What was Roman life?

Answer 1

it was very hard and difficult

Answer 2

It depends. If you were an aristocrat, life meant slaves, property, and politics. If a male, you would probably serve in the legions as a horseman, since horses were expensive.

A plebe, was a citizen with the ability to vote, own property and rise to the equine or even aristocrat status. Though that was difficult.

A freedman was a former slave, who did not have citizens rights, but whose children would recieve them.

A slave, was a slave.

Answer 3

longer than Roman death.

Answer 4

Well, it depended upon who you were. Therefore I will start at the top and work downward.
CITIZENS: PATRICIANS (SENATORIAL ORDER)
When you were born if you were a male you were taken after a certain time to be registered as a citizen. You were considered to be under the authority of your father. In the early days of the republic even a man's army pay belonged to his father. You were sent to elementary school or had a tutor at home to teach you the basics of reading, writting, gramma and maths. This happened at the age of 7 years. Then when you were 14 you were sent to an advanced school to learn rhetoric, logic, geography, physics, philosophy, politics and a little about the world. Then at the age of 21 you became a full citizen. You then joined the army and became a Staff Tribune in a Legion,assisting the Legate, you were called a TRIBUNUS LACATALAVIUS and recieved c 16,500 Denarii per year. If you were sucsessful you then commanded an ALA or cavalry wing of 60 and were known as a TRIBUNUS ANGUSTILAVI on 18,000 Denarii per year. After that you could serve as a QUESTOR(either assisting a Consul - a QUESTOR CURILE or assisting a Tribune-a QUESTOR TRIBUNUS) You were a treasury official. This happened at the age of 25. After that you were considered a member of the SENATE. Then you could rise at 30 to be a AEDILE ( a games and market official) then at 36 a PRAETOR(either judging citizens- a PRAETOR URBINUS or judging others-a PRAETOR PERIGRINUS) In the early days you would have taken care of the games as well but this was transferred to the Praetors. Then when you served your year you could serve in a province as a PRO PRAETOR. At 40 you could run for CONSUL(one of the two supreme magistrates). After that you could be appointed as a governor of a senatorial province. Either a PROCONSUL PROVINCAE I (governor of a small province) on 600,000 Denarii per year at the time of Augustus or a PROCONSUL PROVINCAE II (governor of a large province) on 1,000,000 Denarii per year at the time of Augustus. You lived in luxury, had to spend huge amounts to win votes and give games. When you were the head of the household you would have a host of clients who were loyal to you and consider you their patron. They would call around for free food called a SPORTULA and once a year you would provide them with a new toga. The clients of course would be citizens. When you married you would have a full formal marriage and when you got old you might be appointed by the senate to the position of CENSOR( in charge of the lists of the senate, of citizens registrations and of senatorial morals) This was a career path known as the CIRCUS HONORUM.When you died you were buried with full honours and if you were an emperor-a good emperor- after death you would be deified(made a god) If you were a women you would recieve the basic education, then stay at home with you mother, helping around the house and learing emboidery and managing a large household. Then you would get married-most likely to another patrician.

CITIZENSTHE EQUESTRIAN ORDER:
If you were born thus you would recieve the same registration of citizenship as the patrician and the same education except for the tutor at home. You then could have you father purchase a commission as a Centurion in a Legion. You would be a CENTURION:HASTATUS DECIMUS POSTERIOR (in command of a century in the hastasi line of the tenth cohort) and recieve in pay 3,250 Denarii per year(at the time of Augustus). If you were
compitent you would rise throught the cohorts to the lines of the princepts and pilus (tiarrii). And maybe become a CENTURION:
HASTATUS PRIOR in any of the cohorts. Then you would be recieving 6,750 Denarii per year. (A denarii was a general day's pay for a labourer in the time of Augustus). You then would go into to your father's business or even go into it when you left school. You would have a fairly luxurious life and when you got married you would have a full formal marriage. You could be appointed by the emperor to various positions including the prized PREFAECTUS AEGYPTUS(governor of egypt) on 2,000,000 Denarii per year(Augustu's time). When you died you would be buried with ceremony. If you were a women you would recieve the same education as the patrician women and then help in the house and learn. Then you would be married.
CITIZENS: THE PLEBIANS(THE COMMON PEOPLE)
If you were born a plebian then you recieved the basic education and like the patrician and equestrian you would be registered a full citizen at the age of 21. You could join the Legions at 16 although many did not till after 21. You needed a letter of recommendation, go through a medical and character examination and then you were given 75 Denarii, at the time of Augustus, then sent to a camp to begin the trainging. Basic training the AMURA(lasting 2 years) and advanced training the ARMABILLICA (lasting 3 years) Then you were a full Legionary.
You recieved 225 Denarii per year(Augustu's time) and could even eventually rise to the god-like status of chief centurion- the PRIMUS PILUS INTERTIA on 20,000 Denarii per year(A.T) or even the PRAEFECTUS CAESTORIUM(camp prefect) or PRIMAPILLIUS on 22,000 Denarii per year(A.T.) or even further.
At home you lived in a small house but mostly in one of the CONTABURNIUMS(town flats) . You had to get your own water from a well in the street and you diet consisted of bread, cheese, olives, figs, dates, leeks, legumes, fish and a bit of meat-especially on feast days. The patricians and equestrians of course had more luxurious meals-such as hams, exotic pies, stuffed pheasants, lamb, beef and all manner of luxurious food.
You had access to libriaries, take away food shops, clean water, medical facilities and public entertainment. If you were poor you called round to your patrician patron for free food-the SPORTULA-, attended the games which you recieved free food and gifts, voted according to your patron's wishes and at certain rare times recieved gifts of gold pieces(AUREAII-25 denarii) from the emperor. You were part of the mob and thus had to be satisfied with bread and circuses by the emperors. When you married you had either a full former marriage a less formal but acknowledged marriage. When you died you were buried normally. If you were a woman you had either the basic education if you parents could afford it or none if they couldn't. You then stayed home to learn homecrafts from your mother, still under the authority, like all Roman women, of your father, till you got married and then came under the authority of your husband.

