Music-making in ancient Rome

Within the Roman aristocracy, music was considered a rather common pastime, but among ordinary people, making music, singing, and dancing were popular pastimes. Music could be heard in the theater and at feasts. It accompanied religious ceremonies and public celebrations, even gladiatorial combats.

Many instruments played in Rome originated in Greece, such as the lyre. Wind instruments were popular, from reed pipes to the bronze horn. They produced loud sounds best enjoyed outdoors. The most complex instrument was the water organ, invented in the 1st century BCE by an unnamed Greek. A pump forced water into a closed tank, compressing the air inside. A system of manually operated valves released the compressed air, which, when it entered the pipes, produced sounds reminiscent of modern organs. Although we know a great deal about ancient instruments today, we will unfortunately never know what the musical pieces performed on them sounded like.