Ancient Rome

         I watched an interesting BBC documentary Meet with the Romans with Mary Beard, professor of classics at Newnham College in Cambridge. The presenter shows us the history of ancient Rome viewed through the eyes of ordinary inhabitants of that city. Rome was the first multi-cultural aglomeration of one million people. Thousands of slaves born outside the Empire came to the capital, some of them became its citizens like Baricha, Zabda and Achiba, who were taken as slaves after the rebellion in Judea and then freed by their owner. All the ancient immigrants lived in Transtevere, the area across the Tiber. A lot of people died because of malaria, so the influx of peasants and foreigners was good for the city. Also Roman elites were international. What amazed me, is that at the center of modern Rome you can spot a hill called Monte Testaccio made of broken amphorae which served for storing olive oil. Romans had to import basic commodities beacause Italy wasn't able to satisfy their needs. Roman citizens got each month a ration of grain (about 35 to 40 kilograms). Then they gave it to bakers so they could have bread to eat. The emperor distributed grain in order to keep the populace quiet and unwilling to rebel.

There are some other interesting facts in the documentary that's why I recommand it.