Children and toys in the Roman world : a contribution to the history of the Roman family
Date
1993
Authors
Shumka, Leslie Joan
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Abstract
The object of this thesis is to collect and analyze evidence on Roman toys and games with a view to establishing the significance of play in the lives of Roman children. The study is set in the context of recent scholarly discussion of child-rearing in antiquity. Evidence of all kinds is considered, but special attention is given to compiling a catalogue of toys from archaeological sources.
Chapter 1 begins by raising the question of whether it is feasible to think in terms of a history of ancient childhood, and what approaches might actively be pursued in an effort to reconstruct the world of Roman children. A synopsis of scholarship on childhood in the modern period prefaces an explication of a recent addition to the study of childhood in antiquity. This discussion provides the foundation for contrasting and comparing the methodology of modern and ancient historians in their evaluations of parental and societal attitudes toward children. Examination of expressions of affection, as evinced by two ancient authors from divergent backgrounds, concludes the chapter. Children are plainly regarded by these authors as integral parts of a prosperous social and political life, but also as sources of pleasure, aggravation and even perplexity.
The assemblage of literary evidence for toys and games that appears in Chapter 2 is drawn from an extensive range of Republican and Imperial authors, and is organized along very broad lines. A synthesis of the literary material both demonstrates the all-pervasive influence of children in Roman society, and validates the investigation of toys and games as indicators of social attitudes. Furthermore, the analysis accentuates the need for greater focus on two particular issues: parent-child interaction within the context of play and leisure, and recreational space for children.
With the literary and historical evidence for toys and games safely established we turn, in Chapter 3, to a profile of the material evidence, which is presented in the form of a catalogue. The chapter stresses the strong correlation between the literary and archaeological records, and furnishes evidence of objects not attested or noted by ancient authors, but which archaeologists generally regard
as the playthings of children.
A detailed discussion of the archaeological record is conducted in Chapter 4. Origins for toys, technological developments, media, construction methods, along with geographic and chronological concerns are considered in an attempt to explain society's apparent desire to create a variety of appealing toys for its children.
Building upon the archaeological and literary framework established in preceding chapters, the fifth chapter explores the potential for socializing Roman children through toys and games. The work of modern child psychologists and sociologists is drawn on to formulate hypotheses on how children developed motor skills and analytical abilities; how boys and girls learned about their sexual and social roles; and how Roman parents ensured that their children acquired requisite social skills while preserving the diversionary aspects of toys and play at the same time.
The conclusion is reached that children in Roman antiquity lived in the constant shadow of potentially fatal illnesses and, from a contemporary perspective, experienced a harsher way of life. Nonetheless, it is evident from the toys and games examined in this thesis that Roman children could and did enjoy themselves immensely. A more lighthearted view of Roman childhood can be achieved, and it is clear that Roman parents were very concerned with both the present and future comfort of their children.
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UN SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth