Roman and Greek society

To properly compose a character, use the characteristics Time/genre, Race, Class, Background. This can be applied to both fantasy characters and historical characters for reenactment,LARP, living history and RPG. This blog about classes in classical antiquity is ideal if you want to create a Roman character.

The ancient Greek and Roman civilizations have had a lasting influence on the development of Western culture and society. An important aspect of the daily life of these ancient civilizations was the presence of classes. Individuals were classified according to their social status, wealth and power. This blog examines the different classes in Greek and Roman antiquity and the role they played in these societies.

The Greek Classes

In ancient Greece, different social classes existed: the aristocrats, commoners and slaves. The aristocrats, also known as the nobility, were the highest class and had political power, wealth and land ownership. They were known for their education, physical strength and participation in politics. This class also includes the well-known philosophers and other scientists of our time.

The citizens formed the middle class and were mostly farmers, fishermen, traders and craftsmen. They had limited political rights and were responsible for governing the city-state (polis). The slaves were the lower class and owned by the aristocrats and commoners. They had no rights and were used for household labor, agriculture and crafts. Ancient Greece had an influence on Roman culture, so some features of their society were adopted by the Romans.

The Roman Classes

In ancient Rome, social classes were more complex and varied than in Greece. Roman society was divided into different classes based on wealth, descent and political power. The main classes were the patricians, plebeians, equites and slaves. The Roman Empire had both citizens and inhabitants. Roman citizenship was an important concept in ancient Rome and played a crucial role in the political, legal and social structures of the Roman Empire. Civil law gave an individual certain rights and privileges not enjoyed by non-citizens, such as the protection of the law, the right to vote, and access to certain positions and offices.

Roman citizenship evolved over the course of the empire's history. Initially it was limited to the patricians. These patricians were members of the oldest and most prominent families in Rome and enjoyed special privileges and influence in the politics and administration of the city. In 287 B.C. Plebeians also received Roman citizenship. This happened after more than two centuries of political struggle between the patricians and the plebeians, in which the plebeians gradually gained more rights and political participation. In 212 AD, Emperor Caracalla issued the 'Edict of Caracalla', which automatically granted citizenship to almost all inhabitants of the Roman Empire. This edict, the Constitutio Antoniniana, ended the formal distinction between Roman citizens and non-citizens.

The patricians

were the highest class and were descendants of the ancient Roman aristocracy. They had political and social privileges that often remained within the family for generations. They held high offices and owned large estates.

The equites

also known as the knightly class, were wealthy citizens mainly involved in trade and finance. They owned horses and often served as cavalry in the Roman army. Before the army reforms of Augustus, Roman warriors had to pay for their own equipment as in ancient Greece. In contrast, people only had to serve in the Roman army if they could afford equipment. This changed during the army reforms of Augustus.

The plebeians

made up the majority of the population and were farmers, traders and artisans. They had fewer political rights and often represented their interests through popular assemblies. At least in the early years, the plebeians formed the vast majority of the Roman population. Later the patricians and plebeians mixed more and the strict social divisions became less clear. In addition, freed slaves and foreigners were not considered plebeians because they had no civil rights.

legionaries

legionaries were not really a class, but from the late Republic and Imperial era, the profession of a legionary was an attractive alternative to plebeians. Over the centuries, llegionaries  became an increasingly separate class with the same status as Roman citizens.

Auxiliae, Roman mercenaries were recruited from other peoples such as the Germanic peoples and the Celts. This group also did not form a class, but was very large. In the late years of the Imperial era, more than 50% of the Roman army consisted of auxiliae. If an auxiliae had served 25 years in the Roman army (and was still alive) he was presented with the Roman diploma. He was now a full Roman citizen.

Foreigners

The status of foreigners in the Roman Empire varied depending on several factors such as their origin, social status and the specific period of the empire's history. First, the inhabitants of Roman territory outside Italy, such as provinces and conquered territories, were seen as foreigners. They were generally regarded as subject peoples. While they enjoyed local autonomy and self-government at times, they were ultimately subservient to Rome's authority. These subject peoples often had limited political rights and often had to pay taxes to Rome. Foreigners who settled within Roman territory (migrants) had different legal statuses depending on their status.

