Social life at Rome in the Age of Cicero

is a his torical account that delves into the social and cultural context of Ro man life during the late Republic, specifically around the time of Cicero. Written in the late 19th century, the work aims to provide an in-depth ex amination of Roman society, addressing various aspects such as education, marriage, and the lifestyles of different classes, with a particular focus on the era's political and social transformations. The opening of the book sets the stageforanexplorationofRome'stopographyanditsinfluenceonsociallife. Fowler begins by contrasting the experience of the modern traveler arriving in Rome with the historical significance of Aeneas's mythical landing at the Tiber. He guides readers through the city's iconic sites while elaborating on the geographic and strategic advantages that led to Rome's growth and prominence. ThefirstchapteremphasizestheimportanceofRome'slayout, revealing how its physical characteristics fostered a bustling urban life filled with diversepopulations, allwhilehintingatthesocio-economicconditions of the lower classes that would unfold in subsequent chapters. This intro ductionpreparesthe readerforadeeperexploration intothecomplexitiesof Roman society and the rich tapestry of everyday life during Cicero's time.

It is as likely as not that he may leave Rome without once finding an opportunity ofsur veyingthewhole siteoftheancient city, orofasking, andpossiblyanswering the question, how it ever came to be where it is. While occupied with mu seums and picture-galleries, he may well fail "totam aestimare Romam."[1] Assuming that the reader has never been in Rome, I wish to transport him thither in imagination, and with the help of the map, by an entirely differ ent route. But first let him take up the eighth book of the Aeneid, and read afresh the oldest and most picturesque of all stories of arrival at Rome;[2] let him dismiss all handbooks from his mind, and concentrate it on Aeneas and his ships on their way from the sea to the site of the Eternal City