Ageing and Death

This chapter traces the development of Roman concepts of aging and old age from 509 BCE to 395 CE, examining how chronological age became central to civic, military, and social organization. The Roman census, attributed to King Servius Tullius, institutionalized age-based categories that divided citizens into iuniores (17-46 years) and seniores (46+ years) for military service and civic participation. Age structured Roman life through various schemas, from Varro's five-stage system to later Christian adaptations, consistently identifying distinct life phases with specific social roles and obligations.

The chapter analyzes evidence from epitaphs, legal texts, and literary sources to demonstrate how age consciousness evolved across three major periods: Early Rome (to 264 BCE), Expansion (264-31 BCE), and Consolidation (31 BCE-235 CE). Augustan marriage legislation codified age expectations, requiring men aged 25-60 and women aged 20-50 to marry, while legal innovations like Ulpian's life expectancy tables showed sophisticated understanding of aging demographics.
Regional variations emerge, particularly between Italy and North Africa, where epitaphs reveal different commemorative practices and longevity claims. The study sets out how Roman society constructed age as both a biological reality and a social category, using it to regulate citizenship, military service, marriage, and civic duties while adapting these concepts through political and cultural transformations.