One of the most famous of all Roman statues is usually known by its Italian name l'Arringatore meaning "The Haranguer" or "The Orator", and depicts a man speaking in public.
Made c. 100 B.C., this life-size statue is made of bronze, and inscribed with the man's name: Aulus Metellus. His toga, elaborately-laced, leather boots and ring show that he was someone who held public office and was of social standing.
It was found in the depths of Lake Trasimene in 1556 and is now in the Archaeological Museum of Florence, Italy.
As shown on Stage 36 title-page in CLC Unit 4.

Listen to Latin readings from a selection of Roman authors: Virgil (Aeneid 1 & 4), Catullus (Carmina 5), Cicero (In Catilinam 1), Horace (Odes 1.22), Juvenal (Satire 1.1-30), Martial (Epigrammata 1.96), Ovid (Metamorphoses 8.183-235), Seneca (Thyestes 766-804), Terence (Eunuch 232-264).
 

Listen to another version of the first few lines of Virgil's Aeneid.
 

3-D plans and reconstructions of a typical odeon - this particular one is that in Pompeii (sometimes called "the small theater").

Photo from the air, showing how it's typically positioned next to the larger theater.

The larger theater is again next to the smaller odeon.

Take a 360° tour of this splendid Roman odeon in Ephesus, Turkey.

On the Esquiline Hill in Rome are the ruins of a semicircular building possibly once belonging to Maecenas who was a close friend of Augustus, a poet and a patron of other poets including Virgil and Horace.

It has been suggested that thi building was an auditorium for private poetry recitals - in effect an odeon.

Today, this small archaeolgical site, with its modern roof, is in the midst of the modern city: exterior view 1, exterior view 2; it is still sometimes used for recitals.

Image of a deceased young man whose body was wrapped in this painted shroud.
He is shown holding a papyrus scroll, indicating his learning.
This burial cloth is from Saqara in Egypt, dating 125-150 AD.

This photo shows other Egytian deities on either side of the youth, including jackal-headed Anubis on the right.

In the Pushkin Museum, Moscow.

Image of a deceased young man whose body was wrapped in this painted shroud.
He is shown holding a papyrus scroll, indicating his learning.
This burial cloth is from Saqara in Egypt, dating 125-150 AD.

This photo shows other Egytian deities on either side of the youth, including jackal-headed Anubis on the right.

Virgil, with the Aeneid on his lap, is flanked by the Muse of History and Muse of Tragedy; in the Bardo Museum, Tunisia.

As shown on p.27 of CLC Bk.V.

Virgil's so famous that he's even on a modern Tunisian postage stamp!

Virgil, with the Aeneid on his lap, is flanked by the Muse of History and Muse of Tragedy; in the Bardo Museum, Tunisia.

Virgil's so famous that he's even on a modern Tunisian postage stamp!

The scene, showing the poet reading to Thalia, the Muse of Comedy, is sculpted on the front of a marble sarcophagus, dating 180-200 AD, found in Rome, and now in the British Museum.
As shown on p.27 of CLC Bk.V.

The scene, showing the poet reading to Thalia, the Muse of Comedy, is sculpted on the front of a marble sarcophagus, dating 180-200 AD, found in Rome, and now in the British Museum.

Detail of a poet or philosopher, on a sarcophagus, from the church of Sta. Maria Antiqua, Rome.

Roman clay figures holding trays on which are opened scrolls; c.40-50 AD. In Colchester Museum, UK.
As shown on p.28 of CLC Bk.V.

Roman clay figures holding trays on which are opened scrolls; c.40-50 AD. In Colchester Museum, UK.

He sits beside a cabinet full of scrolls; from the Museum of Roman Civilisation, EUR, Rome.

Famous wall-painting depicting a ceremony of initiation into the secret rites of Dionysos.

Still in-situ in the Villa of the Mysteries at Pompeii.

Roman wall-painting still in situ in The House of Menander, Pompeii.

This 17th century drawing is based on a Roman relief sculpture, now lost, from Neumagen in Germany. Note the labels on the ends of some of the scrolls.

Famous relief sculpture depicting students reading scrolls. In Trier Museum, Germany.

An early Christian, ivory box dating from A.D. 350-400 with biblical scenes including a central panel of Christ and the Apostles.

Its small size (22x32x25cms) probably indicates that it was meant to contain sacred items, and its name Lipsanoteca ("relic box" in Greek) reflects this.

Front view.

On display in the church of Santa Maria in Solario, now part of the City Museum, Brescia, Italy.

As shown on p.23 of CLC Stage V.

An early Christian, ivory box dating from A.D. 350-400 with biblical scenes including a central panel of Christ and the Apostles.

Its small size (22x32x25cms) probably indicates that it was meant to contain sacred items, and its name Lipsanoteca ("relic box" in Greek) reflects this.

Front view.

On display in the church of Santa Maria in Solario, now part of the City Museum, Brescia, Italy.

As shown on p.38 of CLC Unit 4.

Famous fresco from an unrecorded findspot in Pompeii showing exactly what the Romans wrote with.

From left to right: an identifying tag (sillybos) that would be attached to a scroll; a wax- tablet "book"; a double ink pot; a reed pen; and a papyrus scroll (volumen).
In the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.

Papyrus scrolls - volumes - formed the basis of personal and public libraries.
Here we see a recreation of an ancient library with shelves of scrolls which are tagged with their title-labels.
Photo from the film-set of Alexander with Anthony Hopkins as Ptolemy, the Hellenistic Greek ruler of Egypt.

The scrolls were stored in the cupboards set into the walls.

Mock-up in the Museum of Roman Civilisation in Rome.
As shown on p.29 of CLC Bk.V.

The scrolls were stored in the cupboards set into the walls.

Mock-up in the Museum of Roman Civilisation in Rome.

Detailed, informative Wikipedia article about the largest and most famous library in the ancient world.

Reports of its discovery in 2004 were wildly exaggerated, however. Archaeologists uncovered late Roman lecture halls(scroll down to view images) - not the still-lost Hellenistic library itself.