From century II a. C., through territorial conquests, Rome became a rich city, with great circulation of products and people from different regions. Territorial expansion and contact with other regions provided an expansion in commercial activities and a population increase, which directly affected the growth of cities and caused several problems urban areas.
The population increase in the city of Rome made the movement of people in the narrow streets practically impossible. Linked to demographic growth was the development of a solid and strong commercial activity. Thus, trade was intense between different professionals, such as barbers, blacksmiths and other professionals.
The street was the place of work for these different professionals. Several street vendors made the public streets the counter for displaying their wares. In these places, they competed for space with carriages and sedan chairs (chairs used to transport the rich) used by the Roman elite.
Member of the Roman elite being carried by slaves in a litter
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Others who also disputed public spaces were the acrobats (actors who performed in the streets) and animal trainers.
In relation to housing, while a small and restricted portion of the population (Roman elite) lived in the domus (comfortable homes), most of the population lived in buildings that reached up to six floors, with small and cramped apartments that did not offer any kind of comfort to their inhabitants (generally, in these apartments there was neither a kitchen nor Restroom).
In this way, due to the lack of toilets in most houses in the city of Rome, residents threw all kinds of waste through windows in the streets. This fact led to fights among the population in Rome, bad smell on public roads and serious health problems among city dwellers (city dwellers).
Therefore, from antiquity to contemporaneity, urban problems are present among different civilizations.
Leandro Carvalho
Master in History
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
OAK, Leandro. "Ancient Rome and its urban problems"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/historiag/roma-antiga-seus-problemas-urbanos.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.