Private Life of the Romans, The [Paperback]

Harold Whetstone Johnston (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 27, 2002

The 16 chapters present an overview of family structure, names, marriage, children and education, religion, dependents, slaves and client,, the house and its furniture, dress and personal ornaments, food and meals, amusements and baths, travel and correspondence, books, sources of income and means of living, the Roman's day, burial-places and funeral ceremonies. These things are of interest to us in the case of any ancient or foreign people; in the case of the Romans they are of especial importance, because they help to explain the powerful influence that nation exerted over the old world, and make it easier to understand why that influence is still felt in some degree today. At the time of original publication in 1903, Harold Whetstone Johnston was Professor of Latin at Indiana University. He was also the author of Selected Orations and Letters of Cicero, Latin Manuscripts, and The Metrical Licenses of Vergil.

Product Details

• Paperback: 348 pages
• Publisher: University Press of the Pacific (December 27, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1410203506
• ISBN-13: 978-1410203502
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,356,129 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Private Life of the Romans, March 26, 2000

By 

Bradford Duncan (Stanford, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Private Life of the Romans (Hardcover)

Harold W. Johnston wrote an easy-to-read survey text on daily Roman life. Particularly suited to students in high school and introductory level college courses, the book clearly and succinctly covers many aspects of Roman civilization. The title is somewhat misleading, as most people would not consider the subject matter "private." The 16 chapters present an overview of family structure, nomenclature/epigraphy, marriage, children and education, slavery, the host-client relationship, the house and its furnishings, clothing, food and meals, games and other amusements, travel and correspondence, occupations, country life, death, religion, and the water supply. Only the chapter on religion is disappointing (and books on Roman religion are not difficult to find). Helpful woodcuts, line drawings, and black and white photographs illustrate the subject matter throughout. Though Johnston introduces many Latin (and a few Greek) terms, his writing remains clear so that even those with no training in the Classics will find the terminology augments rather than detracts from his work.

Scholarship in recent decades has proved some of Johnston's information inaccurate but, on the whole, it still stands. For a more recent review of Roman life, I recommend Leslie and Roy Adkins' Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome (1998).

Despite being decades old, Private Life of the Romans remains a leading source for daily life and customs questions at Latin competitions around the United States, which is probably why it's often on backorder so grab a copy whenever you can!

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book, June 10, 2006

By 

Dernhelm (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Private Life of the Romans (Hardcover)

After reading this book, Roman history seems much more - real. It covers many aspects of the private life of a Roman citizen: The Family, The Name, Marriage and the position of Women, Children and Education, Dependents: Slaves and Clients, The House and Its Furniture, Dress and Personal Ornaments, Food and Meals, Amusements, Travel and Correspondence, Sources of Income and Means of Living, Burial Places and Funeral Ceremonies. Under each of these chapter headings is a list of specific sections and their paragraph numbers. (In the text, the paragraph numbers are placed on the outer edge of the page, so it is easily visible.) There are many illustrations (205, to be exact), which are very helpful, and it is not at all difficult reading.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Never recieved, September 30, 2009

By 

D. Wilkinson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Private Life of the Romans (The Lake Classical Series) (Hardcover)

I ordered two books on Amazon and only received ONE of them, the one being the incorrect book. I was not given the proper information to remedy this and was hoping that upon receiving the other book I would know who to return the first book to...I never received the other book. I paid $17 in total and only got one book. It was a children's book on ancient Rome, not the textbook I had purchased.