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insulae: how the masses lived. Life for the 95%. What was life like for the urban poor in Rome? What sources are available to us?
- Charioteer Frescoes
Frescoes of charioteers holding palms and laurel wreaths,...
- Statue of Cupid and Psyche
Replica of a Roman marble copy of a 2nd century BC...
- Freedmen
Dr Valerie Hope explains Rome's social structure, and how...
- Auxiliary Soldiers
Blog: Life as a foreigner in Rome. Written by Prof. Ray...
- Rethinking Women and Work
EUR (Rome), Museum of Roman Civilization. Roman women on...
- Roman Law
Chapter 1 focuses on Rome and covers the sorts of crimes...
- Growing Up
A six minute TEDEd video and accompanying lesson activities...
- Charioteer Frescoes
The Roman Empire lasted from 700BC to AD476. At the peak of its power, Rome ruled more than 45 million people across Europe, North Africa and Asia. Its army was the most powerful in the world. As...
- Population Movement
- Housing - Apartment Blocks
- Private Villas
- The Family
- Food
- Work & Leisure
- Baths
- Conclusion
Outside the cities, in the towns and on the small farms, people lived a much simpler life - dependent almost entirely on their own labor. The daily life of the average city dweller, however, was a lot different and most often routine. The urban areas of the empire - whether it was Rome, Pompeii, Antioch, or Carthage - were magnets to many people wh...
As elsewhere, whether on a farm or in the city, daily life still centered on the home, and when people arrived in the city, their first concern was to find a place to live. Space was at a premium in a walled metropolis like Rome, and from the beginning little attention was paid to the housing needs of the people who migrated to the city - tenements...
On the contrary, most of the wealthy residents - those who didn't live in villas outside the city - lived in a domus. These homes, at least in Rome, were usually located on Palatine Hill to be close to the imperial palace. As with many of the tenements, the front of this dwelling (especially in cities like Pompeii and Herculaneum) often contained a...
Regardless whether rich or poor, tenement or villa, the fundamental social unit throughout the empire was the family, and from the early days of the Republic, the existence of the family-centered entirely on the concept of paterfamilias - the male head of the household had the power of life and death over all members of the family (even the extende...
Everyone has to eat, and the diet of a Roman resident depended, as did his or her housing, on one's economic status. For many of the poor this meant waiting for the monthly allotment of grain. To most Romans the main meal of the day was in the late afternoon, from four to six. The morning and noon meals were usually light snacks, sometimes only bre...
For the affluent the day was divided between business and leisure. Of course, business was only conducted in the morning. Most Romans worked a six-hour day, beginning at dawn and ending at noon, although, occasionally some shops might reopen in the early evening. The city's forum would be empty because the afternoon was devoted to leisure - attendi...
After a busy day conducting business and attending the games, a Roman citizen needed to relax and this relaxation time was spent at the baths - bathing was important to all Romans (usually once or twice a week). The baths were a place to socialize and sometimes conduct business. In 33 BCE there were 170 in Rome, and by 400 CE there were over 800 in...
Daily life in a Roman city was completely dependent on one's economic status. The city, however, remained a mixture of wealth and poverty, often existing side by side. The wealthy had the benefit of slave labor whether it was heating the water at the baths, serving them their evening meal, or educating their children. The poor, on the other hand, h...
- Donald L. Wasson
Sep 28, 2023 · Key Takeaways. Historians have been able to piece together a startlingly clear picture of what daily life in ancient Rome was like. Romans woke up before dawn, finished work by noon, and spent...
May 26, 2024 · The majority of the Roman population lived in rural areas, working as farmers, herders, and craftsmen. While they lacked the amenities of city life, they played a vital role in feeding the empire and supplying raw materials for its industries.
Feb 14, 2021 · In ancient Roman times, one of the most enjoyable parts of the afternoon was when it was time to eat. People took their meal in the garden or in a simple area put aside for dining known as triclinium. In the more well-off habitations, there would be a clear marker between indoors and outdoors, but the poor in their insulas did not have that luxury.
May 7, 2007 · The Roman world is 2,000 years away, but it is still surprisingly sophisticated. Make a start as soon as possible by organizing somewhere to stay in Rome. Do this by offering lodgings and hospitality to a Roman visiting your city. The Romans are great travellers, and are as keen (or keener) to save a denarius as anyone else.
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