionary and identify three reasons why the Roman Empire's infrastructure actually made it easier for a 'rebel' religion to spread.

Analyze the economic impact of slavery on the Roman Empire.

Facilitation Tip

During Collaborative Investigation: Mapping the Spread, assign each group a region and primary sources to present their findings to the class, ensuring all voices contribute to the final map.

What to look for

Students write two sentences explaining one way slavery impacted the Roman economy and one sentence describing a difference between a patrician and a plebeian.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Role Play
• 35 min · Small Groups

Role Play: The Roman Governor's Dilemma

One student is a Roman Governor, others are 'accused' Christians. The Governor must decide whether to punish them for not worshipping the Emperor, while the Christians explain why they can't. This helps students understand the clash between religious belief and political loyalty.

Compare the experiences of different types of slaves within Roman society.

Facilitation Tip

In Role Play: The Roman Governor's Dilemma, provide governors with a script that includes both historical context and personal bias to deepen their dilemma.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'If you were a Roman citizen, how might your view of slavery differ if you were a wealthy landowner versus a poor farmer?' Facilitate a class discussion, encouraging students to consider economic and social motivations.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 20 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Why was it appealing?

Students read about the core beliefs of early Christianity (equality, helping the poor). They discuss with a partner: 'Why would these ideas be especially attractive to enslaved people or the poor in Rome?'.

Critique the moral implications of widespread slavery in a 'civilised' society.

Facilitation Tip

For Think-Pair-Share: Why was it appealing?, circulate as students discuss and jot down key phrases students use to justify their reasoning before sharing out.

What to look for

Provide students with a short list of Roman social roles (e.g., senator, farmer, gladiator, household servant). Ask them to categorize each role as typically Patrician, Plebeian, or Enslaved, and briefly justify one categorization.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teaching slavery and social hierarchy in Rome works best when you make it personal. Students need to confront the human cost of these systems, so avoid sanitizing the language or minimizing the brutality of enslavement. Use primary sources like letters, laws, and inscriptions to ground discussions in evidence. Research shows that when students role-play historical figures, they better grasp the constraints and choices people faced, especially when those choices involved moral conflict.

Students will explain how slavery and social roles reinforced each other in Roman society, using evidence from activities to support their reasoning. They will also connect these structures to the political resistance Christians faced, showing how loyalty to the state conflicted with new religious identities.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Collaborative Investigation: Mapping the Spread, watch for students attributing Roman persecution of Christians solely to religious differences.

  Use the map they create to point out regions where Christians were concentrated and ask them to consider why Roman officials might view refusal to worship the emperor as an act of disloyalty rather than just a religious choice.

• During Think-Pair-Share: Why was it appealing?, watch for students assuming Christianity spread quickly because people suddenly preferred it over Roman gods.

  Have students examine the timeline on the Growth Chart from the overview, then ask them to explain why gradual growth over centuries suggests more complex reasons for conversion.

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Methods used in this brief

• Inquiry Circle
• Role Play
• Think-Pair-Share