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Alethea Carr

Dr. Cary

Western Cultural Traditions I

25 November 2019

A Day In The Life of a Child In Ancient Rome

The Roman Republic which lasted from 509-27 BCE is known for making great strides

towards a world much like the one we live in now. Although they never advanced quite as far as

the technological world we live in today, they developed social classes, functioning

governmental systems, artisanal work, as well as religious beliefs. Despite their progress in the

governmental sense, the day to day life of a Roman was very different from the lives of a modern

day person. Roman ways of life were based on different virtues and beliefs that conflict with the

societal hierarchy and the treatment of people today. These beliefs were not only reflected in the

lives of adults, but with the treatment of children as well. Much like adults, children of ancient

Rome were treated different based on economic status determined by their families. Children

who grew up poor in Ancient Rome lived under the rule of power driven rulers, harsh social

classes, and often unfavorable conditions while children born into a wealthy family lived a life of

luxury comparably. From the very beginning of life, or infancy, to the time children are

considered ‘of age’, the road to adulthood is varied from one child to another and often

unforgiving in ancient Rome.

The beginning of life for a child in ancient Rome was treated much differently than how

the lives of infants are viewed today. In ancient Roman times, there was a popular philosophy

circulating that has since fallen out called Stoicism. Stoicism emphasized the importance of self

control and restraint even in times of agony and distress. The virtues of stoicism were held strong
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by people of this time and it reflected in their overall attitude towards children. In a time before

modern medicine, it was not uncommon for a child to be stillborn or not live long after birth.

Today, the death of a child is not taken light heartedly but in Rome there was little to no

mourning for a child who was unable to serve a purpose yet. (Carroll) The stoicism viewpoint

allowed little to no mourning time for babies. In the eyes of the ancient Romans, a child’s

existence was almost obsolete until they were able to walk, talk or play. Until the eventual

development of a personality or purpose children were just considered lost souls that should not

be mourned for. If a child survived possible disease or other probable causes of death, the

connection between the mother and child was often not close. Many Roman women did not

breastfeed because they feared it would advance the aging process and cause future infertility.

(Laurence) In the case of wealthy people, a wet-nurse was usually employed for the first two

years of life and took on the duties of raising a child, including breastfeeding. These wet-nurses

needed to make sure not only the health of the child remained secure but were also responsible

for the maintenance of their own nutritious lifestyles as to not harm the children in any way.

Most children learn to speak through their surroundings. The poor learned to speak through the

influence of their families while the wealthy children often learned to speak not from their

parents, but from slaves. One of the key qualities of a good slave was being well spoken so the

children would grow up and have a good grasp of language and how to speak properly in

negotiating and trade. (Laurence) The educational lives of children varied. Some children grew

up and learned a skill or trade without having prior formal education while others were taught by

tutors through scholarly texts written by great philosophers of the time. (Nardo) Early life as an

ancient Roman was quite uncertain given the overall attitude developed through stoicism that
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influenced feelings towards children and the inability to contribute to society in a practical

manner.

Each child did not have the same opportunity in Rome because of the social classes that

existed to divide the rich from the poor. Everyday life as an older child consisted of a heavy

workload whether it be work or school depending on social class. There were as many children

in Rome as there were adults so the children had to help in any way they could manage.

Sometimes, children were needed to work in order to sustain productivity in the world that was

created in Rome. Children could work to support their families if they were amongst the working

class families in Rome. (Laurence) After a long day of either working or learning, the children

would return home. There was a heavy population in Rome causing most of the families to live

in small tenements or apartments that could be up to four stories high. These rooms were often

stuffy but offered enough cover to satisfy the needs of a child. The elite, or Plebeians, lived in

larger houses that might have beautiful columns and a courtyard. (Nardo) The economic status of

children was reflected in the way they dressed. Boys and girls who were amongst Plebeians wore

togas with purple borders called toga praetexta. The young who were amongst the less fortunate,

often called Patricians, often wore dark, tattered tunics made of cheap material in comparison.

(Bonfante) These garments made the social class of the children plainly apparent in the

community. When comparing the lives of young Plebeians and Patricians, another

distinguishable aspect of their lifestyle was their diet. While bread and wheat were staple among

the diet of all Romans, expensive commodities such as meats, wines, and spices were produced

for the Plebeian children. The Patricians relied on the crops obtained from the ground such as

vegetables, wheat, and occasionally fruits. They also drank Posca which was a watered down,

low quality wine available to the poor. (Adhikari) The lives of the children in ancient Rome
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depended heavily on the economic circumstances they were born into. Things like, where they

lived, how they dressed, and what they ate was important in determining the course of their day.

Not only did the economic stance contribute to the lives of children but their gender

played a role as well. Different things were expected from young boys than young girls in

ancient Rome because they were believed to have different sets of skills and meet different

expectations. Young boys were able to participate in military training, could vote and get

apprenticeships to learn to be artisans such as coppersmiths. Girls, although decently respected,

were treated much differently and were not as influential in the world of trades. Young girls were

supposed to learn how to be good wives and mothers but it was not uncommon to see them

educated or amongst the working class. Weddings were often the official mark of coming of age

for a young girl and could happen at the early age of twelve. (Laurence) For young boys, the

official sign of the coming of age was through a ceremony known as the festival of Liber which

was usually marked with a huge celebration. During the festival of Liber, a young male would

dedicate himself to the deities known as the Lares and put on a plain white garment worn on

formal occasions to symbolize that he was mentally and physically an adult. (Laurence) Even at

death boys were held to a higher degree of importance. At Pompeii, the stones of the male

children buried there were more likely to be recorded with name and age than female children.

Historians found this was not because males died more often but females were considered less

important. Children were expected to work hard and because of either social class or gender,

they often could not escape the fate of the cards they had been dealt by their families choices.

The lives of children in the Roman Republic were treated much more harsh than they are

today. While the children of today are expected to play and make memories, children in Rome

were expected to become scholars and feed their families. They were thrown into the realities of
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the world very early on in life and expected to adapt. Even the parents of the children were not

forgiving and often expected a lot out of the children at a young age. Although they lived under a

stable governmental system and established classes, that did not directly imply the stability of all

the people, including children living in ancient Rome.

Works Cited

Adhikari, Saugat. “Ancient Roman Foods and Drinks.” Ancient History Lists, 20 Nov. 2019,

www.ancienthistorylists.com/rome-history/top-10-ancient-roman-foods-and-drinks/.
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Bonfante, L., et al. “Ancient Roman Clothing.” Ancient Roman Clothing, 2013, www.romae-

vitam.com/ancient-roman-clothing.html.

Carroll, Maureen. “Infant Death and Burial in Roman Italy.” Journal of Roman Archaeology,

vol. 24, no. 1, Jan. 2011, pp. 99–120. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?

direct=true&db=aft&AN=527622668&site=ehost-live.

Laurence, Ray. “Childhood in the Roman Empire.” History Today, vol. 55, no. 10, Oct. 2005,

pp. 21–27. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?

direct=true&db=afh&AN=18455273&site=ehost-live.

Nardo, Don. Living in Ancient Rome. Greenhaven Press, 2004.