However, foreigners could also have other sub-statuses. Some had a ius Latii, meaning they enjoyed some of the rights and benefits of Roman citizenship, but not all. Others had the status of peregrinus, meaning they were foreigners without Roman citizenship. Peregrini had certain legal rights, but were generally subject to the laws and authority of Rome. Over the centuries, the area displaced what the Romans associated with citizenship. As a result, people from Gaul also automatically became Roman citizens. The Romans actively encouraged foreigners to become Roman citizens. For example, a mercenary could participate in the Roman army as an auxiliae, receiving his Roman citizenship after 25 years of service. You could also get Roman citizenship for loyalty and economic contributions. Integrating “new Romans” was very important to keep the Roman Empire together. In general, foreigners in the Roman Empire were not fully equal to Roman citizens, but their specific status and rights could vary depending on several factors.

Slaves

were widespread in the Roman Empire and were used for all kinds of labor ranging from domestic work to mining and even teaching. In the 1st-3rd century CE, the Roman Empire was estimated to have had 2-3 million slaves at all times. Slaves were created from captives and conquered peoples. Children of slaves were also slaves. Although slaves were considered property, Roman jurists recognized that slaves had certain rights. For example, an owner was supposed to provide his slaves with food, shelter and clothing. In some cases, slaves could also "own" property, such as money or goods, but these still belonged to their owner.

Some slaves were fortunate enough to be placed in households where they enjoyed relatively good conditions, such as education and social mobility. Others were subjected to hard physical labor and lived in poor conditions.

Some Roman thinkers have written about the humanity of slaves. For example, Stoic philosophers such as Seneca emphasized that slaves shared the same essential human characteristics and feelings as free people. In addition, cases of manumission sometimes occurred, in which slaves were freed by their owners and acquired the status of freedmen. Freedmen had some rights and could participate in society, although they often still faced restrictions.

Gladiator & chariot racers

The main difference between a gladiator and a chariot racer was that chariot racers came from the free class and were professional sportsmen. Chariot racing was perilous and most chariot racers didn't live long! Chariot racing was a very popular sport in ancient Rome, especially on the circus racetrack, such as the famous Circus Maximus in Rome. The chariot racers, known as "aurigae", were talented and highly trained athletes who raced horse-drawn carts. They were admired and respected in Roman society for their skills and bravery. Many chariot racers served under an owner (lanista). However, the lanista could not decide the life or liberty of the riders, and the riders enjoyed autonomy and reputation in their profession.

Gladiators were usually slaves, prisoners of war or convicted felons, but there were also volunteer gladiators. They were owned by a lanista, who trained them and provided them with accommodation and equipment. Gladiators were trained in different fighting styles and fought against other gladiators, wild animals or even skilled soldiers in large amphitheaters. Despite the dangerous nature of their profession, successful gladiators enjoyed popularity and status, and some succeeded in earning their freedom.

Interaction between classes

In both ancient Greece and the Roman Empire there were (limited) opportunities for social mobility between classes. In general, individuals remained tied to the class into which they were born, although there were exceptions. For example, in the Roman Empire it was possible to rise to a higher class through military service, trade and political career. Despite the division between the classes, there was interaction between them. For example, aristocrats could intermarry with other aristocratic families to increase their status and wealth. Trade and economic activities also allowed for contact between different classes, although social distancing was usually maintained.

The status of women

Roman culture was a strong patriarchal culture in which men had power and prestige. This was adopted from the Greeks in contrast to the Etruscans, where women were freer and held in higher esteem. Through Christianity, this tradition was continued in the Middle Ages and thus continued until our modern society. Women's status and rights depended on several factors, such as their social class, marital status, and period in Roman history. The legal status of women in the Roman Empire was complex and evolved throughout history. In the early Republican period, women had limited legal rights and were subject to the patriarchal authority of their father or husband. As time progressed, their rights expanded somewhat. For example, women could own and manage property, but often under the guardianship of a male relative. Marriage was an important legal institution for women, and their rights and duties were largely determined by their husbands. Compared to the Celtic and Germanic cultures, Roman women had limited rights.

