A Day in Old Rome: A Picture of Roman Life

by William Stearns Davis

Descriptions of daily Roman life including details about marriage, homes, food, costume, slaves, physicians, and libraries

Genres: Nonfiction, History

482 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1914

About the author

William Stearns Davis was an American educator, historian, and author of both fiction and non-fiction.

Reviews

[Nic]

Would have preferred more information on the differences between life in the Republic vs the Empire. This book focuses mostly on the Empire and is a general summary of what it meant to be in Rome in the time of Hadrian.

[Linda]

If you can overlook the archaic language and odd phrasing, this book contains a wealth of information.

[Kara]

Angela’s A Day in the Life of Ancient Rome is the exact same book as this, but better. Davis’s book is good, but it must be said that Angela did the same thing at a much more human level, showing off all the pomp and glory of old Rome, but not afraid to get his hands dirty, sinking right into the mud and blood and sex and piss of ordinary life.

Davis’s on the other hand, while covering a lot of ancient history, goes on for 500 pages without once mentioning the Urine Tax, barely touches on forced prostitution, and shies away from the results of lacking modern sewage or medical systems.

At one point Davis outright says:

“In describing Roman street life and its scenes let it be said once and for all that many very obvious things were so disgusting and revolting to modern notions that any descriptions thereof is perforce omitted. Ancient life contained a great deal of social dross and filthy wickedness. There is no need to dwell on such matters”.

Um. What? Excuse my unpleasant language, but why the hell not, Davis? Why do you think people read books about ancient history? All the parts involving bodily fluids – sex, violence and waste – are pretty much the hock to get butts in seats for any show. What are the Tudors without the sex? What’s the French Revolution without the blood? What’s the Space Age without the bathroom jokes? Again, why do you think people are reading this stuff? How do you think kids get into history and science to begin with? Sheesh!

So. So much for what Davis doesn’t do.

But for what is there is pretty good. He was writing in the mid-20th century, so he was working without some later discoveries, and he does use Pompeii as a bit of a crutch with a little too much distilling down to archetypes rather than real examples, but still, he gives quite the grand tour of 2nd century Rome.

And he does not shy away from slavery, covering the many forms it took, and how different an institution it was compared to other centuries.

Best of all is the last chapter when he ends his tour of a typical Ancient Roman day with a group of secret Christians furtively holding a clandestine meeting, praying for the day when Rome falls and Christ will triumph.

Of course, the imaginary narrator assures us, they are fools…

[David]

The language is old-fashioned, lofty, and detached, but the information given about old Rome is detailed (yet not too thick or involved), interesting, comprehensive, and reliable. It can be read straight through or used as a resource.