A SLAVE'S LIFE
At its height, about 1 in 3 people were this.
What is a slave?
This 5-7 story apartment building, made up of bricks and timber, is one of tens of thousands of tenements where the vast majority of Roman people were packed into small living quarters.
Gladiators lived in this structure, which is essentially a prison, consisting of a gladiator school, barracks built around a training yard with cells for the fighters, high walls, and guards.
What is the Ludus?
This large and beautiful residence was beside the round temple of Vesta in the Roman Forum, the ceremonial sacred heart of the entire Roman empire.
What is the House of the Vestals?
At the Colosseum, this occured midday and many respectable spectators chose to go home for lunch during this show.
What is condemned criminals killed by wild animals, fighting each other, or crucifixion/burning?
A verna, or homeborn slave's first daily task was to do this before everyone else awakened.
What is light the fire at the kitchen hearth to cook breakfast, heat the main rooms, and light the lamps?
This was on the ground floor of the insula, or apartment block.
What is the bakery? It had a roaring oven burning while dozens of families slept on the floors above. Also, other shops.
Gladiators consisted of these 3 types of men.
What are slaves bought at market, condemned criminals, or free men who signed up for the money, fame and sheer violent thrill of it?
There were 6 of these at any time, whose most sacred duty was to make sure the sacred flame never goes out.
Who were the Vestil Virgins?
What is freedom, along with wealth and fame?
A wealthy Roman household had this many servants.
What is dozens?
These events made the insulae or apartment buildings, especially the higher floors, very dangerous places to live.
What is collapse and fire? These buildings were constructed quickly and made tall with cheap materials.
The Ludus, or gladiator school, fed the gladiators these foods to help build a layer of fat over their muscles to protect blood vessels and nerves.
What are barley and beans?
A Vestil Virgin was chosen at this age range, taken from her family in a solemn ceremony, and taking a vow to serve for 30 years as a perfectly chasted, untouched virgin.
What is age 6-10 years?
She is the goddess of the hearth, of the sacred fire, of the flame at the center of every Roman home, and above all the flame at the center of Rome itself.
Who is the Goddess Vesta?
Many enslaved people used their accumulated peculium, or savings to purchase this.
What is their own slaves or their freedom? Rome freed more slaves than any other ancient society.
The ancient Roman bakery was a small, hot, hardworking production line. Turning the giant top millstones to turn grain into flour was brutal work done by these.
What are slaves or donkeys harnessed to the millstones, walking in endless circles before dawn?
The arena or Colosseum was an engineering marvel that could hold 50,000 spectators. These 2 mechanisms helped to shade them and to lift wild animals and men into the arena, as if by magic.
What are:
* A vast retractable awning worked by sailors?
* Lifting machines (mechanically operated elevators)?
Vestil Virgins serve for 30 years, divided into 10 year segments, to accomplish these 3 functions.
What is:
* To learn the rights?
* To perform the rights?
* To teach them to the girls who come after her?
If the sacred flame goes out, it would have to be rekindled by performing this.
What is a sacred ritual?
These are some of the specialized roles of slaves.
What is cook/kitchen worker, doorkeeper, water carriers (from the public fountain), nurse to raise the children, tutor to teach the children, hairdresser, dresser, litterbearers to carry the master through the streets, accountant, farm hand, doctor, business manager?
The Roman government gave this to hundreds of thousands of poor citizens monthly, because "a hungry city is a dangerous city".
What is free or heavily subsidized grain?
This morning spectacle featured exotic animals from across the empire, such as lions, leopards and bears.
What are beast hunts during which they were hunted and killed?
If this happens, Romans viewed it as a catastrophe of the highest order, a sign that the Goddess Vesta had withdrawn her favor and that something was deeply wrong at the heart of the state.
What is the flame goes out?
A Vestil Virgin was one of the most powerful, free and respected woman in the entire Roman world. However, if she broke her vow of chastity, this could be her punishment.
What is to be buried alive, placed in an underground, sealed chamber with minimal food and water and a lamp?