Rome… Social structure, daily life and entertainment

1. M. Bridgeo Rome… Social structure, daily life and entertainment

2. M. Bridgeo 1 2 3 1 – Senators 2 – Patricians 3 – the wealthier Plebians 4 – free men (Roman provinces, soldiers, farmers) 5 – Slaves The Proleariat fermiers 4 soldats Farm workers 5 Horrible life http://library.thinkquest.org/22866/Dutch/Plaatjes/Piramideuk.gif

3. M. Bridgeo Family Family was the basis of society, almost exclusively the father/husband who was in charge of the household. This authority gave him permission to buy and sell children into and out of slavery or to abandon children he did not want. The principal factor that influenced your place in society was that status of your family. http://www.cosmovisions.com/cartes/qMiniItalieAntique.png

4. M. Bridgeo Family Property always passed from father to oldest son, thus making it very important for each man to have at least one son. Men who were not able to have a son were able to marry and divorece their wives at will. When a child is born, the father takes them in his arms. If he raises the child over his head it is a sign he accepts the child as his own. If not, the child is considered illegitimate and had no rights of property, could be left to die or be adopted. Children who were kept were given a bulla, or a sign of good luck, to be worn around the neck to fend off evil spirits. Examples of bulla’s. http://www.ancient-art.com/images/a45.jpg

5. M. Bridgeo Marriage Until the 1st Century, marriage ceremonies were common. After this time, they were forgone for what we would term today ‘common-law’ marriages. Couples who lived together were considered to be married and a formal ceremony was seen as not necessary. http://www.clg-lespres.ac-versailles.fr/images/latin/lat_femme4.jpg

6. M. Bridgeo Children’s education Roman children learned to write on tablets covered in wax. A type of pencil, known as a ‘stilus’ (close to pen in French, stylo) served to trace letters and numbers in the wax. Classes were held in the open air (much like the photo to the left), isolated by a simple curtain. Boys attended school, called ludus, from the age of 6 to 11. More affluent children continued their studies at a secondary school called a Grammaticus. Girls stayed home. Their mothers taught them such skills as sewing and weaving, a rudimentary education, and then to take care of the home, children and their husbgnds. http://www.ac-grenoble.fr/ecqueige/pages/ecole/romain.jpg

7. M. Bridgeo Games and schooling… • Young boys stayed in the home until school-age. They had games, games that you would be accumstomed to playing (or I was, anyway, when I was young): • Marbles • Ball games • Children from rich homes also had a personal tutor to teach them reading and writing (in Greek and Latin, the two principal languages of the Empire). • They also read the works of famous writers, Homer and Virgil. They would learned by heart!!!! http://bluebuddies.com/gallery/Classic_Smurf_Toys/jpg/Smurfs_Toy_Smurf_Marbles.jpg

8. M. Bridgeo Women Roman women had an important and active role in the family, social events and business. They had much more liberty than did women in Greek society (remember, the Spartan women had more liberties than did the Athenians). They were permitted to leave their houses and stroll freely throughout the city, to take on positions outside of the home, take part in public games and gatherings as well as attend the theatre. They did not, however, enjoy the right of vote or holding any government position. http://www.clg-lespres.ac-versailles.fr/images/latin/lat_femme10.jpg

9. M. Bridgeo Clothing Clothing was simple. Men generally wore togas and women wore stolas. http://www.tassoni.it/photo-guide/romewoman.gif http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:TaiXghvKZD6kzM:http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/1004/50213719.JPG

10. M. Bridgeo Housing There were two main types of houses. The rich lived in their own homes, known as domus. The poor lived in unsafe predessors of modern-day apartments, known as l'insulae. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/Domus_suomi.png/300px-Domus_suomi.png http://www.affordablehousinginstitute.org/blogs/us/Insulae_cutaway_small1.jpg

11. M. Bridgeo Recreation/funRoman Baths All classes enjoyed the baths together. The rich and the powerful would be side by side with the poor in the baths (see page 241, Prologue to the Present). http://membres.lycos.fr/caesarweb/thermes3.gif http://membres.lycos.fr/caesarweb/thermes2.jpg http://www.tourisme64.com/images/cdt_bearn/Thalasso/thermes-marins-.jpg

12. M. Bridgeo Recreation/fun Theatres Everyone was permitted to attend the theatre where the only goal was to have fun and help the people forget about their daily lives and allow for a bit of entertainment. The costumes were simply spectacular and the pieces were often mimes or comedies. http://www.andreas-praefcke.de/carthalia/france/images/f_lyon_odeon.jpg http://www.andreas-praefcke.de/carthalia/france/images/f_lyon_theatreromain.jpg

13. M. Bridgeo Recreation/fun The Circus Roman Circus The Circus Maximum of Rome was built in the 2nd Century BC and expanded by Ceasar in about 50 BC and held 270 000 people. 1 – Chariot races   2 – hunting and killing of large cats http://membres.lycos.fr/caesarweb/cirque2.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/Circuspainting.jpg/550px-Circuspainting.jpg