Curiosities of ancient Rome (Society)

Ancient Romans treated slaves like things and did not pay much attention to their lives. Marcus Terentius Varro, a man considered as one of the best-educated ancient Romans, treated slaves as nothing other than speaking tool (instrumentum vocale). In addition, he believed that food should not be wasted on sick and unemployed slaves, and that they should not eat too much.

Today, Roman letters are associated mainly with a monumental square capital, engraved in stone arches and columns. On a daily basis, however, the inhabitants of the empire – writings letters, poems or keeping trade correspondence – used less durable tools.