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Ancient Roman Culture
Ancient Roman Culture
There were two main classes of people in ancient Rome the Patricians and the Plebeians.
Ancient Roman Culture
The patricians were the upper class, the nobility and wealthy
land owners.
Ancient Roman Culture
The plebeians were the
lower class. Nicknamed
"plebs", the plebeians
included everyone in
ancient Rome (except for
the nobility, the
patricians) from well-todo tradesmen all the way
down to the very poor.
Ancient Roman Culture
The family was structured in the same way in both classes.
The head of the family was the oldest male. That could be
the father, the grandfather, or perhaps even an uncle.
Everybody in one family lived under one roof. Women had no
authority except in the home. Old age was honored.
Ancient Roman Culture
Life in the home of wealthy tradesmen and patricians
centered around the atrium, the central courtyard.
Ancient Roman Culture
If they could afford it, both classes had slaves to do the work.
Ancient Roman Culture
The citizens of Rome were adult freemen from both classes plebs and patricians. Women, children, and slaves were not
citizens. People from all classes considered themselves
Romans.
Ancient Roman Culture
Both classes worshiped the same gods and attended
religious festivals.
Ancient Roman Culture
Both classes spoke the same language, Latin.
Ancient Roman Culture
It was illegal for a pleb and a patrician to marry.
Ancient Roman Culture
People of both classes wore a square piece of cloth that was
tied over one shoulder, called a toga.
Ancient Roman Culture
Many plebeians lived in apartment
houses called flats. Some of the
apartments were above or behind their
shops. Even fairly well-to-do tradesmen
might choose to live in an apartmentbuilding over their store, with perhaps
renters on the upper stories. Their own
apartments might be quite roomy,
sanitary and pleasant, occasionally with
running water. But others were not that
nice.
Ancient Roman Culture
In the poorer apartment houses, an
entire plebeian family
(grandparents, parents, children)
might all be crowded into one room,
without running water. They had to
haul their water in from public
facilities. Fire was a very real threat
because people were living in
crowded quarters, and many of the
flats were made of wood. They did
not have toilets. They had to use
public latrines (toilets).
Ancient Roman Culture
The lower class Romans (plebeians) might have a breakfast
of bread, dry or dipped in wine, and water. Sometimes olives,
cheese, or raisins were sprinkled on the bread.
Ancient Roman Culture
The rich had beautiful mosaics on the floors of their home.
They wore lots of jewelry made of gold and gemstones. They
had beautiful clothing. They enjoyed a great deal of leisure
time. The poor wore shabby clothing. Their jewelry was
made of painted clay. They worked all the time.
Ancient Roman Culture
Young girls married
around the age of 12, and
boys married around the
age or 14.
Ancient Roman Culture
In early Roman days,
kids did not go to
school. A Roman
boy's education took
place at home. If his
father could read and
write, he taught his
son to do the same.
Ancient Roman Culture
Girls were taught by their mother. Girls learned to spin,
weave, and sew. The rich had tutors for the children, but
mostly, the kids were taught at home.
Ancient Roman Culture
About 200 BCE, the Romans
borrowed some of the ancient
Greek system of education.
Although they did not add
many subjects, they did begin
sending their boys, and some
of their girls, with their father's
permission, to school, outside
their home, at age 6 or 7.
Ancient Roman Culture
School was not free,
so poor children did
not get to go.
Ancient Roman Culture
In order to write, a stylus was pressed into a wax tablet.
Ancient Roman Government
The Roman Empire surrounded the Mediterranean Sea.
Ancient Roman Government
Roman soldiers
were organized into
smaller sections
called legions.
They used large
weapons such as
battering rams and
were well trained.
Ancient Roman Government
Rome divided the land they conquered into regions
called provinces.
Ancient Roman Culture
_________ were the upper class, the nobility and
wealthy land owners. The ________ were the lower
class. A square piece of cloth that was tied over
one shoulder was called a ____. Both classes
spoke the same language, _____. In order to
write, a ______ was pressed into a wax tablet. The
Roman Empire surrounded the ____________.
Roman soldiers were organized into smaller
sections called ______. Rome divided the land they
conquered into regions called _________.
Summary frame
Ancient Roman Culture
Patricians were the upper class, the nobility and
wealthy land owners. The plebeians were the lower
class. A square piece of cloth that was tied over
one shoulder was called a toga. Both classes spoke
the same language, Latin. In order to write, a stylus
was pressed into a wax tablet. The Roman Empire
surrounded the Mediterranean Sea. Roman
soldiers were organized into smaller sections called
legions. Rome divided the land they conquered into
regions called provinces.
Summary frame
Ancient Roman Culture
The End