Daily Life in Ancient Rome
Subtitle: The People and the City at the Height of the Empire
Publisher: Yale University Press
Published: October 1, 2003
Language: eng
Format: Paperback
Number of pages: 368
ISBN-13: 9780300101867
Subjects: History; History - General History; History: World; Ancient - Rome; History / Ancient / Rome; General; Antonines, 96-192; Rome; Social life and customs
First sentence: THERE is little need to dwell on the splendour of the city of Rome at the beginning of the second century of our era.
Table of contents: title: The extent and population of the city. The splendour of the urbs -- The precincts of Rome and the city's true extent -- The growth of the city's population -- Houses and streets. Modern aspects of the Roman house -- Archaic aspects of the Roman house -- Streets and traffic -- Society and social classes. Romans and foreigners -- Slavery and manumission -- The confusion of social values -- Living standards and the plutocracy -- Marriage, woman, and the family. The weakening of paternal authority. Betrothal and marriage -- The Roman matron -- Feminism and demoralisation -- Divorce and the instability of the family. Education and religion. Symptoms of decomposition -- Primary education -- The routine teaching of the grammarian -- Impractical rhetoric -- The decay of traditional religion -- The progress of oriental mysticism -- The advent of Christianity -- The morning.  The days and hours of the Roman calendar -- The Roman begins the day -- The barber -- The matron dresses -- Occupations. The duties of a ``client'' -- Businessmen and manual labourers -- Justice and politics -- Public readings -- Shows and spectacles. ``Panem et circenses'' -- The employment of leisure -- The races -- The theatre -- The amphitheatre -- Late opposition -- Afternoon and evening. Strolling, gaming, and pleasure -- The baths -- Dinner.