Chapters
Roman mosaics, frescoes and written documents tell a lot about how the Romans lived daily. The wealthy lived comfortably in magnificent homes, ate exquisite food, wore beautiful clothes, and had slaves to serve them. Life was hard for the poor. They had to work and had little time for rest. Some Roman monuments are related to their everyday life.
Central heating
In the 1st century CE, the Romans invented underfloor central heating, called hypocaustum. The floor rested on brick pillars. A fire was lit and the radiant heat gently warmed her. Holes were left in the walls so that air could circulate freely. In regions with a warm climate, such heating was used in baths. In colder regions – in houses in the city and villas in the countryside.
Eaters
Residents of urban insulae did not have a kitchen at home. They bought hot food from eateries called thermopolia. They ate simple food – bread, cheese, olives, broad beans. They usually drank wine mixed with water. The wealthy organized feasts at which flamingos, dormice and even larks’ tongues were served. The guests rested on banquet beds and ate with their fingers, which were wiped by slaves after each course.
