Living Conditions in Rome
By Miranda, Jake, and Michael
Daily Life
• Most people did not live past their
twenties or thirties.
• Died of plague, famine, STDs, and death
during childbirth.
Population
• Had the most amount of people in the
entire empire
• Close to a million people
Streets
• Overcrowded
• Noisy (made sleep difficult)
• Many robbers despite multiple police
forces
• Wagon and cart traffic was banned
because there was no room on the streets.
• Very dirty
Architecture
• Plebian families live in apartments called
insulae
• Many families lived were crowded in to
one room per 12 people
• Slaves live in heated houses
• Lit by basement central heating systems
called hypocausts.
• Lived in better conditions than the
Plebians.
Roman Insulae
Patricians
Wealthy Roman Citizen lived in
around a central courtyard called
atrium
They had many slaves
Mosaics hung in most houses
Most patricians live in the city of
Rome
Public Places
• Many temples
• Markets
• Baths
• Theaters
• Governmental buildings
• Ampitheaters
Festivals
• Public spectacles were pervided during
religious festivals
• They were divided into three parts:
– Circus Maximus: Horse and chariot races
– Dramatic theater performances
– Gladiator shows
The Circus Maximus
Then Now
Festivals (Cont.)
• January 1st- Festival of Janus: exchange lamps
in honor of the two-faced god of beginnings and
to welcome the new year.
• November 4-17th-Plebian Games: festival of
games in honor of Jupiter. Highpoint was the
13th.
• December 3rd-Festival of Bona Dea: In honor of
the women’s goddess, only celebrated by
women in the house of a consul or praetor.
Famous Quote From The Poet
Juvenal
• “But nowadays, with no vote …, their
motto is ‘Couldn’t care less,’ Time was
when their vote elected generals, head of
state, commanders of legions : but now …
there’s only two things that concern them:
Bread and Circuses.”
Discussion Questions
• Why was Rome so popular?