A short history of the Empire
Defining the aristocracy: birth and wealth
Social vs. legal constraints
Moral decay and its ramifications
The familia and the paterfamilias
Divorce, adultery and marital problems
The traditional view of Roman women
Negative depictions of women
Constraints on population growth
The institution of slavery
Literary scenes of busy streets
The parts of a Roman aristocratic house
Neighborhoods, water, sanitation, and the grain supply
Aqueducts and the water supply
Descriptions of the day's routine
The growth of christianity
The army of the imperial period
Invitations to aristocratic dinners
Eating and drinking establishments
Public entertainment: the theater and circus
The circus and chariot racing
Public entertainment: the amphitheater
The history of amphitheatrical games
