By Tim Lambert Celtic and Roman Towns The Celts who lived in Britain before the Roman invasion of 43 AD could be said to have created the first towns. Celts in southern England lived in hill forts, which were quite large settlements. (Some probably had thousands of inhabitants). They were places of trade, where people… Continue reading A History of Towns
Category: Daily Life in the Past
A History of Toys
By Tim Lambert Early Toys Before the 20th century, children had few toys and those they did have were precious. Furthermore, children did not have much time to play. Only a minority went to school but most children were expected to help their parents by doing simple jobs around the house or in the fields.… Continue reading A History of Toys
A History of Transport
By Tim Lambert TRANSPORT IN THE ANCIENT WORLD The first form of transport was, of course, the human foot! However, people eventually learned to use animals for transport. Donkeys and horses were probably domesticated between 4,000 and 3,000 BC (obviously the exact date is not known). Camels were domesticated slightly later between 3,000 and 2,000… Continue reading A History of Transport
A History of Trousers
By Tim Lambert Early Trousers The Cro-Magnon people who lived in Europe during the last Ice Age wore trousers made from animal skins. In a cold climate trousers were practical clothing. Much later, about 3,00 BC people in Central Asia wore trousers because they spent much time riding horses. Again, trousers were a practical form… Continue reading A History of Trousers
A History of Underwear
By Tim Lambert Early Underwear The ancient Egyptians sometimes wore loincloths. The Romans also wore underwear. Both Roman men and women wore a loincloth or shorts called subligaculum. Women also wore a band of cloth or leather around their chest called a strophium. During the Middle Ages men wore linen shorts called braies but women… Continue reading A History of Underwear
A History of Unemployment
By Tim Lambert Before the Industrial Revolution unemployment was much less of a problem than it is now. It existed of course but there was no mass unemployment. In an agricultural society, the economy was usually stable and it changed little from year to year. However, from the 18th century, the British economy went into… Continue reading A History of Unemployment
A History of Vegetables
By Tim Lambert Artichokes Artichokes are native to the Mediterranean. They were eaten by the Greeks and Romans and later by the Arabs. However, after the fall of Rome, artichokes were rare in Europe until the 15th century when they were grown in Italy. From there, artichokes spread to the rest of Europe. Asparagus Asparagus… Continue reading A History of Vegetables
A History of Washing
By Tim Lambert Washing in the Ancient World The Egyptians are known for their cleanliness (they bathed frequently) and they used many cosmetics. Meanwhile in Babylon before 2,000 BC a form of soap was made. The Greeks knew that diet, exercise and keeping clean were important for health. The Greeks even invented a form of… Continue reading A History of Washing
A History of Weapons
By Tim Lambert Prehistoric Weapons Human beings have probably always killed each other. Early people used clubs, axes, and spears. They also used bows and arrows. (Cave paintings from Spain dating from 10,000 to 5,000 BC show men fighting with bows). A wooden club is a surprisingly effective weapon. As early as 6,000 BC African… Continue reading A History of Weapons
A History of Women
By Tim Lambert WOMEN IN THE ANCIENT WORLD Women in Sumer Sumer was the world’s first civilization. It arose in what is now Iraq at about 3,500 BC. Sumerian women could own property such as land and slaves. They could also own businesses. Women could be witnesses in court the same as men. Some Sumerian… Continue reading A History of Women