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.