Roman society was highly stratified, with one's social status depending on whether they were free or slave, wealthy or poor, citizen or foreigner. Slaves had the lowest status, followed by freed slaves, while those born free to wealthy families enjoyed the highest status. Society was divided into the honestiores (wealthy aristocrats and equestrians) and humiliores (freemen, freed slaves, and artisans), with the former holding more power and honor. The paterfamilias, usually the father, had absolute authority over the household and family religious practices. Women married at a young age in economically-motivated contracts while men married later.

1. The Order of Society
Roman society was highly stratified and the Romans
recognized that every person had his or her place
within the established order (Latin ordo). One’s
position was determined by a number of factors,
including whether they were free or slave, had
wealth or not, and were a citizen or foreigner.
Greater honor was ascribed to those who enjoyed
higher status. The world where the gospel was first
proclaimed was hierarchical and far from egalitarian

2. Slaves, Libertine, and Free
• The lowest status people in society were
slaves.
• The second highest were freedmen and
women who had formerly been slaves
• The highest was those that were born free
• NB. Even if a former slave attain free the
stigma of once having been a slave could not
be erased

3. Ways in being a slave
• Free people became slaves when they were
captured as prisoners of war or were
kidnapped and sold into slavery (1 Tim. 1:10)
• Some were slaves because they had been
born to slave parents.
• Some sold themselves or even their children
into slavery because they could not repay
debts.

4. Ways slaves obtain
freedom(“manumission”)
• Purchase- by saving up gifts and the small
allowance they receive.
• if their family or friends could supply the
funds
• Some masters manumitted slaves to impress
others with their wealth while others freed
slaves in their wills.
• At times, a slave master would free a female
slave in order to marry her

5. Honestiores
• The highest class of aristocrats in the empire
were the senators. They owned property that
was valued at least one million sesterces, a
sum equivalent to 250,000 denarii (each
denarius was equivalent to a day’s wage)

6. • Below the senatorial order were the
equestrians, those born Roman citizens who
had accumulated wealth totaling at least
400,000 sesterces (100,000 denarii).

7. Humiliores
• The humiliores were free people (either born
free or libertinie) who owned small farms or
businesses or worked as barbers,
moneylenders, potters, shippers, tanners,
butchers, weavers, wine and oil makers,
soldiers, or other kinds of artisans.
• Most people in the early church were
humiliores and slaves, the very people society
considered less virtuous

8. • Honestiores had the most honored seats at
public events, such as in the stadium in
Delphi.
• NB- The enormous wealth of the empire was
in the hands of the honestiores and not the
humiliores

9. Patrons and Clients
• Patrons -was a central feature of the Roman
world. A person would come under the
protection and care of a patron
• Clients- the clients on the other hand will
would render services for the patron

10. • The Patrons offered legal protection to their
clients, rewarded them with food and
presents, and sometimes invited them to
banquets.

11. The Family
• The father was the head of the family, he had
absolute authority (patria potestas) over the
entire household—spouse, children, extended
family, and slaves.
• He was in charge of property financial affairs and
determine whom his children married.
• If he had an unwanted child h could of kill it .
• Children was obligated to him even after they
leave home.
• The father also directed the religious life of the
family.

12. • Women were commonly married early in their
teens while men entered marriage much later.
• Marriages were governed by contracts, which
had everything to do with economics and
inheritance.
• Woman were had to be faithful to there
husband even if he go out side and have

13. • Children was to t honor there parent especial
there father as god
• Fathers taught their sons a trade