Roman Daily Life

Roman Citizens

• Only men were citizens• At first, only people living in Rome could be citizens• As the empire grew, people outside Rome could become

citizens. • Every five years there was a census, an official counting

of the people of Rome, when men registered to claim their citizenship.

• Men declared their families, slaves and wealth at census time.

• If they didn’t register, they could lose their property or even be sold into slavery.

• Romans were proud of Rome. It was the center of religion, politics, culture, and engineering.

Roman Social Classes• Few Romans were rich.• They lived in villas, large country estates outside the city• They owned large farms or trade businesses• Most Romans were poor. • They lived in poorly built apartments in the city. • Most poor Romans survived on grain given to them by the

government• Grain was often given out at the circus, an arena in Rome• When grain was scarce, people rioted.• To prevent riots, Roman emperors provided free entertainment• The Circus Maximus and the Colosseum were two famous arenas• Circuses had chariot races, gladiator fights, clowns, and public

executions. • Gladiators, people who fought to the death, often became celebrities

in Rome.

Roman Family Life

• Paterfamilias- Head of a Roman household

• Paterfamilias could be the father, grandfather , or great-grandfather

• Paterfamilias had absolute power over the whole household

Slavery in Rome

• Almost every wealthy family owned slaves

• A third of Rome’s population were slaves

• Some slaves led comfortable lives working in the houses of wealthy Romans

• Some slaves led short, hard lives working on farms or in mines.

• Some slaves fought in the arena as gladiators