19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"In this simple arena, hundreds of thousands went to their death....", June 5, 2009
This review is from: A Day in the Life of Ancient Rome: Daily Life, Mysteries, and Curiosities (Paperback)
As we know, instead of violent movies and video games, Imperial Rome settled for real violence -- their "reality shows" in the Colosseum and elsewhere. Bloody executions, ordered by the State and often administered at the teeth and claws of ferocious animals, were scheduled earlier in the day. Lavish mortal hand-to-hand combat scenarios, sponsored by wealthy patricians who hoped to gain popular political support, were an inextricable later part of a typical day in the then largest city in the world.
But knowing isn't the same as "being there." In
A Day in the Life of Ancient Rome: Daily Life, Mysteries, and Curiosities, Alberto Angela, author and TV science show host, gets us a ticket with a seat number so we can witness, amongst other matches, a mortal struggle between a murmillo (a "fish man") and a retiarius. "This couple symbolically represents the fisherman, equipped with a net, trident, and dagger, and the fish...which hides among the rocks, ready to unleash its lethal bite (exactly like this type of gladiator, hiding behind his enormous shield)." Angela neglects nothing of the atmosphere; the Colosseum lives and breathes with the agonies in the arena and the audience's chants of "now he strikes him, now he strikes him." And as we watch the fray, Angela also teaches us vocabulary and showers us with facts galore. He is our guide, our instructor in this deadly place.
Fortunately for the less bloodthirsty readers, this day tour introduces (or reacquaints) us with many other aspects of Roman life. After a chapter to orient us in the 115 CE (or AD) Trajan Empire, Angela confidently leads us through the hours beginning with a predawn survey of the dark, silent streets of Rome. We then proceed to view, among other things, a wealthy Roman family's home, an apartment building for the common people, an outdoor school in session, the shops, a temple, a cattle auction and then one for slaves, the Roman Forum, a public toilet, a book shop, a food bar, the deadly events in the Colosseum of course, and an evening banquet complete with such Roman delicacies as "flamingo tongues, parrotfish livers, peacock and pheasant brains , and 'milk' from a moray eel." Finally before we bid Rome good-bye at midnight, there is some information about Roman sexual practices, but our voyeurism doesn't go too far.
This volume serves as an excellent introduction to ancient Rome for young people. However, A DAY IN THE LIFE OF ANCIENT ROME is also definitely for adult edification. Anyone who has enjoyed fictional jaunts to Rome through historical novels by authors such as Colleen McCullough, Steven Saylor, Lindsey Davis, or Robert Harris will likely be fascinated with the chance to tag along on Angela's tour.
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF ANCIENT ROME produces a remarkably illustrative overview of how Romans of that time lived. Angela succeeds in delivering a large quantity of information with an affable, inviting style. Now, in Angela's words, "And so concludes our day in the life of imperial Rome. An ordinary day, almost two thousand years ago." We've received a gift -- a chance to peek into some creepy crevices...and many magnificent spaces. Highly recommended. 4.5 stars.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Day in the Life of Ancient Rome shows us that the past is a much different country, January 11, 2010
This review is from: A Day in the Life of Ancient Rome: Daily Life, Mysteries, and Curiosities (Paperback)
Roman television personality Alberto Angela has produced an outstanding new book on daily life in ancient Rome. The book is well written containing line drawings of ancient Roman clothing, hair styles, architecture and other aspects of daily life in the city on seven hills.
Angela goes through a 24 hour cycle showing us what the typical Roman citizen would be engaged in during that period of time. We awaken at dawn with a light Roman breakfast. We see how the Romans decorated their homes in a minimal style. Angela takes us into the tall insula apartment buildings of the city of 1.5 million. Rome was a city of many ethnicities and slaves did much of the work. The city in 115 was ruled by Trajan the emperor. We learn how the citizens worshipped the various deities in the Roman pantheon as we travel to the temples.
The most gruesome section of the book deals with the slaughters on display in the colosseum built during the reign of Vespasian. Thousands of gladiators, prisoners and animals died bloody deaths in the sawdust of the arena.
Angela explains the architecture of the Colosseum, the equipment used by the gladiators and the customs surrounding their battles to the death. The Romans would work 6 hours a day using the rest of the time for viewing the games, gambling and enjoying life in the crowded streets. Angela says that Rome was like a third world city where there was a mingling of rich and poor in the narrow lanes and the crowded open air markets.
Angela even discusses sexual matters and comments on Roman prostitution. Other than describing the Senate building he does not delve deeply into Roman politics. This book would be a good resource in a high school Latin or history course. It is entertaing and geared to the general reader. Of all the books of this kind Mr. Angela is to bec complimented on an excellent job of explaining the Romans to 21st century readers. Excellent!
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful evocation in a highly original book., November 21, 2009
This review is from: A Day in the Life of Ancient Rome: Daily Life, Mysteries, and Curiosities (Paperback)
I was enthralled reading this book describing, hour-by-hour, a typical day in the life of ancient Rome in 115 A.D., at the height of the Empire The descriptions of the imaginary observer enable the reader to picture the scenes from daily life, as if they were from modern Rome. There are numerous fascinating details, all seemingly based on numerous archaeological finds and research, as well as descriptions from Latin authors.
A few slight criticisms, that could be corrected in a second edition (which is the only reason I have, reluctantly, not awarded 5 stars). The editing is a little sloppy in places, which can jar and spoil the flow. There were several, but two that I remember are Sulla being referred to as Silla and mistaking Marcus Aurelius for Mark Anthony. Since the day involves a walk around various places in ancient Rome, it would have been helpful to have had a few maps to show where the various places were in relationship to each other and, perhaps, something to show where they are located in present-day Rome and what still remains to be seen, whether in museums or in situ (photographs would be an added plus). The author often refers to Latin authors' descriptions while giving the name but, only once that I recall, giving a reference to the work. That would be very helpful for those who might want to follow-up further with contemporary accounts and would provide an encouragement to dip into the great Latin authors. While translating the book from its Italian original into English, the bibliography could have been altered for an English-speaking audience. Out of about 40 references, almost all are in Italian and only two are in English. Hopefully, someone from the publisher will read these suggestions and that there will be demand for subsequent editions.
If you think you might just possibly enjoy this book, don't hesitate.
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