HOMES OF THE PATRICIANS

HOMES OF THE PATRICIANS • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4eF1tw8_nU • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqodAR80AtQ The houses of patrician families were called called villas. These villas included: • Atrium – a hall open to the sky. Had marble columns and bronze statues of gods or of the owner. There were pools, fountains and flowers. • Walled garden – called a peristyle • Bedrooms • Dining Room • Kitchen - Culina • Reception Rooms • Storerooms • Slaves quarters • Surrounded by high walls • Very few windows on the street side for protection • There was very little furniture – just chairs, couches, tables and beds • Floors had colourful mosaics.

HOMES OF THE PLEBIANS – pg 58 • Plebian families lived in blocks of flats called insulae • Four or five stories high – the higher up you were, the cheaper the rent. • Had to carry buckets of water upstairs • No indoor toilets – used public toilets or pots • The content of these pots was thrown out of the window onto the streets. • Shops at street level • Made of wood – fires were common • Flats were small – whole families (grandparents also) crammed into one or two rooms. • Probably just used them for sleeping • Dangerous to cook food because of fires – ate at food shops/takeaways called thermopolia

What was life like for a Roman family? • The fatherhad the power of life or death over everyone. When a new baby was born it would be laid at its father's feet - if the father picked the baby up it would live, but if he ignored the baby it would be taken away to die. • Men often beat their wives and children and could sell them into slavery. • Womenwere expected to run the home, cook meals, and raise children. If they were wealthy, women were lucky; they had slaves to do the work. Women could not become citizens or vote in elections. • Women could inherit property and some were successful in business. Some plebian women ran shops, worked in trades and crafts and were especially good at weaving, silverwork and making perfumes. • Many girls were married at the age of 14. Marriages were often arranged between families. A man could divorce his wife if she did not give birth to a son. Many women died young (in their 30s), because childbirth could be dangerous, and diseases were common.

FOOD - PLEBIANS • PLEBIANS • Did not each much during the day – mostly in the evening. • For breakfast Plebians ate bread dipped in wine with olives, cheese or raisins. Some could only afford porridge. • For lunch they usually had cold food such as bread, salad, fruit and nuts or a vegetable soup. Drank wine mixed with water. • Meat was a luxury, unless they lived in the countryside and could go hunting or fishing. Poor people did not have kitchens in their homes, so they would often buy takeaways like sausages or fried fish from the food shops.

FOOD - PATRICIANS The upper class Romans (patricians) had dinners that were quite elaborate. The men had the dinner parties; (decent) women and children ate separately. They usually ate a three course meal and they lasted for several hours. STARTERS . For starters there were savoury titbits such as oysters, mussels, and raw or cooked vegetables. A favourite food was stuffed dormice.

MAIN COURSE The main course was usually roast or boiled meat, covered in rich, spicy sauces. Romans used rich sauces to over up the taste of food that was not very fresh. Some Romans liked to eat snails fattened on milk, peacocks' brains and flamingos' tongues.

DESSERT For desserts, Romans ate pastries, nuts and fruit such as figs and grapes. Honey was used to sweet the food because they did not know about sugar.

The common Roman footwear, The Roman soldier's military sandal,

FASHION Roman men usually wore only one ring, and hairstyles and beards changed with the times Women used plenty of makeup, often dyed their hair golden-red and loved to wear jewellery – rings earrings, bracelets and necklaces. Both men and women wore leather sandals in the house and shoes outside. Children wore a special locket around their neck, given to them at birth, called a bulla. It contained an amulet as a protection against evil and was worn on a chain, cord, or strap.

ENTERTAINMENT • CIRCUS MAXIMUS • ROMAN BATHS • COLOSSEUM

HOMES OF THE PATRICIANS