Post on 19-Jan-2018
description
ANCIENT ROMEDaily Life
ROME Rome – Capital city of Roman Empire One of the first true “cities” One Million + inhabitants
Overcrowding
CITIZENSHIP Census
Counted Roman citizens, their families, slaves, and wealth
Could lose it if they didn’t register it They could even be sold as slaves
Allowed government to track Took place every 5 years
Citizenship Originally only those who lived in the city were counted
as Roman citizens As empire expanded, people in other parts were counted as
citizens, too These other parts of the empire modeled themselves after
Rome Women were not counted as citizens
LIFE OF THE RICH ROMANS Small number of rich Romans Elegant homes in city Villas = country estates Massive feasts
Exotic dishes, entertainment, induced vomiting
Could last days
HOUSING THE POOR OF ROME Most people in Rome were poor or
slaves Poor housing conditions
Apartments with no running water, toilets, or kitchens
Waste dumped into street Wooden houses
Great Fire of AD 64 Survived on wheat
Riots would break out from poor harvests Need for distraction
ROMAN ENTERTAINMENT Circus = arena for shows
Shows became known as circuses, too Colosseum also housed entertainment
Entertainment Animals/humans fighting Clowns Public executions Plays
Gladiators People who fight to the death “Thumbs up” or “thumbs down”
GOVERNMENT SUPPORT OF FAMILY LIFE Fathers with 3+ kids got land from gov. Women with 3+ kids, slaves with 4+
kids received privileges No financial benefit from gov. if
unmarried or childless Gov. wanted to increase family size,
continue family names
ROMAN HOUSEHOLD 3 generations of men, women, and
children lived in same house Paterfamilias - head of the Roman
household Father of the family (Latin)
Could be father, grandfather, or great-grandfather Absolute power over the household
Owned everything in it Sons had to be freed by the father in order to do
business or to own property At one point, they had the power to sell children
into slavery
WOMEN IN ANCIENT ROME Women married into households
Became like daughters to the paterfamilias of their new households
Some women lived in their original family’s households even after marriage
Freedom of Roman women depended upon husband’s wealth and status Wealthy women fairly independent
Influenced famous/powerful men throughout history Some became doctors, businesswomen
Some women even controlled own money Jobs of lower class women: cooks, dressmakers,
hairdressers, dancing, and singing
SLAVERY IN ANCIENT ROME Very common Slaves often well taken care of physically
Slaves still had virtually no rights Slaves often became close with their possessing
families Some even gained important familial positions
Slaves who didn’t work in households were less fortunate Poor conditions working in mines Others worked on farms Some were gladiators
Chance to buy freedom Served as rowers on warships