Social And Social Order In Ancient Roman Society

One of the major advances they made was the development of concrete. They created advanced sewage systems, and continued the construction of the Roman road and bridge projects. Throughout Roman history, society was run by the male head of the family, called the pater family. Women were subservient to men (except for in Sparta) but they did have a few rights. Wealthy women often wielded power behind-the-scenes.

Social Systems in Rome and Han China were very different especially women’s roles. In Rome merchants were placed higher on the social hierarchy latter where as in China merchants were lower than farmers. In China Women were considered influential in family, politics, religion, and business. Opposed to in Rome were women only the elite roman women had some influence behind the scenes. Poor

Women in Ancient Rome enjoyed a slightly better life than those in Ancient Greece. Roman men "placed a very high value on marriage, home and the family and this made quite a difference to society's treatment of women" (Thompson, 2005). Women still were passed from their father's supervision to their husbands, but enjoyed a more important role. While women could not hold

As for Rome, there are not many differences. The men are still the boss. In the family, the father or the paterfamilias has total control over the family. He has control over the economics, occupations, spouses as well as their life or death of the wife and children until the father die. After his death the boys were set freed and continue to live their lives normally.

Therefore, general assumptions to one extreme or the other on the status of women in the ancient world of Rome are difficult, because theory and reality were often far apart. For example, whereas Greek men usually regarded their wives as unimportant, Roman men placed a high value on marriage, home and the family and this made a difference in the way society treated of women.

Greece influenced roman societies and modern day societies politically as explained in documents 1, 2, 4, and 6. Greece was the first ancient civilization to have a democracy. The basic rule for roman society law system was displayed in the twelve tables. (Doc 2) Many western civilizations adapted this law system as well as other ideas from the roman 12 tables which influenced western societies immensely. The document explains a quote that we still use in modern society which is “every man is innocent until proven guilty.” Octavian Augustus states that after he dies “the foundations which I have laid for its future government will stand firm and stable” the Greeks invented an idea of a ruling senate which today is known as democracy. (Doc 4)

In the roman empire the structure of a family was the basis for the structure of government. It was thought that a family was a state within a state. The dominant male or paterfamilias have control over the family just as the paterfamilias of the state (state magistrates): had the power of the state. But while men are at the top of this hierarchy slaves are at the bottom. Slaves could be acquired as prisoners of war or could be traded. The rich owned the most slaves and often the best. Slaves were used for cooks, valets, waiters, cleaners, farmers, assistants or artisans. Because the empire grew out of the traditions of the republic, both social structures of the republic and the empire were based on wealth but you will also notice that in both society's there are few rich compared to the many poor or slaves in which they are similar.

The Roman woman had a very limited role and they could not attend, speak in, or vote at political meetings. Women were not allowed to hold any position of political responsibility. They were not allowed to voice their opinion in public but in the Greek society, the woman was considered just like an object.

The citizens of Rome needed to pay heavy taxes in order to finance Rome’s armies. The taxes weakened the economy making trades suffer. Farmers couldn’t compete with rich families leading for them to go into the city, hoping for work. Infamous emperors would waste money and crime rates rose, making the streets unsafe.

The Roman way of life is different and similar to modern day. Though one may not know much over the Roman’s the culture is fascinating and still remembered in history. The clothes, food, customs, and leisure are major in Roman lifestyle.

Rome was a highly hierarchical and class-conscious society; yet, since its power extended for centuries, the distinction between different classes varied in time. In the Roman kingdom and the early Roman Republic, the most important division in Roman society was between the Patricians and the Plebeians. The struggle for power between these two classes resulted in the development of the Roman system of government (McManus, 1997).

Ancient Roman women were not given the same privileges as Islamic women. Women in ancient Rome were not allowed to hold office, supervise their own finances, or go out of the house

During the time period of the early Roman Empire, and through the early times of Octavian, it is important to note the roles that each sex played. Unlike current western culture, men and women were not equal. Each sex was thought of differently, with women being less than men. According to Severy, the Romans thought of the Roman women as “weakness, instability, and irrationality” (Severy 23). These viewpoints of women lead to women being treated in way that was subservient to men. According to Severy, in contrast, the Romans thought of men as “strength, integrity, and self-control” (Severy 23). This thought process lead to men being in positions of power and control and ultimately the decision makers. This was so much the case that women had to have a male guardian to go out with them during major purchases to verify that was what was supposed to be bought at points (Severy 23). This thought process bled into the

The beginning of the third century BCE saw a new elite emerging in Roman society—the nobiles (nobles).These people were a mixture of patricians and plebeians who had held the highest office (the consulate), or whose fathers or forefathers had done so. This new hereditary ruling class of nobilitas (nobility) controlled the senate and, thanks to their array of clients and their own prestige, the popular assemblies as well .

The Romans once proud and established society who valued duty and responsibility to their Gods, family, friends, and to the state (Jones, Rome, Podcast 1). Romans like to believe they were descended from the noble Trojans. (Backman, Cultures of the West, p.171).