The Countryside in the Roman Empire

Lane, Allison. The Countryside in the Roman Empire. Part of Life in the Roman Empire series. 2017. 80p. ISBN 978-1502622617. Available at 937.06 LAN on the library shelves.

Roman patricians and poets portrayed life in the countryside as idyllic, but for the vast majority of people this was not the case. Though living in the countryside differed depending on one’s location within the Empire, for the most part it involved a hard life farming a land that never produced enough to allow people to get ahead. Farmers worked year round. Children immediately began taking care of chores to help the family out. Whereas the work day in the city was fairly short, in the country farmers worked the entire day, from sunrise to sunset as there were always tasks that needed accomplishing.

With an average lifespan of under thirty, Romans in the countryside experienced hard living. Though lauded by city folks for providing the Empire with enough food, farming was backbreaking labor. The rise of large estates also led to a decline in small farm holdings, reducing the number of owners along with their drive to maintain their properties. Both men and women worked on the farm and accomplished many chores. Whereas men had the possibility to hunt and fish, women focused on weaving and childrearing, as well as ensuring that the farm household ran smoothly.

Life in the countryside was not all trials and challenges, however. There were many holidays celebrating farming and agriculture. Farmers and their families generally also enjoyed more space and better food than their city counterparts. And there were more opportunities for children to play than in the city.

Other titles in this series include The City in the Roman Empire, Patricians in the Roman Empire, and Religion in the Roman Empire.