Ancient Roman Culture. There were two main classes of people in ancient Rome - the Patricians and the Plebeians

Ancient Roman Culture


There were two main classes of people in ancient Rome - the Patricians and the Plebeians.


The patricians were the upper class, the nobility and wealthy land owners.


The plebeians were the lower class. Nicknamed "plebs", the plebeians included everyone in ancient Rome (except for the nobility, the patricians) from well-to-do tradesmen all the way down to the very poor.


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.


Life in the home of wealthy tradesmen and patricians centered around the atrium, the central courtyard.


If they could afford it, both classes had slaves to do the work.


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.


Both classes worshiped the same gods and attended religious festivals.


Both classes spoke the same language, Latin.


It was illegal for a pleb and a patrician to marry.


People of both classes wore a square piece of cloth that was tied over one shoulder, called a toga.


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 apartment-building 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.


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).


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.


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.


Young girls married around the age of 12, and boys married around the age or 14.


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.


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.


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.


School was not free, so poor children did not get to go.


In order to write, a stylus was pressed into a wax tablet.

Ancient Roman Government

The Roman Empire surrounded the Mediterranean Sea.


Roman soldiers were organized into smaller sections called legions. They used large weapons such as battering rams and were well trained.


Rome divided the land they conquered into regions called provinces.


_________ 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 _________.

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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.

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Ancient Roman Culture. There were two main classes of people in ancient Rome - the Patricians and the Plebeians