Populus

February 26, 2024
Historian de la Bédoyère (Real Lives of Roman Britain) delivers a vibrant survey of daily life in ancient Rome. Drawing on a vast array of archaeological, archival, and literary sources, he conjures the city’s sights, sounds, and smells. These vivid descriptions of sensory experiences include the frenzy of crowds at chariot races in the Circus Maximus, where “it was common for the spectators to start shrieking at the attending emperors” for handouts and tax reform (Caligula, enraged by this behavior, began executing hecklers on the spot); the delight or repulsion induced by smells of places (the Tiber stank of sewage), medical treatments (the smell of women’s burned hair was used to “slow down the breathing of a woman suffering... hysteria, as well as tackle cavities”), and other people (Seneca reported that general Scipio smelled pleasantly of “the army, farm work, and manliness”); the ever-present flavor of fermented fish sauce, an ubiquitous condiment in Roman cuisine; and recurring sounds, including that of a popular talking raven who mimicked the supplication of devotees at the Temple of Castor and Pollux (when a neighbor killed the bird over its “toilet habits,” there was a riot followed by a massive funeral). Providing considerable detail in an easygoing style, this brings to pulsing life the average Roman’s daily existence. Roman history buffs will be thrilled.