Rome at night: Questions

[guy]

Anyone living today by a major city is impressed by the number of lights and the amount of activity at night.

 

But how was the night in the major cities of the Ancient Roman world? I imagine there would be fires in the private houses. Are there any ancient sources attesting to lighting at shrines at night (except for the Temple of Vesta, of course)?

 

Were there ever gladiator, chariot, or other public outdoor spectacles at night? Or, because of the lack of public lighting, were all night time activites held indoors at a home or possibly a small outdoor theater?

 

Traveling at night must have been dangerous and relatively rare.

 

In smaller cities and town, the night time must have been a very isolated, absolutely dark, and extremely vulnerable time.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

 

guy also known as gaius

[GhostOfClayton]

If you look at books like Pride & prejudice, you see balls being timed to coincide wit the full moon. This wasn't some strange polytheistic ritual, but a practical measure to help people going home in the dark, by offering a little extra light courtesy of the moon's albedo. Surely the Romans did the same. They were clever chaps and chapesses.

[caldrail]

Most streets in Rome were not lit. However there was activity requiring lamplight held by a colleague or retainer, such as people retruning home from social functions (in whatever state of inebriation), young lads spoiling for whores or trouble (beating people up at night was a typical activity for macho lads in their teens - it got Nero seriously embarrased), knifemen waiting for some fool walking home alone in the dark. Vigiles might be patrolling in an ineffectual attempt to curb crime or watch for fires. and of course, the supply of businesses by wagons not permitted to to enter the city by day.

 

The Romans complained that sleep was impossible at night - there was always something going on even if the streets were badly lit or not at all. I do recall one or two religious rites held at night, obviously with lamplight (There was one in earlier times where foxes had brands tied to their tails, let off across the fields as a rite to ward off vermin) but these were spread over the year. Processions for the most part were held in daytime and entertainment was only in the hours of darkness when performed privately.

 

There were however occaisions when Caesars had an event staged at night. These were of course one-offs. Lucky for the christians in that respect, as Nero once had christians tarred and burned on a crucifix along the streets as lamps.

[GhostOfClayton]

For information, the foxes with torches tied to their tails event was a major part of Lindsay Davis' latest novel, The Ides of April.

Edited July 9, 2013 by GhostOfClayton

[guy]

I appreciate everyone's input.

 

I assume that olive oil was source of fuel used by these lamps?

 

Here's an interesting article about a lamp factory recently found in Ancient Mutina (modern day Modena between modern day Parma and Bologna).

 

(Click image to enlarge)

 

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Millennia-Old-Roman-Oil-Lamp-Factory-Discovered-99444.shtml

 

These ancient lamps with different names are similar to modern day mass productions.

 

 

guy also known as gaius

Edited December 7, 2013 by guy