In this portrait of life in Ancient Rome, the author begins by painting a backcloth on which the social, political, cultural and religious aspects of the community are drawn. He enlarges on the details of everyday life, following the typical routine of a normal day from dawn to dinner and the talk that continued long into the night. This study, which includes a bibliography and notes by Professor Rowell, describes the houses and multi-storeyed apartments of the city of over a million inhabitants, the social classes from senators to slaves and the Roman family and the position of women.

Author Biography

Jerome Carcopino was born in Verneuil-sur-Avre, France, in 1881. He was a lecturer at the University of Algiers in Algeria before his career was interrupted by World War I. Lecturing at the Sorbonne in Paris from 1920 to 1937, he later became the Director of the French School in Rome. From 1941 to 1942, he was the Minister of National Education and Youth in Vichy France. He died in 1970.