Roman Craftsman

People in Ancient Roman times had many skills.  If a person worked with their hands, chances are they were a craftsman.

A craftsman was someone that worked with their hands and made extraordinary things.

Art

There were many artists during Ancient Roman times, and some of them were painters, sculptures, and many of them made pottery.  These artists would make things and sell them so that they could make money to support themselves and their families.

Sculptures

The Ancient Roman sculptures were a significant influence on the life of people around them.

They would find people, and they would make busts of them, which were the upper part of a human body from their chest to the top of their heads.

These sculptures were either carved or made out of things such as clay.  Sometimes, the statues were carved into the walls.

Most of the time, these sculptures were ordered by the wealthy Romans, and usually, people that were poorer could not afford to get a statue done.

Tombs

Inside of the monuments, Ancient Roman craftsmen would build sculptures to make it beautiful for the dead.  These sculptures in the tombs were called sarcophagi.

Buildings

Many of the sculptures would be found in buildings throughout Ancient Rome, and they would be put in gardens, public bath homes, parks, and sometimes even in wealthy people’s homes.

Figures

The wealthy Ancient Romans would sometimes hire craftsmen to make sculptures for their homes.  Most of these sculptures were famous people or people that made an impact on the town.  Many of these sculptures were of gods or goddesses, athletes, gladiators, philosophers, or even just their forefathers.

Busts

The busts, or the sculpture from the chest up, were the most famous sculptures that were produced during Ancient Roman times.

Paintings

The craftsmen would also pain inside the homes, sometimes painting murals on walls or making pictures that would hang in buildings or homes.

Over time, most of the Ancient Roman paintings were destroyed due to fires and volcanic eruptions.

Pottery

Some Ancient Roman craftsmen would make things such as dishes, lamps, and other types of pottery.  These potteries would be decorated with gems and other precious stones.  The pottery would be used for many different things, such as holding water and even sometimes holding ashes of their loved ones.

Some potters would make vases and bowls that they would trade with people around the area and all across the world.

Armor and Weapons

Another job of craftsmen in Ancient Roman times was to make weapons and armor.  The craftsman that did this was very popular with the Romans because they were skilled at making weapons and armor that could protect the Roman soldiers.

Leather and Shoes

Some Ancient Roman craftsmen were able to make things out of leather and to make shoes.  They were very creative and could keep people in their family and the area clothed with nice things.

These craftsmen would be able to take leather from different animals and make different things out of them.  Most of these craftsmen would work outside of the town because working with leather would make the area smell terrible and so they would not be able to do it within the city gates.

Mosaics

Around 100 A.D., mosaics became very popular in Ancient Rome.   The craftsmen that could make mosaics would fill the empire and buildings with stones that would be beautiful to look at.  Some mosaics were done on the floors, walls, and ceilings.

Facts About Roman Craftsmen:

• The Roman civilization lasted over 1000 years, and craftsmen were very popular during that time.
• Arts and crafts spread around the town during Ancient Roman times, and the rich would purchase crafts and arts.
• Crafts and arts became part of the Ancient Roman heritage and traditions.
• Much influence on Ancient Roman arts and crafts came from Ancient Egyptian arts.
• Many of the items that Ancient Roman craftsmen made were traded all across the world.

What Did You Learn?

1. What were some big things that craftsmen of Ancient Roman times made?  Some of the crafts that were made were sculptures, dishes, bowls, vases, paintings, mosaics, and more.
2. What were the most famous sculptures during this time? Busts were the most popular sculptures during this time.
3. What is a bust? A bust is a sculpture that was done from the chest to the top of the head.
4. What kind of sculptures did the Ancient Romans like? The Ancient Romans liked sculptures of famous people, gladiators, rich people, forefathers, and more.
5. What was significant about the craftsmen? The craftsmen were essential, and they made things that the Ancient Romans could benefit from, such as clothing, shoes, weapons, and armor.