Daily Life in Late Antiquity

by Kristina Sessa

Daily Life in Late Antiquity is the first comprehensive study of lived experience in the Late Roman Empire, from c.250–600 CE. Each of the six topical chapters highlight historical 'everyday' people, spaces, and objects, whose lives operate as windows into the late ancient economy, social relations, military service, religious systems, cultural habits, and the material environment. However, it is nevertheless grounded in late ancient primary sources - many of which are available in accessible English translations - and the most recent, cutting-edge scholarship by specialists in fields such as archaeology, social history, religious studies, and environmental history. From Manichean rituals to military service, gladiatorial combat to garbage collection, patrician households to peasant families, Daily Life in Late Antiquity introduces readers to the world of late antiquity from the bottom up.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

260 pages, Paperback

Published August 9, 2018

Reviews

[L · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's odd that I lump biography, history and historical fiction together in one category. This is probably because I read so little biography and virtually no history, though I like historical fiction in which artists tackle both of these, with more or less dedication to what we believe we know of both of the former.

Sessa is an historian, on the faculty of Ohio State U, focused on Roman history. I came across it in the "new books" section of the UM library and am delighted that I did, because it opened up what is for me an entire, relatively new (beginning in the '60's), branch of history, specifically the history of ordinary people. If they'd taught this kind of history when I was young, I might have gone in that direction; certainly the issues addressed in this book are some of those we deal with in sociology (though we certainly don't look as far back in time), the kinds of issues that drew me to sociology.

Sessa attempts to uncover and present a "comprehensive study of lived experience in the Late Roman Empire," roughly 250-600 CE, more or less "the period between 'the end of Rome' and 'the beginning of the middle ages'." The book includes chapters on rural and urban life, the household, body and mind and more. Obviously, someone doing the history of this period does not have the luxury of interviewing research participants, as we do. However, Sessa is able to draw on a wealth of primary documents from the era of interest, as well a host of work in archeology, social history, religious studies and more, especially including environmental history (who knew?!). Also, and also obviously, a study of daily life and ordinary people who lived so long ago is heavily slanted toward the more well-to-do; who leaves records, whether as documents or physical materials? None the less, Sessa is able to dig into the lives of those less well off, including slaves, to some extent, based on those resources themselves. As a medical sociologist who also teaches sociology of gender, I found her work on gender, embodiment and sexuality especially fascinating. I just might have to break down and get the e-book version of this, so I can use it; it would hardly do to break the binding of a new book copying that chapter, would it?

I have a couple of quibbles with the work. First, and this might reflect disciplinary differences, as wonderful as this work is in painting a picture of major aspects of the lives of people in late antiquity (how else would I ever have known that in late antiquity people didn't usually wear underwear, except for competing in athletic events?), it's hard to see it as a study of "lived experience." I'm not a phenomenologist myself, but am familiar with such work in my field, via a colleague and some of our shared students. I would associate this term with work that gives a feel of some aspect of daily lives and experiences of those living it, sort of "from the inside." This could reflect differences in the nature of data the two disciplines have available. More seriously, we are told more than once that disease strikes pretty much equally, regardless of gender or social status (including wealth & resources), with the biggest factor being whether one lived an urban or rural life. Certainly, urban vs rural has historically been a huge factor for epidemics, and still can be, as seen in how recent Ebola epidemics have played out in Africa. None the less, even with epidemics that lead to mass deaths (what we might call "extraordinary death") and based on evidence from the middle ages and more contemporary work, the ability to avoid or escape contagion, and/or survive infection, while limited, has been connected to resources. Similarly, vulnerability to disease, illness and disability is influenced by wealth/status, in terms of diet, housing, clothing, the work one does, physical abuse, etc.

Disagreements/quibbles aside, this is a terrific work.

[Tony Schwocher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good source of information on how the average joe lived during the 4th, 5th, and 6th centuries of the Roman Empire.

[Paul Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always enjoyed history books about daily living which help highlight the "foreignness" of the past by bringing to life everyday matters such as diet, medicine, work and the use of buildings. This is a particularly good one which brings out not only the specific features of daily living in the Late Antique World but also explains clearly what distinguishes it from the high Roman period which many of us probably know a lot more about. It is particularly good in describing the impact which the advent of Christianity did, or in some cases, did not have on the daily lives of those living in Late Antiquity. Well written and illustrated.

[Comes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable read for the life of people living in the Roman world in Late Antiquity. A good job is made in showing the differences of life from those in the earlier Empire and the subject Late Antiquity.

[Nora · Rating 4 out of 5]

solid introduction