Notice: This is the official website of the All Empires History Community (Reg. 10 Feb 2002)

  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Register Register  Login Login

quality of life of ancient Egyptian peasants

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
calvo View Drop Down
General
General


Joined: 20-May-2007
Location: Spain
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 846
  Quote calvo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: quality of life of ancient Egyptian peasants
    Posted: 10-Apr-2008 at 13:22

Recent excavations of peasants' and workers tombs at the city of Akenaton (1300 B.C) has revealed that the vast majority of ancient Egyptian civilians lived extremely precarious lives. Most people died young (excluding infant mortality) and few lived beyond the age of 30. Skeletal remains has revealed a poor diet with a lack of protein and vitamins and many have suffered spinal injuries as an indication of back-breaking labour. The average height of males did not even exceed 160cm.

On another website I have come across a census made during Roman times.

Males

age

village

town

total

0-4

24

26

50

5-9

16

26

42

10-14

7

16

23

15-19

13

23

36

20-24

13

18

31

25-29

14

12

26

30-34

16

19

35

35-39

10

6

16

40-44

12

6

18

45-49

13

11

24

50-54

4

6

10

55-59

11

3

14

60-64

3

3

6

65-69

5

2

7

70-74

6

3

9

75-79

2

0

2

80-84

0

1

1

all ages

169

181

350

           

Females

age

village

town

total

0-4

28

8

36

5-9

18

18

36

10-14

24

14

38

15-19

21

11

32

20-24

15

20

35

25-29

13

17

30

30-34

18

6

24

35-39

22

9

31

40-44

9

9

18

45-49

11

3

14

50-54

13

5

18

55-59

4

2

6

60-64

6

1

7

65-69

3

1

4

70-74

5

2

7

75-79

1

0

1

all ages

211

126

337

 
which seems to reveal that a significant number of people apparently did make it beyond the age of 40 and that life was not as short as if was 1300 years earlier under Akenaton.
If these census figures were reliable, would it indicate that the quality of life of Ancient Egyptian peasants had improved under Roman times?
 
There is another article here,
that analysis the economic conditions of day labourers under Roman Egypt, which implies a precarious life for Egyptian day labourers where very few made it to the age of 40. However, wealthier Egyptians lived considerably longer and better.
 
How reliable are these analysis?
 
 
 
 
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Bulletin Board Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 9.56a [Free Express Edition]
Copyright ©2001-2009 Web Wiz

This page was generated in 0.109 seconds.