Childhood in ancient Rome

After conception, women would rest in bed to “preserve the seed.”[2] To treat pregnancy symptoms they would eat a bland diet of eggs or rice and would be massaged with olive oil.

Plants and herbs such as dittany leaves, scordotis in hydromel and the root of verbena were used for relief during labor.

Midwives assisted births in the home and prepared the mothers with oil for lubrication, warm water, sponges, and provided bandages for the newborn.

Once the baby was born the midwife would cut the umbilical cord, remove the placenta and then they would decide if the child was worth keeping.

Once declared fit to live, as a Roman ritual the midwife would place the child on the ground for the head of the household to then raise up and claim it to rear.

[6][7][8] From the ages of 8 until the onset of puberty (traditionally 12 for girls and 14 for boys in ancient Rome), children were seen to have more rational minds and were expected to take on responsibility around the home such as taking care of the animals, gathering materials, and general chores around the house.

A child between 8 and puberty, however, still had the possibility of being held responsible for a criminal act if it could be proven that they understood their offense.

Rome's laws did not use imprisonment or the death penalty for the purpose of criminal punishment generally, and the Valerian and Porcian laws exempted all Roman citizens from degrading and shameful forms of punishment, such as whipping, scourging, or crucifixion; but in the case of theft (for example; furtum), the child and his/her family would be punished by being required to return the stolen object, and in some cases two or four times the value of the stolen object.

The ceremony involved them removing their bulla and the tunic they wore through childhood and putting on a man’s toga while accompanied by their fathers and other relatives.

The ideal mother was called the Roman matrona, a strong and virtuous woman who was dedicated to the political advancement of her family.

[6][10] Due to disease, epidemics, and high mortality in the Roman world, the death of children occurred regularly.

[11] Older children were commemorated in the Roman religious tradition, but babies younger than 40 days old were usually buried instead of cremated.