The Ancient Rome was one of the biggest civilizations in history. Rome was the capital city, and the Romans conquered most of Europe, North Africa, and parts of the Near East. There were three periods of Roman rule: the Monarchy, the Republic, and the Empire. The Romans spoke Latin and made important contributions like building the Colosseum in Rome, aqueducts, and bridges. They also believed in many gods adapted from Greek mythology. Roman society consisted of patricians, plebeians, and slaves.