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