Country Life in Ancient Rome
Daily life in the country was slower paced, but still lively, with numerous rural festivals and visits with friends. Slaves quite often ran farms of the rich. Rich citizens escaped to their country estates to oversee their farms, but mostly to enjoy some rest from the social duties of the city. In the country, they enjoyed hunting, riding, fishing, and of course, the baths, dinner, and a busy social life between the villas.
The average farmer probably worked
hard seven days a week, but enjoyed the local town on market day, selling his
wares, meeting with friends, catching up with news. His wife looked after the
house and family and supervised the slaves. Although life was socially much
slower paced than it was in the city, but it was still Roman. The atrium was the
center of the home. The baths were an important of daily life, and the kids
played the same games, as did kids in the city.
On the farms, the day ended with an early supper. Supper consisted of food left over from the large noon dinner, with the addition of uncooked vegetables or fruit. The word supper was not used in the city. It was a country term, and a country meal.