Work in Ancient Rome was an important part of the daily life for the people of the time. In fact, it was essential to maintaining one of the most powerful civilizations in history. The Roman Empire’s economy depended on a wide variety of jobs, which included: merchants, craftsmen, farmers, soldiers, entertainers and the government officials. Furthermore, work in Ancient Rome was closely linked to a person’s social class. This means that what someone did for a living often reflected their place in the hierarchy of the Ancient Roman class system. As such, the majority of people carried out difficult work in farm fields, workshops, or markets.
WORK IN ANCIENT ROME – TYPES OF JOBS
The people of Ancient Rome had many different jobs or careers. Each of the following were work options to the people of Rome:
- Merchant: Merchant ships commonly sailed the waters surrounding the Roman Empire in search of other lands with goods to trade for. Merchants transported goods such as grain from Egypt, spices from the East, olive oil from Spain, and wine from Italy across the Mediterranean Sea.
- Craftsman: Rome was known for its fine goods, which were made by its many craftsmen. These craftsmen made goods, such as: clothing, dishes, mosaics, metal goods, weapons, decorative items, etc. They worked as blacksmiths, potters, carpenters, shoemakers, weavers, and sculptors. Many artisans were former slaves who had gained their freedom but continued to work for wages.
- Farmer: Since Rome’s economy was primarily agricultural, most people lived and worked in the countryside. As such, most ancient Romans were farmers. Popular crops were olives, grapes for wine, honey, and cereal crops. Livestock such as beef and pork were common as well. Wealthy people owned the farms while the poor worked the land to harvest the crops and raise the livestock.
- Soldier: Soldiers were very important in the overall Roman Empire. As the empire spread throughout the surrounding territories, the soldiers were needed to conquer and control the territory.
- Entertainers: The Romans loved public spectacles such as gladiatorial games, chariot races, and theater performances. Entertainers were important within Rome as Roman citizens enjoyed attending the theater and “games” in the amphitheatres, such as the Colosseum. These people were actors, musicians, chariot racers and gladiators.
- Government: There were many different types of government positions, but in general, the high ranking positions in society were controlled by the wealthy. For example, members of the noble families were only represented in the Senate. The Roman Empire required a vast bureaucracy to manage taxes, laws, and provinces.
WORK IN ANCIENT ROME – SLAVERY
Slavery was a major part of the Roman workforce and played a significant role in the daily life for people in Ancient Rome. Enslaved people performed many types of work depending on their skills and education. For instance, some worked in fields or mines under difficult and harsh conditions, while others served as domestic servants, teachers, secretaries or accountants in wealthy households. In addition, educated Greek slaves were often prized as tutors for Roman children. As well, in cities, slaves worked in workshops, bakeries and public baths.
