Roman History and Google Earth

Amazing times we live in, folks.

And simply amazing for those of us called to teach…

Google LatLong: Roman history comes to life in Google Earth: “Were you someone who struggled to stay awake in ancient history class? If so, perhaps this was due to those uninspiring ‘artist renditions’ in your textbook. Reading countless pages that described how a monument, building or city may have appeared at the time can be pretty difficult to imagine.

Well, today we introduced a new approach to learning about ancient history: the ability to go back in time and explore Rome as it existed in 320 AD — in 3D!”

Amazing.

I love Google and the interwebs.

30 Replies to “Roman History and Google Earth”

  1. That is so freaking beautiful. I was in Rome about 12 years ago and stayed down the street from the Colosseum. How great will it be when each historical era will be available like this.

    Reply

    1. Exactly.I spent a couple of weeks in Rome (and Athens on the same trip) while I was in college and it changed my life… pointed me in the direction of the ancient history stuff.However, as we walked through the Forum or even the Colosseum, I had a hard time imagining what it must have been like for the Romans themselves. Not to mention, when I wrote a book for Yale Press on an Assyrian palace a few years ago, we paid a ton of money to a private company that was doing “archaeological 3D reconstructions” that were along these lines (but vastly inferior). My fingers are crossed that Google goes nuts and expands beyond Rome to Athens, Jerusalem, Babylon, Nineveh, Shanghai, York, etc… can you imagine being able to teach history and pull up a 3D fly over in real time?? Amazing times we live in and I can't wait to see what my daughter grows up with in terms of tools to understand the past. I'm jealous because all I had were a few outdated World Book Encyclopedia articles and my imagination, but that jealousy makes me hopeful.

      Reply

      1. This is so cool!!!!

        Reply

  2. This is so cool!!!!

    Reply

  3. This is so cool!!!!

    Reply

  4. This is so cool!!!!

    Reply

  5. This is so cool!!!!

    Reply

  6. That is so freaking beautiful. I was in Rome about 12 years ago and stayed down the street from the Colosseum. How great will it be when each historical era will be available like this.

    Reply

    1. Exactly.

      I spent a couple of weeks in Rome (and Athens on the same trip) while I was in college and it changed my life… pointed me in the direction of the ancient history stuff.

      However, as we walked through the Forum or even the Colosseum, I had a hard time imagining what it must have been like for the Romans themselves.

      Not to mention, when I wrote a book for Yale Press on an Assyrian palace a few years ago, we paid a ton of money to a private company that was doing “archaeological 3D reconstructions” that were along these lines (but vastly inferior).

      My fingers are crossed that Google goes nuts and expands beyond Rome to Athens, Jerusalem, Babylon, Nineveh, Shanghai, York, etc… can you imagine being able to teach history and pull up a 3D fly over in real time??

      Amazing times we live in and I can’t wait to see what my daughter grows up with in terms of tools to understand the past. I’m jealous because all I had were a few outdated World Book Encyclopedia articles and my imagination, but that jealousy makes me hopeful.

      Reply

  7. That is so freaking beautiful. I was in Rome about 12 years ago and stayed down the street from the Colosseum. How great will it be when each historical era will be available like this.

    Reply

    1. Exactly.

      I spent a couple of weeks in Rome (and Athens on the same trip) while I was in college and it changed my life… pointed me in the direction of the ancient history stuff.

      However, as we walked through the Forum or even the Colosseum, I had a hard time imagining what it must have been like for the Romans themselves.

      Not to mention, when I wrote a book for Yale Press on an Assyrian palace a few years ago, we paid a ton of money to a private company that was doing “archaeological 3D reconstructions” that were along these lines (but vastly inferior).

      My fingers are crossed that Google goes nuts and expands beyond Rome to Athens, Jerusalem, Babylon, Nineveh, Shanghai, York, etc… can you imagine being able to teach history and pull up a 3D fly over in real time??

      Amazing times we live in and I can’t wait to see what my daughter grows up with in terms of tools to understand the past. I’m jealous because all I had were a few outdated World Book Encyclopedia articles and my imagination, but that jealousy makes me hopeful.

      Reply

  8. California Lotto November 12, 2008 at 13:45

    we'll see something like Google History soon

    Reply

  9. Jason Blackburn November 12, 2008 at 15:46

    This is amazing. Planning to share it with my classes! Thanks, Sam!

