Roman Household/Family Flashcards
What are the Paterfamilias’ duties?
Welfare of family
- arrange daughters marriage (provide dowry)
- religious leader (worship household gods, lares)
- suitable offering at birth, marriage, funeral
- oversee education (primarily boys)
- raise good Roman citizens
What rights did the paterfamilias have?
Control of life and death over his household- under the empire, this was only used with newborn babies
Who was the paterfamilias ?
Oldest male in the Roman household
What did students learn at litterator and how ?
Learnt reading, writing and basic arithmetic through repetition
Practice writing letters
Why was Litterator important?
Business
- keep track of transactions-money - long distance business communication
What did children learn at Grammaticas and how?
Learnt Greek and Roman literature
-learn Greek language as half of eastern part of the empire spoke in Greek
Studied Virgil’s Aeneid
Learn and recite passages by heart
-Comment on matters such as grammar
Learnt music, astronomy (stars), philosophy, natural science
Why was Grammaticas school important?
Political debate
Lawyer - argue in court
What did children at Rhetor learn and how?
Learnt the art of public speaking - compose and deliver
One exercise required them to debate an event from history or literature, such as “should Hannibal invade Italy?
Why was rhetor important?
Public figures needed to be able to address large crowds
What did people do at Cenas?
- show off social status
- gain business/social contacts
- invite clients/freedmen to dinner
- late afternoon, after baths
- formal clothes
- guests admire the house
Where would everyone sit at a cena?
In the triclinium
- on 3 reclining sofas
- separated people with pillows
- recline on the left elbow
What age were children at letterator?
Age 7
Who went to litterator?
Boys and girls
Why age were children at Grammaticas?
Age 12
Who went to Grammaticas?
Wealthy boys and occasionally girls