PROVINCALS:(FREE)
If you were a provincial you had pretty much the life of your Roman counterparts except that you did not have the political rights and you did not get the goodies from the emperor. You could howeve join the Auxilluries(garrison troops) and serve 30 years. After 30 years you would become a citizen and your sons could join the Legions. You would start of as either a PEDITE MILITAE(infrantry cohort) on 75 Denarii per year(A.T.) ,a ALLA MILITAE(mixed cohort) on 100 Denarii per year(A.T.) or a EQUITAE MILITAE(cavalry cohort) on 150 Denarii per year(A.T.)
You could rise to the ranks of SESQUIPILARIUS(one and a half pay), DUPLICALARIUS(double pay) or even further to DECIO or even commanding your own cohort with the rank of DECIO PRECEPTS. You got bonuses sometimes but not as much as the Legions who were citizens. If however you were caught in a legionary uniform, posing as a legionary or had joined the legions under false pretences it was considerd very very serious. The penalty for such when you were, found out, was summery execution in the field. Which was that you were immidiatley taken out, beaten with rods by the LICTORS(those who carried the double axe and wooden standard- the Fasces)and then beheaded. You were under Rome and you were expected to be loyal. If you were a women then you would have generally the same life as your Roman counterparts without the full consideration of being a wife, sister or mother of a citizen. Unlike a citizen, a non citizen could be crucified.
SLAVES:
The lot of slaves in the Roman Empire varied a lot. On the top you had either pampered slaves, adminstrating slaves and gladiators and gladiatorixes(female gladiators) These slaves lived comparitively luxurious lives compared to other slaves. The gladiator/ixes/s trained hard, fought in the arena and lived luxuriously. If they fell they were either spared(thumbs pointed down away from the person denoting sword away) or not(thumbs pointing upward to the person's chest indicating a sword thrust) If they were sufficienly sucsessful, most likely after killing 100 or even less-they were given a wooden sword called a RUDICUS, some money and freed. Some fighters became veryvery famous and rich. If you were an ordinary slave you did the bidding of your master, ate humbly like a plebian and if you were a women you could be used for sex-although in the empire both sexes were. At the very lowest were the slaves in the fields and the mines. Their's was a life of drudgery and suffering. Especially in the mines were it was very dangerous. They ate only bread, porriage and a bit of other food. However, if you were a slave and were freed(either by MANUMISSION-freed by the master,a freed in a will, or earnt your freedom in the arena or after Claudius I were sick and abondonded and then recovered- you became a FREEDMAN(even women) Then there was hope. After serving 5 years in the VIGILES(the fire bridage)on starting- 75 Denarii per year(A.T.) you were then granted CITIZENSHIP. You then could join the Legions. You were allowed to attend the games but you had to sit at the back.

You see, Roman life was many and varied. Most people in Rome itself got up early(generally 6:00 o'clock) They had a small breakfast of some bread dipped in wine and maybe some cheese. They either worked or they were clients. Some like the poets MARTIAL and JUVENNUL just hang around complaining. Others had part time jobs. There was always the free gifts of the Sportula and they lunched with bread, cheese and some fruits. They retired early (around 2:00 o'clock), went to the baths(most baths were public) to the toilet to discuss politics(most toilets were public) then had their main meal consisting of bread, fruit, honey, wine, fish and some meat. There was a host of hot food shops that one could buy hot food and also a host of wine shops and taverns where one could buy wine. Most people drank wine but more expensive was mead made from honey. Honey being the only real sweetener at the time. And when they went to the games they were entertained days on end and given free food and other gifts. Sometimes they voted with their patrons or whatever. Such was the immense variety of Roman Life.

But one thing stands out alone. The common touch and the concept of all, no matter who you were, being human. From the very earliest days of Rome the slave had been considered a part of the family. Considered human. There was always opportunity for them. Most slaves recieved some money which they could use to save up and buy their freedom-and the path to citizenship.
Only the most condemmed were without much hope. It is worth noting that the homespun that was worn by Christ(woven by Mary) and the homespun worn by Augustus(woven by Livia) was the exact same material. They had a particular humility and humanity about them. When someone was being brought before Caesar(the emperor) it was usually considered a tradition if the case was going or decided against them-to abuse the Caesar. This was not considered horrible as in other monarchies. Even the bad emperors accepted it. For althoug the Emperor stood at the head of Roman society- above him stood THE MOB.