Look Around a Roman Villa

Children's Literature - Laura J. Brown

This is another great title in the "Virtual History Tours." This time readers are visiting Roman Villas and a way of life enjoyed by the wealthy. Readers will receive a warm welcome to the villa and be given a brief history of who built the villas and why. The book includes a pictorial map of a villa, which is needed due to its size, because it included many rooms and gardens. Villas were often the country homes of rich Romans who wanted to get away from the busy crowded cities. These homes were very large and had a staffs of servants and slaves who also had a mandate to provide an income for their owners. The villas not only had servants to cook and clean for the masters of the house, but had individuals working in the fields raising crops to be sold in the cities. Each room in the villa had a purpose and that is explained to readers. The ancient Romans believed education was important so many villas included libraries full of books. Readers also learn about the daily home life of the masters, servants, and slaves at the villa. Reviewer: Laura J. Brown