Ancient Rome, Compared With Early Modern Europe

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Ancient Rome, Compared With Early Modern Europe


Throughout history, we have seen the rise and fall of incredible civilizations, societies and ideas. As the Romans prevailed over Europe for one thousand years (from roughly 500 BC to 500 AD), the early modern Europeans from about the 1400's to the 1800's put forward some ideas which were key in the development of our modern world. Had Europe progressed considerably one thousand years after the fall of the Roman Empire? This essay will examine this debated issue by establishing and comparing daily life in both societies.
Due to the fact that marriage was an important political aspect in ancient Rome and that no religious beliefs prevented divorce, it was common for the marriage of aristocrats to be dissolved. Couples could separate for personal or political reasons. Augustus demanded that Tiberius divorce his wife and marry his widowed daughter Julia instead. "Among lower class people who had no political affiliation, the divorce rate was probably lower."1 Romans seemed to view marriage as more of an arrangement then a romantic fulfilment. Women were encouraged to stay married since strict laws would award the custody of the children to the husbands in case of divorce. Augustus was bothered by the marriage patterns of the aristocrats due to its effect on the birthrate and the image of Rome. Augustus therefore passed a series of laws which made divorce, adultery and bachelorhood extremely distasteful. These laws brought unhappiness to his own family when his daughter and granddaughter committed adultery. Roman families were generally small. The aristocrats worried about the chance for their offspring to hold public office and the inheritance which they would receive. Even lower income families seemed to have few children. Low fertility, high infant mortality,
1. RichardGreaves et al. Civilizations of the West. (N.Y.:Addison-Wesley, 1997) p. 160.

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