Evidence provided from Pompeii and Herculaneum

Roman Social Orders (legal systems) - Always remain in this condition unless something big happens

Ingenui: Free men

• privilaged and non privaleged members
• senetorial and local elite
• Plebs Humilus: humble
• Plebs Media: rich

Libertini:

• freeborn - usually not members of political elite
• only citizens could hold positions within the political elite
• many were engaged in some form of commerce
• lived to show off their money; through plaques, inscriptions, etc
• much evidence that the elite supplemented their income with commercial dealings beyond trade and agriculture

Ordo Decurionum: Pompeii's council

• Had privilaged seating in ampitheatre
• able to control public funds, public property and official public region

- clients expected to go to patron to pay respect

- social standing ehanced by number of people who had visited them

Libertini: freed slaves

- those who purchases their liberty/freedom MANUMISSION

• Saved money to buy freedom - however the ties between master and slave were never cut and usually became clients (bound by the law to perform duties to the patron)
• example of a non-equal relationship but, it was mutually beneficial (weren't allowed to take patron to court

• Female libertini: needed approval from patron before any commercial activity
• couldn't participate in political life (but children could) BUT WERE ALLOWED RELIGION
• female libertini: Usually very skilled, so they made tonnes moula and had nice houses
• women couldn't become citizens, but children could

Super Patron = Emperor

Privilages and responsibilities hand in hand (needed to support patron in political elections)

e.g. Child of Numeruis Popidius Amphiatus made a member of town council after his father paid for the restoration of the Temple of Isis in AD63

• evidence of using children to gain political office

Super Patron = Emperor

Privilages and responsibilities hand in hand (needed to support patron in political elections)

e.g. Child of Numeruis Popidius Amphiatus made a member of town council after his father paid for the restoration of the Temple of Isis in AD63

• evidence of using children to gain political office

• no protection under law
• captured in conflit
• born into slavery
• essential in roman society (1/3 - 1/5 of population slaves)
• treated as property
• According to the archeologist Alston; slaves were considered as "things devoid of souls" "animals with voices"
• manual labour, domestic chores, everything!
• Slaves working in chain gangs had no choice of manumission whilst others assisted masters with financial and sexual relations with slave masters
• Some were well educated + literate (these slaves were involved commerce, industry and admin)
• social hierarchy within slave group
• great variety in the status in household e.g. server and over stower had different status
• Female slave NOT permitted to marry if she had children they belponged to slave owner
• evidence: Slave stocks found in villa - shows brutality of treatment
• rare to find tombstones for slaves

- run household + control finances

- more freedom than women in Rome

- engaged in public life

Poppaea Sabina - married emperor Nero

Managed own property and own affairs

Couldn't vote - made public declarations (progammata) however

Upper Class: - literate, politcally active

Business Women - partnerships with husbands, profitable, run independently and wealthy e.g. Julia Felix

Lower Class - Mending clothes, making clothes, women could own and operate taverns, inns and bars e.g. Edifice of Emachi - guild of fullers

Slave women - Manmitted (e.g. bracelet)

• Archeologists use lazor + Bisel to support point e.g. diet, what wealthy women consumed, had a different different therefore: different roles