Roman Families

IN EARLY TIMES, under the Kingdom and the Republic: (600 BCE to about 1c CE)

Before the Imperial Age, in very early Roman times, a typical Roman family included unmarried children, married sons and their families, other relatives, and family slaves. 

The ruler of the family was the oldest male. That could be the father, the grandfather, or perhaps even an uncle. His title was pater familias. The pater familias led religious ceremonies, taught his sons how to farm, and made all the important decisions. This word was law as far as his family was concerned. He owned the property, and had total authority, the power of life and death, over every member of his household. 

Even when his children became adults, he was still the boss. But, he was also responsible for the actions of any member of his household. He could order a child or an adult out of his house. If anyone in his household committed a crime, he could be punished for something his family did. It was not against the law for the head of the house to put a sick baby out to die or to sell members of his family into slavery.

However, the Romans expected a pater familias to treat his family fairly. There were no laws to stop him from treating them unfairly, but there was social pressure. 

A women had no legal protection. She was not a citizen of Rome. Her job was to take care of the house and to have children.  Mothers who could read and write taught their children how to read and write. She taught her girls how to cook and sew and care for a family. But women could leave the home to shop or see a play or visit a temple. Women who could afford it used slaves to shop and cook. Wealthy women could leave the house, but spent a large part of their day on personal grooming - styling their hair, and dressing ornately.

Children were trained to obey their elders and be loyal citizens. You couldn’t talk back. If you talked back, you could find yourself out the door. You could try to go to a friend’s house, but the odds were good that they would not take you in. 

Some families kept slaves. Slaves were treated well, in most cases, because they were property. They had food to eat, jobs to do, and clothes to wear. But they were not free to look for a better family. They were slaves. They were owned.

DURING THE IMPERIAL AGE, the age of Emperors: (late 1c CE to about 500 CE):

Although families still lived in one home, during the Imperial Age, women could own land, run businesses, free slaves, make wills, be heirs themselves, and get a job in some professions. The ancient Romans tried to help their family grow through marriage, divorce, adoption, and re-marriage. After a divorce, ex-in-laws were still important, as were their children. Adopted children had the same rights as any of the other children, rights based on their sex and age. In addition to wives and children, wealthy ancient Roman homes supported slaves.

Old Age: The ancient Romans greatly respected and cared for their elderly. When the older members of a family became too tired for other activities, they could always play with their grandchildren and great grandchildren, all of whom had all been born under their roof, and would one day be honoring them at the Parentalia, the festival of the dead.

Slaves: Wealthy ancient Romans had slaves. In some homes, slaves were treated like valued servants. In others, they were severely abused. Slaves kept the furnaces burning in the bath houses, cooked meals in smoking chimneys in the kitchens, cleaned, sewed, and did the household and garden labor for wealthy Romans. Intelligent and gifted slaves also tutored the kids (those kids who studied their subjects at home), kept the accounts, and sometimes ran vast farm estates or commercial departments of their masters' firms.

 Roman Women

The Romans (from the BBC)

Roman Life from Nettlesworth School

Daily Life in Ancient Rome (Rome for Kids) 

Women in Ancient Rome

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