In general, women from the higher social classes had access to education. Although education itself mainly consisted of being able to list works by classical masters such as Plato and Aristotle. For women of the aristocracy, there was sometimes more emphasis on a broader education, including literature and rhetoric. There were some well-known Roman women, such as Cornelia, the mother of the Gracchi, and the poetess Sappho, who were known for their intellectual prowess. In addition, women often did the bookkeeping and could read and write.

In the Roman Empire, the family was the basis of society, and women played a central role in family life. They were seen as the custodians of the household and had the responsibility of raising children and managing the household. This could vary from a small household in a Roman apartment building to managing a huge villa. Women played a management role in this because, especially in wealthy households, a lot of work was done by the slaves. Running the slaves was a day job in itself. Lower-class women were often involved in handicrafts such as weaving, sewing, and spice preparation. Some women from poor families had to work outside the home, for example as maids or in prostitution.

Women often had a strong (political) influence on family decisions and could exercise a lot of power in this way. They also organized parties that often impressed political allies within the upper classes. They could develop political and social networks and exert influence through their connections and relationships. Some women, empresses like Livia and Agrippina, had considerable influence on the political scene.

Religion

The Roman religion was heavily adopted from the Greek religion. In addition, there was room for gods from other religions, such as the Celtic Cernunnos and Epona and the Egyptian Isis were adopted. Polytheism in which different gods were worshiped was open to other faiths (but not to Christianity in the first instance).

Roman religion had an extensive collection of gods and goddesses, rituals and temples, and was an essential part of the daily life and culture of the Romans. In addition to temples, many Romans had a home altar (lararium) in which they worshiped their house gods. Which gods these were often depended on the profession and preferences.

In Roman polytheistic religion, there were numerous gods and goddesses representing different aspects of human life and nature. Jupiter, the supreme god, embodied the sky and thunder, while Juno was the goddess of marriage and family. Mars was the god of war and Minerva was worshiped as the goddess of wisdom and art. These gods and goddesses were worshiped and honored in temples and in public ceremonies.

Roman religion included a wide variety of rituals and festivals that honored the gods and brought the community together. Offerings, prayers and processions were common practices in temples and shrines. Famous festivals, such as the Saturnalia, were a time of joy and celebration, when social norms were reversed and people entertained with banquets, gifts and entertainment.

Temples were the sacred places where the gods were worshipped. These beautiful structures were architectural masterpieces and served as meeting places for believers. Priests played an important role in maintaining the religious traditions. They conducted ceremonies, sacrificed to the gods and were the mediators between humans and the divine world.

Social changes through Christianity

With the rise of Christianity, class structures in the Roman Empire began to shift. Christianity preached an equality of all men before God, challenging the status and power of the aristocrats. The concept of charity and care for the poor led to a greater concern for the less fortunate, slaves and gladiatorial games. Events such as gladiator fights and animal fights came to an end, but slavery continued to be widely used until the fall of the Roman Empire. The Romans did not abolish slavery, this was done gradually through economic decline.

The aristocracy also largely managed to maintain its power and status through the integration of Christianity into the existing structures and the cooperation between church and state, which remained active to a greater or lesser extent until the early modern period. Aristocratic families embraced Christianity and held important positions within the new religious hierarchy. This allowed them to maintain their political and social influence, albeit in a different context.

How do I recognize my emperor?

Did you know that the people of the Roman Empire never saw their emperors? The emperor was recognized through Roman busts and statues and through Roman coins. After the death of an emperor, the head of the statue was usually swapped so that the rest of the statue could be reused. Roman coins continued to circulate for hundreds of years. Because of this, the coins in the purse often depicted different emperors.

What did all those different Romans look like?

See our lookbook for examples of different Romans. Including compositions how you can make your Roman in an instant.

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