Emperors, temples, palaces, gladiators, and rows of white marble columns: these are the images that usually come to mind when we think of the Roman Empire. However, behind these images were ordinary people like you and me!
During the height of its power, the Roman Empire was home to over 60 million people. Within its population, there were rich and poor, young and old, men and women, and free and enslaved people. Just like modern citizens, each person had their own story, experiences, and ways of seeing the world.
The Kelsey Museum’s collection includes hundreds of tombstones from towns near modern-day Naples, Italy. Using information from these objects, we have reconstructed the lives of several people from Puteoli. These glimpses can help us understand the people of Rome and walk in their shoes, allowing us to see the often-overlooked diversity of Roman society.
