A Day in the Life of Ancient Rome by Alberto Angela: Book Review

“A Day in the Life of Ancient Rome” tells a story of a manwho started at the bottom of Roman society and moved his way up the bureaucracy pyramid. He successfully became an officer who holds a certain amount of power. However, he was unfortunate in terms of keeping his power. Apparently, this happened very often in ancient Rome—people with a high status can just fall overnight. This main character is being punished for abusing his power. He is sentenced to death by a lion. The article focuses on his fear and humiliation in the public’s eyes. The audience found amusements and satisfaction in his brutal death. People have a natural curiosity when it comes to observing blood and death. They see death as almost a fascinating spectacle. The brutality is not just a grand show put on by the government; it’s also there to convey a message. It warns those who are corrupted. Or quite oppositely, the corrupted officers coerce others to not betray them. In ancient societies, men often displayed “the heads of their defeated enemies and nailing them to the beams of their houses, like hunting trophies” (CR, 258). The Celts were similar to the Romans in ways of exhibiting and honoring public executions. That is also their way of communicating power and terror to the general public. Whereas “A Day in the Life of Ancient Rome”speaks more of the brutality of Ancient Romans and other civilizations, “A Brief History of the Romans” articulates more anecdotal facts about the Roman society. The Romans tried to communicate and preserve their cultures through luxurious and grand entertainments like games, dining, and theaters.