Dreams and oracles: the everyday concerns of the unprivileged free population in Roman society
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24310/mhnh.23.2025.21793Keywords:
Imperial Rome, non-privileged free population, social mobility, divinatory practicesAbstract
In imperial Rome, the non-privileged free populations –artisans, freedmen, small landowners, and merchants– faced economic and legal uncertainty that drove them to consult suprarational means. Through a comparative analysis of Artemidorus’ Oneirocritica and the Sortes Astrampsychi, this article identifies five areas of collective concern: health, family, work, economic mobility, and legal conflicts. Far from being mere popular expressions, dreams and divination served as symbolic tools for assessing risks and making decisions, offering a unique window into the practical mindset of the middle strata of this society.
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