Life for children in ancient Rome isn’t so different from life for children now. The children led similar lives as children now, however, culture was a prominent part of their lives too.
In Ancient Roman society, the father was in charge of the family and had to be obeyed by everyone. It was a patriarchal society and so even the mothers had to listen to their husbands who determined what happened and what was permitted.
The children also had some form of education. This, however, was largely dependent on the family’s financial status. If the family was well-to-do, the boys could either go to school in a schoolhouse or have a tutor. The boys were then taught public speaking, reading, writing and combat.Â
The girls, however, were taught to read, write and take care of a household. This was to prepare them for their traditional roles.Â
Families that weren’t as wealthy could either homeschool their children or the children were left uneducated. The schoolhouses were usually very small and only the elites could study there.
The children usually studied in the mornings and depending on the social ranking of their parents, the afternoon involved either playing or working. The poor families worked in the afternoon and spent the evenings playing.
The most important meal of the day was dinner. This was the main meal as it gave the family opportunity to sit together and talk.
The children wore tunics, known as togas regardless of their gender. When the weather was cold, they wore cloaks over their toga.Â
Children were also given jewellery or charms which they wore on their necks. They were given their jewellery on the day they were born and they wore it till certain stages in their lives. The boys wore it took they were 17 and capable of voting while the girls wore theirs till they were married.Â
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