

The Selfie Through Time
The year is 85 B.C., and young Julius Caesar, only fifteen years old, found himself being dragged through the bustling streets of Rome by his exasperated tutor, Marcus. Today’s lesson? A visit to the Colosseum, the grand amphitheater where gladiators battled and wild animals roamed.
"Pay attention, Julius!" Marcus scolded, his voice barely audible above the clamor of the city. "This place is a testament to Roman engineering and power!"
Julius, however, found himself considerably less interested in the history of the Colosseum and considerably more interested in, well, anything else. The sun was hot, Marcus's droning voice was like a lullaby, and the only thing keeping him awake was the sheer size of the building. It was huge!
A Sneaky Escape
As Marcus launched into a detailed explanation of the different types of gladiators, Julius saw his chance. With a practiced maneuver, he slipped away from his tutor's side, melting into the crowd. He made his way to an area overlooking the arena floor. An idea sparked in his mischievous young mind.
He reached into the pocket of his tunic and pulled out… not a scroll or a writing tablet, but a sleek, advanced device from a time yet to come. A phone. A time traveler, during a vacation, had dropped it only months before. For a young man, with the mind of a future emperor, this was gold.
The Daring Selfie
Julius held the device out at arm's length, angling it just so to capture the imposing Colosseum behind him. He smirked, his dark eyes gleaming with ambition. He tapped the screen. Click! The image was saved.
"Future ruler," he muttered to himself as he reviewed the photo,

Listen to Young Caesar's Colosseum Selfie
PicoBuddy read-aloud story
- Colosseum:
- A large amphitheater in ancient Rome where gladiators fought.
- Gladiator:
- A trained fighter in ancient Rome who battled for public entertainment.
- Tutor:
- A private teacher.
- Amphitheater:
- A large open-air venue with tiered seating.
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About this fiction passage for Middle School
“Young Caesar's Colosseum Selfie” is a fiction reading passage about Ancient Rome, written for Middle School. It takes about 2 minutes to read (284 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.


