Daily Life:
Normally the Roman people started their day with breakfast.
The lower class Romans (plebeians)might have a breakfast of bread, dry or dipped in wine, and water. Sometimes olives, cheese, or raisins were sprinkled on the bread. In 1c CE, it became the custom to distribute bread daily to the unemployed. Workmen, on their way to work, grabbed some bread, and ate it on the way.
The upper class Romans (patricians) enjoyed fresh meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, bread, and used honey to sweeten food. (Sugar was unknown). They had slaves to cook and clean. Slaves cut their food for them, as they didn't use forks or knives, but ate with their fingers. A wet towel was handy (or brought by slaves) to tidy up after a meal. Early in the morning, schoolboys, on the run, often stopped at a bakery for a quick meal, or to buy a pancake to eat on their way to school.
What we don't know: In spite of the many inscriptions and other pieces of the past scholars have labored to put together for us, we still don't know much about ancient Roman daily life.
We still don't know whether the ancient Romans had wastebaskets, or how common cats were, or whether anyone kept a dog indoors.
We know they had temples, but what did they do in there? It will be interesting to see what scholars discover as they continue to find inscriptions, and to put pieces of the past together!
What we do know: We know quite a bit about Roman government, which was famous for power and law, and a great deal about Roman religion with its many Roman gods and festivals.
We know that Rome grew from an important city into a huge, crowded, noisy, smoky, dusty city, with beautiful temples and public buildings. The rich had gracious homes, each with an entrance atrium, which was the center of family life. For those who were not quite as rich, there were apartment buildings, some quite nice ones, and there were shabby tenements for the poor. Narrow streets wound between the seven hills.
We know some people walked around Rome. Some were carried in covered litters, with curtained couches carried on poles by slaves. Soldiers strode though town in chain mail or leather armor. Workmen hurried in belted tunics of dark wool. Before daylight, boys hurried to school. Later in the day, Roman citizens strolled around town in white wool tunics. Shops lined the streets.
We know that, down in the Forum, courts were in session, and the great Senate orators met and argued.
Even for the poor, life in the city was lively. There was always something going on, like the many religious festivals with entertainment paid for by the rich, and chariot racing with an open track that ran between the seven hills. These were free spectacles that all the people could enjoy.
They wore togas.
Normally the Roman people started their day with breakfast.
The lower class Romans (plebeians)might have a breakfast of bread, dry or dipped in wine, and water. Sometimes olives, cheese, or raisins were sprinkled on the bread. In 1c CE, it became the custom to distribute bread daily to the unemployed. Workmen, on their way to work, grabbed some bread, and ate it on the way.
The upper class Romans (patricians) enjoyed fresh meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, bread, and used honey to sweeten food. (Sugar was unknown). They had slaves to cook and clean. Slaves cut their food for them, as they didn't use forks or knives, but ate with their fingers. A wet towel was handy (or brought by slaves) to tidy up after a meal. Early in the morning, schoolboys, on the run, often stopped at a bakery for a quick meal, or to buy a pancake to eat on their way to school.
What we don't know: In spite of the many inscriptions and other pieces of the past scholars have labored to put together for us, we still don't know much about ancient Roman daily life.
We still don't know whether the ancient Romans had wastebaskets, or how common cats were, or whether anyone kept a dog indoors.
We know they had temples, but what did they do in there? It will be interesting to see what scholars discover as they continue to find inscriptions, and to put pieces of the past together!
What we do know: We know quite a bit about Roman government, which was famous for power and law, and a great deal about Roman religion with its many Roman gods and festivals.
We know that Rome grew from an important city into a huge, crowded, noisy, smoky, dusty city, with beautiful temples and public buildings. The rich had gracious homes, each with an entrance atrium, which was the center of family life. For those who were not quite as rich, there were apartment buildings, some quite nice ones, and there were shabby tenements for the poor. Narrow streets wound between the seven hills.
We know some people walked around Rome. Some were carried in covered litters, with curtained couches carried on poles by slaves. Soldiers strode though town in chain mail or leather armor. Workmen hurried in belted tunics of dark wool. Before daylight, boys hurried to school. Later in the day, Roman citizens strolled around town in white wool tunics. Shops lined the streets.
We know that, down in the Forum, courts were in session, and the great Senate orators met and argued.
Even for the poor, life in the city was lively. There was always something going on, like the many religious festivals with entertainment paid for by the rich, and chariot racing with an open track that ran between the seven hills. These were free spectacles that all the people could enjoy.
They wore togas.
Life in the City of Rome
•Peace outside; poverty and crowding inside
•Living in insulae
•Public baths
•Sanitation problems
•Living in insulae
•Public baths
•Sanitation problems
Types of schools
•Primary School (w/ litterator or magister ludi)
Reading w/ simple letters, phrases from texts & inscriptions
Writing w/ erasable wax tablet & stylus (CAPS only)
Simple math w/ abacus or pebbles (and Roman numerals)
Low fees, open to any student, mixed social classes
•Secondary School (w/ grammaticus)
Writing w/ parchment & quills for advanced students
Latin & Greek for elite students
Oratory, beg. rhetoric, poetry, grammar = civic/political training
Oratory School/”College” (w/ rhetor)
More advanced rhetoric; typically noble students
Reading w/ simple letters, phrases from texts & inscriptions
Writing w/ erasable wax tablet & stylus (CAPS only)
Simple math w/ abacus or pebbles (and Roman numerals)
Low fees, open to any student, mixed social classes
•Secondary School (w/ grammaticus)
Writing w/ parchment & quills for advanced students
Latin & Greek for elite students
Oratory, beg. rhetoric, poetry, grammar = civic/political training
Oratory School/”College” (w/ rhetor)
More advanced rhetoric; typically noble students
Famous Roman Teachers
•Cicero (103BC-43BC)
Roman statesman, orator, lawyer, political scientist, & prose stylist
Sent his son Marcus to Athens to complete his education, as many wealthy families did (=Grand Tour)
•Quintilian (35-100 AD)
•Marcus Fabius Quintilianus
Trained in Rome—lawyer in Spain--assistant to Emperor Galba—opens a school of Rhetoric in Rome.
Tutor to Domitian’s grand-nephews
Author of Istitutio Oratorio, on technical points of speech and training of orators--
Roman statesman, orator, lawyer, political scientist, & prose stylist
Sent his son Marcus to Athens to complete his education, as many wealthy families did (=Grand Tour)
•Quintilian (35-100 AD)
•Marcus Fabius Quintilianus
Trained in Rome—lawyer in Spain--assistant to Emperor Galba—opens a school of Rhetoric in Rome.
Tutor to Domitian’s grand-nephews
Author of Istitutio Oratorio, on technical points of speech and training of orators--