In preparing this book I have had in mind the needs of three classesof students.
It is intended in the first place for seniors in high schools andfreshmen in colleges, and is meant to give such an account of thePrivate Life of the Romans in the later Republic and earlier Empire aswill enable them to understand the countless references to it in theLatin texts which they read in the class-room. It is hoped that thebook contains all that they will need for this purpose and nothingthat is beyond their comprehension.
It is intended in the second place for more advanced college studentswho may be taking lectures on the subjects of which it treats. Thework of both teacher and student will be made less irksome and moreeffective if the student is aided in the taking of notes by even sogeneral a knowledge of the subject (previously announced to the class)as is here given. This I know from actual experience with my ownclasses.
In the third place it is intended for readers and students of Romanhistory, who are engaged chiefly with important political andconstitutional questions, and often feel the need of a simple andcompact description of domestic life, to give more reality to theshadowy forms whose public careers they are following. Such studentswill find the Index especially useful.
The book is written as far as possible in English: that is, no greatknowledge of Latin is presumed on the part of the reader. I have triednot to crowd the text with Latin words, even when they are immediatelyexplained, and those given will usually be found worth remembering.Quotations from Latin authors are very few, and the references totheir works, fewer still, are made to well-known passages only.
To every chapter are prefixed references to the standard secondaryauthorities in English and German. Primary sources are not indicated:they would be above the heads of the less advanced students, and tothe more advanced the lecturer will prefer to indicate the sources onwhich his views are based. It is certain, however, that all thesesources are indicated in the authorities named, and the teacherhimself may occasionally find the references helpful.
The illustrations are numerous and are intended to illustrate. Manyothers are referred to in the text, which limited space kept me fromusing, and I hope that Sc