Roman Culture

At it's peak the Roman Empire spanned from Lowland Scotland to Morocco to the Euphrates.

Life in ancient Rome revolved around the seven hills of the city of Rome and it's monumental structures, including Flavian Amphitheatre (Colosseum), Forum of Trajan, and the Pantheon. The city also had several theaters, gymnasiums, taverns, baths, and brothels. Throughout the territory under ancient Rome's control, residential architecture ranged from very modest houses to country villas, and in the capital city of Rome, there were imperial residences on theelegant Palatine Hill. The vast majority of the population lived in the city center, packed into insulae (apartment blocks).

Clothing:In ancient Rome the way you dressed distinguished your class from other classes. The tunic worn by plebeians like shepherds and slaves was made from coarse and dark material, whereas the tunic worn by patricians was of linen or white wool. A magistrate would wear the tunica angusticlavi; senators wore tunics with purple stripes, called tunica laticlavi. Military tunics were shorter than the ones worn by civilians. The different types of togas had names. Boys, up until the festival of Liberalia, wore the toga praetexta, which was a toga with a crimson or purple border, also worn by magistrates in office. The toga virilis, (or toga pura) or man's toga was worn by men over the age of 16 to signify their citizenship in Rome. The toga picta was worn by triumphant generals and had embroidery of their skill on the battlefield. The toga pulla was worn when in mourning. Even footwear indicated a person’s social status. Patricians wore red and orange sandals, senators had brown footwear, consuls had white shoes, and soldiers wore heavy boots. Women wore closed shoes of colors such as white, yellow, or green. The bulla was a locket-like amulet worn by children. When about to marry, the woman would donate her bulla to the household gods, along with her toys, to signify maturity and womanhood. Men typically wore a toga, and women a stola. The woman's stola was a dress worn over a tunic, and was usually brightly colored. A fibula (or brooch) would be used as ornamentation or to hold the stola in place. A palla, or shawl, was often worn with the stola.

Dining:

Breakfast was called ientaculum, lunch was prandium, and dinner was called cena. A

ppetizers were called gustatio, and dessert was called second mensa usually a nap or rest followed this. The family ate together, usually sitting on stools around a table. Fingers were used to eat and spoons were used for soup. Wine was a must, it was consumed with every meal and by every class, it was cheap and usually watered down. Many kinds of drinks involving grapes and honey were included. Drinking non watered down wine on an empty stomach was a sure sign of alcoholism. Women and children ate separately from dinner parties were lavish foo

ds, dancers, and wines were the main part.

Education:

Education started at the age of 6 and children were expected to learn reading, writing, and counting within the next 6 - 7 years. By the age of 12 they would be learning Latin, Greek, grammar, and literature followed by truing for public speaking. Oratory was an art to be practiced and learnt, good orators commanded resect. To

become a good orator was the object of education. The poor could not afford education. Gifted slaves were utilized for imparting knowledge.

In the initial stages, the ancient Roman architecture reflected elements of architectural styles of the Etruscans and the Greeks. Over a period of time, the style was modified in tune with their urban requirements, and the civil engineering and building construction technology became developed and refined. The Roman concrete has remained a riddle, and even after more

than two thousand years some of ancient Roman structures still stand magnificently, like the Pantheon located in the business district of today’s Rome. The architect

ural style of the capital city of ancient Rome was emulated by other urban centers under Roman control

and influence. Roman cities were well planned, efficiently managed and neatly maintained. Palaces, private dwellings and villas, were elaborately designed and town planning was

comprehensive with provisions for different activities by the urban resident population, and for countless migratory population of travelers, traders and visitors passing through their cities. In the initial stages, the ancient Roman architecture reflected elements of architectural styles of the Etruscans and the Greeks.