Daily Life in Ancient Rome - The People and the City at the Height of the Empire

By Jerome Carcopino

Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Carcopino Press
• Release date: Apr 16, 2013
• ISBN: 9781446549056

Reviews for Daily Life in Ancient Rome - The People and the City at the Height of the Empire

[elucubrare · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

It's a fairly entertaining book, though for all the wrong reasons. Carcopino makes sweeping declarations about things that don't seem to be supported, and has fairly quaint ideas - that Roman women stayed indoors and idle because they chose to do so, for example. His analysis of Roman religion is outdated. But the prose is that mid-century sort of magisterial tone, even when he's probably wrong, and so it was at least worth reading.

[jcvogan1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of those books everyone should read.

[bks1953 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A fascinating book, but definitely a scholarly/academic work; very thorough but a little bit on the dry side.

[rrhowell · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A fairly standard reference work, this is quite readable, and full of intriguing information about things like the height of apartment buildings and the state of indoor plumbing in Ancient Rome, what rich women did for amusement, and the subjects studied by school children.

[haeesh · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Originally written before the 2nd World War, this charming look at daily life at the city of Rome covers all aspects including bathing and eating. The author has a moralizing tone: he is imbued with Christian values and what we call nowadays "the protestant work ethic". In the last paragraph of his book he states: "The pictures of Petronius, the Epigrams of Martial, the Satires of Juvenal only too clearly impress upon us all the sordid and depraved side of Roman life...;" and how wonderful it could be when "and above all in those serene "agapes" where the Christians lifted up their hearts in the joy of knowing the divine presence in their midst."He informs us that the ancients by any standards were lazy, randy, gluttonous and barely employed. The author finds this appalling, however appealing it would be to early 21st century man! Perhaps it's just a little too old, but if you want to know about what was going on in Rome at the height of empire you may wish to start here. Plenty of spicy quotes by Martial, Juvenal and that ultimate nouveau riche Trimalchio--the gods bless his fictitious soul!

[sofiab_58 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed some chapters, but in the rest there is much moralizing about the ancient world, and it dates the book's approach to scholarship. The chapters I liked were the first few chapters on Roman houses, the chapter on getting ready in the morning, and the last chapter on eating, strolling and bathing.

[mrslee_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Hooray! I finally finished this! I was previewing it to see if it is useful for school. Long, detailed and way more than I needed to know, but not unpleasantly written. The author's viewpoint and opinion is certainly not hidden, which at times is humorous. I think I will keep it for bits and pieces, but neither of my boys would ever read it.