Aldobrandini Wedding (Nozze Aldobrandini) fresco, 1st century BC
Some of the most interesting sources for Roman history belong to Plutarch (c. 46AD – c. 119AD), a Greek philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest known primarily for his Parallel Lives, a series of biographies depicting the lives of illustrious Greeks and Romans.
But, one of his interesting works is also Moralia, a collection of essays and speeches, sometimes loosely translated as Customs and Mores. Moralia gives an incredible insight into Roman and Greek everyday life. In The Roman Questions (Quaestiones Romanae) Plutarch observes and discusses some of the intriguing details of life in Ancient Rome. Sometimes quite incredible, every question is like a scene from the life of Romans. So, here are some of them.
A Man Enters the House… through the Roof
Walking the streets of Roman cities it wasn’t unusual to see a man climbing the rooftop and entering the house from above. That wasn’t about any kind of robbery.
Those men were the members of the household falsely reported dead in a foreign country. So, how come they entered the house from above? Plutarch explains:
When a man was returning to his house and his wife from abroad, especially from the wars, he usually sent the people ahead to bring the news about his return. Apart from confidence, there are many reasons why they did this:
The adults told the children swearing by Hercules not to do that under the roof but in the open air. Some Romans believed that Hercules didn’t enjoy staying in the house. He preferred to breathe the fresh air and enjoy the starry night.
Romans who wanted to marry usually did that in April or wait until June. The month of May was the month of maior (older), and June was reserved for the young – iunior.
Apart from regular soldiers, others weren’t regularly enlisted. It was necessary to have permission from the superior to throw the missiles or harm the enemy.
And only regular soldiers had that permission. When it comes to doing that by regular soldiers and those who were only staying in the camp, Plutarch also opens the question of ethics.
These and a lot of other customs were practiced in Ancient Rome. They confirm how Roman civilization was unique. Customs and mores formed socially acceptable, unwritten rules that formed strong traditions and a sense of identity. An identity that attracted. Mille viae ducunt homines per saecula Romam.
Ivana Tucak, Editor-in-Chief, is an experienced historian who seamlessly blends traditional expertise with a cutting-edge approach to digital media. She holds an MA in History and Italian Language and Literature from the University of Split. With a distinguished career spanning various online publications, Ivana has extensively covered a wide range of topics, notably focusing on history and international politics.
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