Family and Children
Life in Rome for women was often very hard, the mothers in the family were less important than the fathers, anything the father said went. The woman in the family was only there to cook, raise the children, and take care of the house, if the family was rich they had slaves working for them for their ease.
The girls in the family were to be married at the age of 14. Marriages were arranged between families. since there was classes in the Roman Empire, Patricians (the rich) could not marry the Plebeians (the decent), and Plebeians could not marry slaves. So, a Patrician could only marry a Patrician, a Plebeian could only marry a Plebeian, and a slave could only marry a slave.
If the wife gave birth to a baby she would have to put the baby at it's fathers footstep, if the father picked up the baby then it was a sign that the baby could live, but if ignored it the baby had to be put to death.
If the man wanted he had the right divorce his wife if she didn't give birth to a son.
The girls in the family were to be married at the age of 14. Marriages were arranged between families. since there was classes in the Roman Empire, Patricians (the rich) could not marry the Plebeians (the decent), and Plebeians could not marry slaves. So, a Patrician could only marry a Patrician, a Plebeian could only marry a Plebeian, and a slave could only marry a slave.
If the wife gave birth to a baby she would have to put the baby at it's fathers footstep, if the father picked up the baby then it was a sign that the baby could live, but if ignored it the baby had to be put to death.
If the man wanted he had the right divorce his wife if she didn't give birth to a son.
Clothing
Men in Rome wore two pieces of garment, tunica and toga. The tunica was a short woolen undergarment with short sleeves. With their outfit they wore a belt at the waist for fashion.
Women wore long tunics made with wool. Married women were required to wear loose, toga or stola. This long sleeveless tunic was strapped at the shoulder, made into a girdle at the waist with the garment til the feet. Pulla was a shawl worn over the whole outfit for the outdoors. Fashion indicated how much make up, jewelry, and perfume would be worn.
Women wore long tunics made with wool. Married women were required to wear loose, toga or stola. This long sleeveless tunic was strapped at the shoulder, made into a girdle at the waist with the garment til the feet. Pulla was a shawl worn over the whole outfit for the outdoors. Fashion indicated how much make up, jewelry, and perfume would be worn.
Food
Slaves ate whatever they were fed by the their owners. Plebeians ate bread, vegetable, soup and porridge. Meat was a luxury unless they hunted it themselves. Patricians ate a light breakfast in the morning, and snack in mid-day possibly bread and cheese. They ate dinner in the late afternoon starting with a meat coarse (chicken, hare, beef, goat, pork, etc.), then fruits and nuts, sided by ice cream as a treat, then ending with lettuce because they believed it helped you to a good night sleep.
Houses
In Rome there were two types of houses, Domus, and Insula. Domus was the house for the Patrician or the rich, and Insula was the house for Plebeians or the middle-classed.
DOMUS
Inside there were many rooms, gardens, beautiful paintings everywhere, and indoor courtyards. The vestibulum (entrance hall) led into a large central hall: the atrium, which was the main point of the domus and had statues of the household gods. Leading off the atrium were cubicula (bedrooms) in the master bedroom there was a small wooden bed and couch. A triclinium (dining room) where guests could relax on couches and eat dinner. There was also a tablinum (living room or study) and a tabernae (shops on the outside).
INSULA
An Insula was bought by a wealthy person who then lets people to rent rooms, the names of the Insula was giving by whoever owned it, usually it was named after he who bought it. An Insula was like an apartment if it were compared to nowadays, it was the home for wealthy people of course after the patricians. It could be 7-8 stories high. The bottom floors were for business, and were more expensive then the others.
DOMUS
Inside there were many rooms, gardens, beautiful paintings everywhere, and indoor courtyards. The vestibulum (entrance hall) led into a large central hall: the atrium, which was the main point of the domus and had statues of the household gods. Leading off the atrium were cubicula (bedrooms) in the master bedroom there was a small wooden bed and couch. A triclinium (dining room) where guests could relax on couches and eat dinner. There was also a tablinum (living room or study) and a tabernae (shops on the outside).
INSULA
An Insula was bought by a wealthy person who then lets people to rent rooms, the names of the Insula was giving by whoever owned it, usually it was named after he who bought it. An Insula was like an apartment if it were compared to nowadays, it was the home for wealthy people of course after the patricians. It could be 7-8 stories high. The bottom floors were for business, and were more expensive then the others.