FAQ: Ancient Rome
Cato Taylor
Writing
-No, Romans didn't have paper. The Romans used papyrus, a thick, paper like, material used from the pit of a papyrus plant.
What did the Romans use to write?
-The Romans wrote all the time, the Romans even surrounded the buried city of Pompeii in honorary inscriptions, public edicts, campaign posters, price lists, and graffiti. Everyone in wrote for everything: social, political, diplomatic, etc.
Family
-The oldest male in the house was the "paterfamilias", the leader of the house. The oldest women in the house was the "materfamilias", she had no legal power, but she held a position of respect, and was treated as such. Children were considered only a part of the husband's family.
What did Roman parents do that is different from modern parents?
-If Roman parents couldn't care for their babies or if they didn't want them, they would leave the baby in the woods on it's 9th or 8th day being alive.
Clothing
Men's and Boy's-They wore "subligaculum", which was a type of underwear, it was not the same for everyone, but a lot of times it was a loin cloth. During the winters, they wore "tunics", which were plain wool shirts. The main article of clothing in Rome was the "toga". The toga was a symbol of citizenship in Rome, when a Rome citizen was banished, they relinquished their toga, since they were no longer Roman citizens.
Women's and Girl's- They basically wore the same thing as the males, but instead of togas, women and girls wore a dress type garment called a"stola", it had two sleeves and a garment over the shoulder, it was often worn with a belt.
Did Roman males wear jewelry?
-Yes, they wore rings which left an impression when sealing wax, other rings that were also worn were actually keys.
Citations
"The Nature of the Family." World Eras. Ed. John T. Kirby. Vol. 3: Roman Republic and Empire, 264 B.C.E.- 476 C.E. Detroit: Gale, 2001. 324-325. World History in Context. Web. 6 Oct. 2015
"Writing and Language." World Eras. Ed. John T. Kirby. Vol. 3: Roman Republic and Empire, 264 B.C.E.- 476 C.E. Detroit: Gale, 2001. 170-172. World History in Context. Web. 6 Oct. 2015.
"Clothing." Ancient Greece and Rome: An Encyclopedia for Students. Ed. Carroll Moulton. Vol. 1. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1998. 148-153. World History in Context. Web. 6 Oct. 2015.
McManus, Barbara F. "Roman Clothing, Part I." Roman Clothing, Part I. VROMA, Aug. 2003. Web. 14 Sept. 2015.