What would your life be like?

Throughout human history, there have been many old civilizations that have, in one way or another, shaped our current way of life.

One of these civilizations was old Rome – a majestic state of antiquity, whose solid foundations have survived to this day. However, despite all the greatness of the empire, life for an ordinary citizen in old Rome was tough.

Historians suggest imagining a time traveler who has returned to the past sometime between 27 BC and 180 AD – the golden age of old Rome. This era began with the rise to power of Emperor Augustus after the assassination of his father, the famed Julius Caesar.

Life for the Romans was not effortless

With the arrival of the recent emperor, Rome began a period of rapid development. At its peak he became home to a million people. It was truly a golden age of architecture, science, art, entertainment, and economic growth. It was a time of peace and prosperity. If you were prosperous, that is.

Unless you were part of the elite 1% that controlled 16% of Rome's wealth, your life would not be effortless. Up to 50% of all Roman children died before the age of 10. Most Roman adults lived to be 50 at best.

Despite the prevailing peace, local conflicts still occurred, so in old Rome there was a need for a military profession. Roman armies at that time were composed of volunteers who were looking for a chance at a better life.

The soldiers came from the poorest classes of society and spent most of their service on the borders of the empire, where the situation was unstable. After retiring from military service, the Romans were allowed to settle in the land where they served.

If a soldier was particularly good at using a sword or bow, he could be chosen join the special units that protected the emperor. There was also the possibility of becoming a gladiator, who in old Rome were treated like stars, at least those who survived.

Since the extensive majority of men were away from home, women gained more independence during this period. Roman women took on vital roles as city councilors, lawyers, teachers, and so on.

However, the males of the family still had the privilege of deciding on property and finances. Most of the needy lived in inexpensive wooden houses. Many of them were located in urban slums, where crime flourished. In some areas, the streets were patrolled by the so-called Urban Cohorts (Cohortes Urbanae) of Emperor Augustus. But the poorest areas remained perilous.

Soldiers, philosophers, and senators, for the most part, ate more or less the same. The Romans' daily diet included bread, cheese, grapes, nuts, olives, and meat.

The inhabitants of old Rome, depending on their income, could buy bread in numerous bakeries and drink milk, diluted wine or fruit juice with their meals.

After dinner, wealthy Romans went to the baths, where they could not only utilize the steam bath, but also do sports, swim, get a massage or just wash themselves. After water procedures, around 4-5 pm, the Romans sat down to dinner.

The remaining Romans, who were born into poverty, served in the homes of wealthy families. Such hired workers in Rome were called clients; they were free citizens who submitted themselves to the patronage of their patron. Sometimes this system even allowed people to be sold.

The clients did a variety of jobs, from challenging manual labor to highly skilled professions such as teachers, accountants, etc. If the clients were nice, the clients were given a good meal and went home with food for the family. For really outstanding work, the clients could even be truly free.

But more often than not, desperate, needy families sold their children to patrons.

Daily life of old Romans

In the daily life of the Romans, there were also great oddities. For example, to relieve yourself, you had to go to a public toilet, which had more than 10 places in the open air. Instead of toilet paper, the Romans had a stick with a sponge on the end, which they shared when necessary.

When it came time to tidy the house, many Romans considered urine to be the best disinfectant. Human and animal urine were also used. It was also used to wash clothes and treat infections.

This may seem strange, but it's true: the urea in urine decomposes into ammonia (NH3), a powerful cleaning agent that is an ingredient in most cleaning fluids today.

In old Rome, gladiator blood or liver was prescribed for epilepsy.

If Romans had any money in their wallets, they could shop at Trajan's Market, the world's first shopping mall. For a thrill, go to the chariot races at the Circus Maximus or a gladiator fight. There were also plenty of theaters and, for the poorest, many public executions.