Roman Society

Ideal for a one-semester course in Roman civilization or history, Roman Society offers a broad synthesis of the social, economic, and cultural history of this civilization. Topics such as social class, religion, the roles of women and slaves, and inflation are all covered, and maps, photographs, and a chronological chart complement the narrative.

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How long did ancient Romans live? What were the leading causes of death? At what age did they marry? What percentage of the infant mortality rate was due to infanticide? Did the Romans themselves keep accurate statistics? Previous attempts to answer such questions have often proved unconvincing - in part because historians lacked the detailed knowledge of demography needed for such investigations. In Demography and Roman Society Tim Parkin shows how modern demographic tools and techniques can be used to shed new light on the study of ancient society. In Part One Parkin shows how the ancient evidence - from inscriptions on Roman tombstones to the skeletons themselves - cannot be used to provide reliable data on such demographic issues as population distribution by age, geographical location, class, and sex. In Part Two he presents an overview of modern demographic methods and models. Part Three draws some general conclusions about life in the Roman world based on demographic analysis, including mortality, fertility, marriage, contraception, and abortion.

This article seeks to define ‘water culture’ in Roman society by examining literary, epigraphic, and archaeological evidence, while understanding modern trends in scholarship related to the study of Roman water.

Statues are among the most familiar remnants of classical art. Yet their prominence in ancient society is often ignored. In the Roman world statues were ubiquitous. Whether they were displayed as public honours or memorials, collected as works of art, dedicated to deities, venerated as gods,or violated as symbols of a defeated political regime, they were recognized individually and collectively as objects of enormous significance.By analysing ancient texts and images, Statues in Roman Society unravels the web of associations which surrounded Roman statues. Addressing all categories of statuary together for the first time, it illuminates them in ancient terms, explaining expectations of what statues were or ought to be anddescribing the Romans' uneasy relationship with 'the other population' in their midst.

This Sourcebook contains numerous original translations of ancient poetry, inscriptions and documents, all of which illuminate the multifaceted nature of sexuality in antiquity. The detailed introduction provides full social and historical context for the sources, and guides students on how to use the material most effectively. Themes such as marriage, prostitution and same-sex attraction are presented comparatively, with material from the Greek and Roman worlds shown side by side. This approach allows readers to interpret the written records with a full awareness of the different context of these separate but related societies. Commentaries are provided throughout, focusing on vocabulary and social and historical context. This is the first major sourcebook on ancient sexuality; it will be of particular use on related courses in classics, ancient history and gender studies.

Explores the impact of social standing on the careers of senators and knights in the Roman Empire.

A thought-provoking and timeless volume, presenting Roman theater as the voice of the common citizen