Claire Saunders, illustrated by Ruth Hickson
Button books £12.99
ISBN-13: 9781787081260
A companion piece to the already reviewed Factology: Romans, this expands on the daily lives of those who lived under the empire. A slimmer volume than that previously mentioned this looks inside a Roman house and we see little furniture, a shrine and a primitive toilet. Childrens toys are mentioned, dools and wooden swords. There was a ceromony for boys who gave up toys at 14. Try prising these away from a 14 year old today!
Entertainment might mean going to the Gladiator shows or to the Chariot races. Apparently there were 4 chariot teams so you could have your favourite, a bit like football supporters today.
Projects to try are to make imitation knucklebones (a sort of dice) and a tabula, a clay tablet which school children used to mark their work and a theatre mask (either happy, sad, angry or scared). You can also make panpipes from paper straws.
Since only rich people had kitchens in their houses most ate out at snack bars called thermopolia. A simple recipe for a honey cake and a salad are included.
Other topics illustrated include life in the army, travel, fashion and a trip to the baths. All of the colourful pages have drawings and at 56 pages it is a good primer for interested young minds.