![]() ![]() The rest of the Roman citizenry was divided by their residence in one of 35 districts, called tribes based on their historical origin, four tribes within Rome, and 31 rural tribes outside. Each Roman citizen heading a household who owned property in excess of 400,000 sesterces or who was descended from one of the patrician families was classed in the highest, equestrian, class, which was grouped into six political centuriae consisting of the patrician families, and 12 political centuriae of those classed equestrian by wealth. Two Roman magistrates, the censors, conducted a census of the Roman citizenry every five years. The status of the paterfamilias in society in turn depended on factors such as whether he held Roman citizenship, his status as a member of one of the patrician families tracing descent from the founding families of Rome or as a member of the plebian families who could not, the renown of his ancestors and their relation to any notable families, his wealth, his political influence measured in the number of clients dependent upon his patronage, and his personal military or political honors. Roman social structure was strongly patriarchal, based on the legally absolute power of the paterfamilias, the male head of the household, over the lives and property of all members of the household. Homosexuality was very common, and was considered unremarkable so long as it did not interfere with one's duties to one's family. Marriages were generally arranged by the heads of households for the advantage of the family, although it was regarded as prudent at least to take the wishes and temperaments of those to be married into some account. Wine was a staple drink, frequently consumed at all meals and by all classes. Its religious beliefs were similar to and shaped by Greek polytheism, but cults from farther east became increasingly popular throughout the later Republic.The staples of the Roman diet were grain prepared into bread and porridge, beans, olives, seafood, and pork, although wealthier individuals threw banquets at which the rarest and most exotic delicacies were consumed. ![]() Roman religion was an everyday and vital affair. Even footwear indicated one's social status. ![]() The cloth and the dress distinguished one class of people from another class. Men typically wore a toga, and woman a stola. Much of the populace lived in the city center of Rome and the other cities of the Republic, packed in apartment blocks. The Roman currency was known as the denarius (plural: denarii), although most accounting was rendered in sesterces, one denarius being equal to four sesterces. The official language of Rome was Latin (although with Rome's continued expansion and the contact with foreign people ever increasing, it was urged that one learn many languages). ![]()
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