    Reply

  10. California Lotto November 12, 2008 at 16:45

    we’ll see something like Google History soon

    Reply

  11. we’ll see something like Google History soon

    Reply

  12. This is so cool!!!!

    Reply

  13. That is so freaking beautiful. I was in Rome about 12 years ago and stayed down the street from the Colosseum. How great will it be when each historical era will be available like this.

    Reply

    1. Exactly.

      I spent a couple of weeks in Rome (and Athens on the same trip) while I was in college and it changed my life… pointed me in the direction of the ancient history stuff.

      However, as we walked through the Forum or even the Colosseum, I had a hard time imagining what it must have been like for the Romans themselves.

      Not to mention, when I wrote a book for Yale Press on an Assyrian palace a few years ago, we paid a ton of money to a private company that was doing “archaeological 3D reconstructions” that were along these lines (but vastly inferior).

      My fingers are crossed that Google goes nuts and expands beyond Rome to Athens, Jerusalem, Babylon, Nineveh, Shanghai, York, etc… can you imagine being able to teach history and pull up a 3D fly over in real time??

      Amazing times we live in and I can’t wait to see what my daughter grows up with in terms of tools to understand the past. I’m jealous because all I had were a few outdated World Book Encyclopedia articles and my imagination, but that jealousy makes me hopeful.

      Reply

  14. That is so freaking beautiful. I was in Rome about 12 years ago and stayed down the street from the Colosseum. How great will it be when each historical era will be available like this.

    Reply

    1. Exactly.

      I spent a couple of weeks in Rome (and Athens on the same trip) while I was in college and it changed my life… pointed me in the direction of the ancient history stuff.

      However, as we walked through the Forum or even the Colosseum, I had a hard time imagining what it must have been like for the Romans themselves.

      Not to mention, when I wrote a book for Yale Press on an Assyrian palace a few years ago, we paid a ton of money to a private company that was doing “archaeological 3D reconstructions” that were along these lines (but vastly inferior).

      My fingers are crossed that Google goes nuts and expands beyond Rome to Athens, Jerusalem, Babylon, Nineveh, Shanghai, York, etc… can you imagine being able to teach history and pull up a 3D fly over in real time??

      Amazing times we live in and I can’t wait to see what my daughter grows up with in terms of tools to understand the past. I’m jealous because all I had were a few outdated World Book Encyclopedia articles and my imagination, but that jealousy makes me hopeful.

      Reply

      1. California Lotto November 12, 2008 at 21:45

        we’ll see something like Google History soon

        Reply

  15. That is so freaking beautiful. I was in Rome about 12 years ago and stayed down the street from the Colosseum. How great will it be when each historical era will be available like this.

    Reply

  16. Exactly.I spent a couple of weeks in Rome (and Athens on the same trip) while I was in college and it changed my life… pointed me in the direction of the ancient history stuff.However, as we walked through the Forum or even the Colosseum, I had a hard time imagining what it must have been like for the Romans themselves. Not to mention, when I wrote a book for Yale Press on an Assyrian palace a few years ago, we paid a ton of money to a private company that was doing “archaeological 3D reconstructions” that were along these lines (but vastly inferior). My fingers are crossed that Google goes nuts and expands beyond Rome to Athens, Jerusalem, Babylon, Nineveh, Shanghai, York, etc… can you imagine being able to teach history and pull up a 3D fly over in real time?? Amazing times we live in and I can't wait to see what my daughter grows up with in terms of tools to understand the past. I'm jealous because all I had were a few outdated World Book Encyclopedia articles and my imagination, but that jealousy makes me hopeful.

    Reply

  17. Jason Blackburn November 12, 2008 at 23:46

    This is amazing. Planning to share it with my classes! Thanks, Sam!

    Reply

  18. Jason Blackburn November 12, 2008 at 23:46

    This is amazing. Planning to share it with my classes! Thanks, Sam!

    Reply

  19. Jason Blackburn November 12, 2008 at 18:46

    This is amazing. Planning to share it with my classes! Thanks, Sam!

    Reply

  20. Jason Blackburn November 12, 2008 at 19:46

    This is amazing. Planning to share it with my classes! Thanks, Sam!

    Reply

  21. California Lotto November 12, 2008 at 21:45

    we’ll see something like Google History soon

    Reply

  22. California Lotto November 12, 2008 at 21:45

    we'll see something like Google History soon

    Reply

  23. Jason Blackburn November 12, 2008 at 23:46

    This is amazing. Planning to share it with my classes! Thanks, Sam!

    Reply

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