Everyday Life in Ancient Rome – Living, Eating, School, and Differences Between Rich & Poor

The lives of Roman children began early with outdoor play, such as marble games, spinning tops, or surfing on wooden boards.
There was also the famous "Lupus est!" game, where one child played the wolf and tried to catch the others – similar to our cops-and-robbers.
Children from wealthy families were usually taught at home by private tutors, while poorer children had to work with their parents or in craft shops as early as possible.
Many young Romans took on responsibilities at just seven years old, such as helping with small household chores or going to the market.
A small anecdote: A popular toy was the "Pupa" – a little clay doll with movable arms and real hairstyles, especially loved by girls.
⚙ kinderleben

- Bread was the staple food: Even poor Romans used "panis", simple wheat or barley bread, as their main meal.
- Wealthy households enjoyed a variety of foods, like fruit, vegetables, olives, meat, fish, and exotic spices.
- Garum, a spicy fish sauce, was a must at every meal.
- A typical meal had three parts: Gustatio (starter, e.g. eggs and olives), Cena (main course), and Secunda Mensa (dessert, often fruit or honey pastries).
The poor often only had porridge made from grains and vegetables. Meat and fish were rare for them, sometimes they only had figs or beans. Anecdote: A well-known joke told of Lucius, who – out of thrift – poured water over his olives seven times until they were nearly tasteless.
What the Ancient Romans Ate
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School in ancient Rome was called Ludus and usually started for children at age 7. The teacher—usually a freedman or poorer scholar—taught reading, writing, and basic arithmetic.
Wealthy students were later privately tutored to learn Greek, rhetoric, and literature. The aim was to acquire speaking skills and knowledge for public life. For many poor children, school ended early—usually after basic skills—as they had to work in businesses or at home.
Children often sat for hours on hard benches, learned from wax tablets, and had to recite poems by heart. There were no holidays except religious festivals.
Anecdote: A famous scholar, Quintilian, introduced the idea that students should receive less punishment and more praise—a significant change for that era!
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Both poor and rich Romans mostly wore tunics, a simple, knee-length garment. The color and fabric showed social status:
- Rich Romans preferred finer fabrics like wool and linen, sometimes even silk.
- The toga—a symbol of Roman citizenship—was worn at important events, mainly by men.
- Women wore the stola, often decorated with beautiful brooches and belts.
- Children wore the tunica praetexta with a purple border as a sign of youth and innocence.
Rome – Clothing in Ancient Rome
Shoes were simple sandals. The poor often went barefoot. Jewelry was reserved for the wealthy; a golden ring was a status symbol.
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Wealthy Romans lived in atrium houses, with courtyards, gardens, wall paintings, and often their own small temple. Light entered through a central opening (compluvium) in the roof.

Feature	Wealthy Romans	Poor Romans
Type of Home	Domus (with atrium)	Insulae (tenement blocks)
Location	Usually city center	often in the outskirts
Furnishings	Baths, mosaics, art	Little furniture, cramped spaces

Poor Romans lived in cramped, multi-storey tenement blocks (Insulae), with just one room per family. Fire was a constant danger. Water came from public fountains.
⚙ hauser

Typical professions in ancient Rome were:
- Craftsmen: smiths, bakers, potters, builders
- Dealers: traded grains, fabrics, pottery at markets
- Teachers: grammaticus or rhetor taught wealthy children
- Servants and slaves: indispensable for wealthy households
- Farmers: provided food in the countryside
The poor often worked hard and long days, while wealthy Romans enjoyed meetings, theater visits, and baths. A senator did not need to work but shaped political events in the city.
Anecdote: The famous baker Eutychus earned a small fortune and became famous throughout Rome thanks to a creative bread range with laurel leaves on the loaf!
Slaves in the Roman Empire
⚙ berufe

The differences between poor and wealthy Romans shaped all aspects of life. The poor had to work hard, ate simply, and lived in crowded homes, while the rich enjoyed spacious homes, large meals, and privileges.
Typical differences:
- The rich owned luxury goods, jewelry, nice clothing, and house servants.
- The poor had only the bare essentials, lived in cramped spaces, and often held several jobs.
- Access to education, medicine, and good food was almost exclusively for the wealthy.
Images from daily life: A senator in white robes strolls through his garden, while two boys carry water jugs up the stairs in an insula. The difference was visible in every gesture and every day.
⚙ armreich