Ancient Rome

Life in Ancient Rome

Key Terms

• Gladiators• Colosseum

Roman Values

• Discipline• Strength• Loyalty• It you had all these

qualities you were said to have the virtue of gravitas

• Strength > beauty• Power > grace• Usefulness > elegance

People of Rome

• Most lived in the countryside and worked on farms

• Merchants, soldiers, slaves, foreigners, and philosophers lived in Rome and smaller cities

• Crowded, noisy streets• Diverse society

Slavery in Rome

• Widespread and important to economy

• About 1/3 of population• Prisoners from

conquered lands brought back by Roman armies (men, women, and children)

Slavery in Rome

• Slaves could be bought or sold

• Considered property of their owners

• Could be punished, rewarded, set free, or put to death as their masters saw fit

Slavery in Rome

• In city and farms• Usually treated cruelly

and did hard labor all day long

• Usually slaves of wealthy were treated better

• Some strong, healthy male slaves forced to become gladiators, or professional fighters

Religion• Polytheistic• Gods and Goddesses were

guardian spirits of each family

• Symbols of the states• People were expected to

worship the gods• Closely connected to Greek

gods• Worship of emperors also

became part of religion

Life in Rome

• Wealth and social status made a difference in how one lived

• Rich lived extravagantly• Large homes with gardens,

slaves, and luxuries• Parties for hours with

foods that were rare and costly

• Roman Table Manners

Life in Rome

• Most people barely had necessities for life

• Most of city’s population was unemployed

• Poor people crowded in wood tenements, or apartments

• Fire was always a danger

City Life in Rome

Roman Toilets Video

Life in Rome• Bath Houses were a

meeting place, bathing place, and socializing place

• Same gender only• Romans were very clean

people• Different types of pools• Had stores and places to eat• Poor and slaves could not

use

Entertainment

• Free games, races, mock battles, and gladiator contests

• Provided by gov’t• To distract and control

the large number of people in the city

• 150 holidays a year

Gladiators• Gladiators were used as

entertainment• Fight animals• Stage battle re-enactments• Fight each other• Usually to the death of

something, sometimes left up to the crowd

• Gladiator Fights (Prisoner to Hero)

Reflection

Explain why you have wanted to or not wanted to live in the Ancient Roman cities during Pax Romana.