Roman Class System
The structure of Roman daily life is quite complex. Considering class systems are involved in the Romans society. The Roman family is called a familia, it was somewhat different than the modern-day idea of a family. The familia included parents and their children as well as grandchildren, in-laws, slaves, clients, and property holdings. The person in charge of this entire household was the paterfamilias.Many over look the Roman way of life including their meals and way they dress, their education style, and the harsh class system of the community.
Romans have a certain way of dress, and follow a rather plain and practical menu for meals.
Materials used by Romans for their clothing included linen for summer and wool for winter.These materials …show more content…
were easily made in Rome. More expensive clothing was made from Indian cotton and Chinese silk. (McGill). Men and boys wore togas and then later on in the day tunics, which were slightly larger than a shirt typically worn today. Women and girls also wore tunics; however, these reached their ankles and tied near the waist. (“Roman Daily Life”). Over the tunic, women wore a stola, which was a long dress that reached their feet. Over the stola they wore a belt tied at the waist. (McGill). Stolas typically were bright colored fabric or bright designs, depending on the amount of what the woman could afford. Daily life in Ancient Rome often began with a light breakfast such as, bread and water (or wine) would be served at home, or a wheat pancake could have been purchased on the way to work or school.(“Roman Daily Life”). Many of the Romans meal plans included regional crops and local products. There was no sugar, so Romans used honey as sweetener. Meat, typically lamb or goat, was costly and eaten only on special occasions.(McGill). Romans eat three meals a day, they occasionally used knives and spoons, but they did not have forks. Instead of using forks they cut up their food and used their fingers to eat. The way Romans dress and eat is a big part of their lives and their education is as well.
Education is very important in their society, to progress to a great job in the future.
Roman education in the days of the early Republic was conducted by parents in the family home, where both boys and girls were taught things they would need to know for the future. (McGill). Fathers also had the responsibility to teach their sons how to prepare for war. Mothers were expected to teach their daughters how to cook and clean; domestic work. In the Roman society boys were granted more education opportunities, because girls typically stayed home to cook or clean for the family. Legally, a Roman woman could not hold public office or even act as a witness in court. For these reasons, it was not necessary for women to be educated, though the wealthiest women did receive limited educations even in the Republican period.(McGill). While many girls stayed home with their mothers to take care of the home, some girls were allowed to attend schools with the boys. Schools often consisted of only one room and might have resembled a small shop, like a bakery.(“Roman Daily Life”). Latin education changed in the 200s BC when Greek influence spread across the Mediterranean world. The Greeks had a more advanced civilization and had developed a different system of education. Greeks influenced Roman studies in the areas of literature, philosophy, rhetoric, and geometry.(McGill). The difference in a Romans education could decide on they way they fit into the distinct classes in the Roman social
structure.
The class system has a very certain order in the social aspect of the Roman people. Elite families dominated the social and economic life of their cities just as they did their political, religious, and military organization. The wealth and power of the upper classes rested upon their control over followers and land. (Boatwright). There were three distinct classes in the Roman social structure. The patricians were wealthy and owned land, the plebeians, the bulk of the population, included everyone who was not a patrician. Slaves made up the last and least privileged class. The upper class was subdivided into two ranks. The highest rank of the upper class was the Senatorial class. Men that made up the Senatorial class were very wealthy and had the chance to become senators. The second and lesser rank was the Equestrian Class. The Equestrian class was made up of cavalrymen and soldiers who had gained their own wealth through military and merchant ventures. Slaves occupied the lowest class, and were usually bred or captured as prisoners of war. Sometimes the head of the family would sell one of his children into slavery in order to support his own family. Slaves were owned by their masters and had to do what they told them to do. Slaves performed a variety of jobs: they were civil servants for the government, field hands, domestic butlers and maids, and even skilled craftsmen.(McGill). Every class is important for the Roman social ladder, concluding every class has a purpose. Many over look the Romans daily life but now you know about their meals and dress, their education, and the social ladder and classes. Romans have a precise certain way of life. Is their way more efficient than ours?
Romans have a certain way of dress, and follow a rather plain and practical menu for meals.
Materials used by Romans for their clothing included linen for summer and wool for winter.These materials …show more content…
were easily made in Rome. More expensive clothing was made from Indian cotton and Chinese silk. (McGill). Men and boys wore togas and then later on in the day tunics, which were slightly larger than a shirt typically worn today. Women and girls also wore tunics; however, these reached their ankles and tied near the waist. (“Roman Daily Life”). Over the tunic, women wore a stola, which was a long dress that reached their feet. Over the stola they wore a belt tied at the waist. (McGill). Stolas typically were bright colored fabric or bright designs, depending on the amount of what the woman could afford. Daily life in Ancient Rome often began with a light breakfast such as, bread and water (or wine) would be served at home, or a wheat pancake could have been purchased on the way to work or school.(“Roman Daily Life”). Many of the Romans meal plans included regional crops and local products. There was no sugar, so Romans used honey as sweetener. Meat, typically lamb or goat, was costly and eaten only on special occasions.(McGill). Romans eat three meals a day, they occasionally used knives and spoons, but they did not have forks. Instead of using forks they cut up their food and used their fingers to eat. The way Romans dress and eat is a big part of their lives and their education is as well.
Education is very important in their society, to progress to a great job in the future.
Roman education in the days of the early Republic was conducted by parents in the family home, where both boys and girls were taught things they would need to know for the future. (McGill). Fathers also had the responsibility to teach their sons how to prepare for war. Mothers were expected to teach their daughters how to cook and clean; domestic work. In the Roman society boys were granted more education opportunities, because girls typically stayed home to cook or clean for the family. Legally, a Roman woman could not hold public office or even act as a witness in court. For these reasons, it was not necessary for women to be educated, though the wealthiest women did receive limited educations even in the Republican period.(McGill). While many girls stayed home with their mothers to take care of the home, some girls were allowed to attend schools with the boys. Schools often consisted of only one room and might have resembled a small shop, like a bakery.(“Roman Daily Life”). Latin education changed in the 200s BC when Greek influence spread across the Mediterranean world. The Greeks had a more advanced civilization and had developed a different system of education. Greeks influenced Roman studies in the areas of literature, philosophy, rhetoric, and geometry.(McGill). The difference in a Romans education could decide on they way they fit into the distinct classes in the Roman social
structure.
The class system has a very certain order in the social aspect of the Roman people. Elite families dominated the social and economic life of their cities just as they did their political, religious, and military organization. The wealth and power of the upper classes rested upon their control over followers and land. (Boatwright). There were three distinct classes in the Roman social structure. The patricians were wealthy and owned land, the plebeians, the bulk of the population, included everyone who was not a patrician. Slaves made up the last and least privileged class. The upper class was subdivided into two ranks. The highest rank of the upper class was the Senatorial class. Men that made up the Senatorial class were very wealthy and had the chance to become senators. The second and lesser rank was the Equestrian Class. The Equestrian class was made up of cavalrymen and soldiers who had gained their own wealth through military and merchant ventures. Slaves occupied the lowest class, and were usually bred or captured as prisoners of war. Sometimes the head of the family would sell one of his children into slavery in order to support his own family. Slaves were owned by their masters and had to do what they told them to do. Slaves performed a variety of jobs: they were civil servants for the government, field hands, domestic butlers and maids, and even skilled craftsmen.(McGill). Every class is important for the Roman social ladder, concluding every class has a purpose. Many over look the Romans daily life but now you know about their meals and dress, their education, and the social ladder and classes. Romans have a precise certain way of life. Is their way more efficient than ours?