limited by custom.

Rome was a patriarchal society. This

means that men ruled their families,

and that people traced their origins

through male ancestors. The oldest

man in a Roman family was called the

paterfamilias, or head of the household.

He owned all the family’s property. In

theory, a father had absolute, or

unlimited, power over his wife,

children, slaves, and underage siblings.

He could sell his children into slavery.

He could even kill them if he chose. In

practice, however, a father’s power was

limited by custom.

Roman women enjoyed more freedom

than Greek women. Unlike most Greek

women, they could own personal

property. Also unlike many Greek

women, Roman women took an active

role in social life. Women went to

parties, enjoyed the theater, and

participated in religious rituals. Women,

however, could not vote, attend

assemblies, or hold public office.

According to the Romans, the most

important role of a Roman woman was

to bear children and raise them to follow

traditions. The ideal woman was a

faithful wife and mother, devoted to her

family.

A tiny minority of Romans were

wealthy. Most wealthy Romans

earned their money from

agriculture. They owned huge

farms worked by poor Romans or

slaves. The landowners grew rich

from what these people produced.

Other wealthy Romans earned

their fortunes through business.

Upper-class Romans lived in one- or

two-story houses as large as a city

block. These homes had courtyards,

gardens, private baths, beautiful

decorations, and even running water.

Many elite families also owned villas,

or large country homes. Wealthy

Roman men worked at looking after

their business interests and advancing

their political careers. Wealthy

women supervised the slaves who

took care of their homes and their

children.

Most Romans were poor free people

or slaves. Life was different for poor

Romans. In the city, most poor people

lived in cramped apartments without

running water. Crime, disease, and fire

were serious dangers. Apartment

buildings were often badly built, and

sometimes collapsed. Common men

and women worked a variety of jobs.

Many were tenant farmers who rented

land from wealthy landlords. Others

worked as day laborers in construction

or at the city docks. Some ran stores,

taverns, or restaurants.

Slavery was very common in ancient

Rome. As Rome became richer and more

powerful, Romans bought or captured

increasing numbers of slaves. As many as

40% of people in Rome in the year 1 BCE

may have been slaves. Slaves came from

many different ethnic groups and regions.

For most of Roman history, slaves had no

rights. They were bought and sold as

property. They could be beaten or killed by

their masters for any reason. Children born

to slaves were also slaves. Many slaves

worked in mines or on large farms. These

slaves often died quickly due to brutal

treatment.

Other slaves led easier lives. Some worked

in the homes of their wealthy masters.

They lived like typical poor Romans or

even better, performing housework for

their masters. Some educated slaves

worked as secretaries or teachers. These

slaves were usually Greeks. Although they

lived in much better conditions than

other slaves, they could still be treated

very cruelly.

Slaves who served loyally could be freed

as a reward. They could also save up to

buy their freedom. Freed slaves became

citizens and had the right to vote.

Some slaves fought back against

their masters. One famous fighter

was Spartacus, who led an army

of rebel slaves in the 70s BCE.

They fought the Roman army and

threatened to capture Rome

before the Romans defeated them.

Religion was an important part of

everyday life in Rome. The Romans

worshipped hundreds of gods, many of

which were adapted from the Greeks and

Etruscans. Others came from Latin

traditions or the people Rome conquered.

Rome had an established religion, or an

official religion supported by the

government. Top government officials also

served as priests. They often consulted

religious experts before making decisions.

Romans believed that maintaining good

relations with the gods was part of the

government’s job.