Who were you in Ancient Rome? What was your life like?
Strolling down the Via Appia, on your way to the Forum, would you inspect the new range of togas at the shops, pay a tribute to your favorite god at the temple, pop in to the bank to acquire some Roman coins, for it may be expensive to live in Rome, or visit the thermae to indulge in a Roman bath, before you dodge the traffic of carts and busy pedestrians on your way home?
Your home? Are you one of the privileged senators from the ancient patrician families to own a Roman Villa, the equestrian class to own a house or domus, complete with atrium and impluvium, or an ordinary plebeian who lives in an overcrowded apartment block or insulae?
Roman Emperors indulged in luscious dinner orgies in the triclinium of their villas, but what simple fare did the ordinary Romans buy at the market and how did they prepare it? Come and taste Roman cuisine and stay for a board game after dinner. Speaking of dinner parties, since you were not invited to Caesar's dinner, would you like to go to the amphitheater to watch the gladiators, or attend the stadium to watch your favorite chariot team, this Saturday? And by the way, how do you know which day it is? Who developed the Calendar?
How would you prove your identity as a Roman, should the Praetorian Guard confront you? Do you have a passport to travel freely about the vast Roman Empire? Speaking of travel, why do Roman roads still exist? What concrete did they use to build their roads and famous aqueducts?
Who were the legendary Roman legions who conquered the lands for this empire and what weapons did they use? Conquering other countries means an increase in the slave population. How wretched would your life be as a Roman slave?
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We’re joined by Ancient Origins Premium contributor and author of Ancient Roman Cuisine and Recipes, Victor Labate, who reveals what your life would have been like in Ancient Rome.
Victor Labate is a Roman history enthusiast and the owner of the website Romae-Vitam, a site focused on ancient Roman history. Victor is a history buff who enjoys Roman history, visiting historical places, museums, and is author of the eBook "Ancient Roman Cuisine and Recipes" | Join Victor on Facebook
