Food, Baths and Daily Life in Ancient Rome
Latin vocabulary for Roman meals, houses, the forum and the public baths, showing how ordinary Romans lived.
Latin isn't only about emperors and battles. Everyday words show how ordinary Romans ate, washed and lived.
Meals
| Latin | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ientāculum | breakfast |
| prandium | light lunch |
| cēna | main meal, dinner |
| convīvium | banquet, dinner party |
| mēnsa | table |
The cēna was the main meal, eaten in the late afternoon or evening.
Food and drink
| Latin | Meaning |
|---|---|
| pānis | bread |
| vīnum | wine |
| aqua | water |
| cāseus | cheese |
| ōvum | egg |
| oleum | olive oil |
| piscis | fish |
| carō | meat |
Romans often mixed their wine with water, and garum, a fermented fish sauce, was a common seasoning.
The house and city
| Latin | Meaning |
|---|---|
| domus | house, home |
| īnsula | apartment block |
| atrium | central hall of a house |
| hortus | garden |
| forum | public square |
| via | road |
| taberna | shop |
| thermae | public baths |
Many city dwellers lived in īnsulae, multi-storey apartment blocks, while wealthy families owned a domus with an atrium and garden.
The baths
The public thermae were social centres where Romans exercised, washed, chatted and did business. A visit included rooms of different temperatures:
- caldārium — hot room
- tepidārium — warm room
- frīgidārium — cold room
Everyday phrases
- Bonum diem! — Good day!
- Salvē! — Hello! (to one person) / Salvēte! (to several)
- Valē! — Goodbye! / Valēte!
- Quid agis? — How are you?
- Grātiās tibi agō. — I thank you.
English words from Roman life
| English | Latin |
|---|---|
| villa | vīlla, country house |
| atrium | ātrium |
| forum | forum |
| kitchen | coquīna |
| wine | vīnum |
| cheese | cāseus |
| street | strāta, a paved road |
Tips
- Learn meal and food words.
- Learn the greetings.
- Use the dictionary to check terms.
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