Like all civilizations, the Romans have distinct qualities that set them apart from all others. I had the privilege of discovering the characteristics that distinguished the ancient Romans from any other group of ancient people. The Romans were considered a more advanced civilization and are renowned for their beautiful architecture and art. These are two of the topics that will be covered along with Roman clothing, food and drink, customs, religion, superstitions and the use of free time. Let us return to the beginnings of Roman life. Ancient Romans wore woolen clothing. It was sunshine made of fabric by the women of the family. The richest people had slaves to do this for them. If you had money, you could buy linen, cotton, or silk imported from other parts of the empire in Rome. Men often wore togas, and only they could do that. The togas were made of wool, but they were not sewn. It hung above the body and draped one arm. Tunics were customary among slaves, while moving up the social ladder to nobles. The simplest and cheapest tunics were made by sewing two pieces of wool together to form a tube with arm holes. The Romans preferred to wear closed shoes when going out. Indoors, they favor open-toed sandals. Sandals were made by taking a cork base and attaching strips of leather to it. How they made the sandals depended on the current season. For example, summer sandals had fewer leather straps than winter sandals. This was due to climatic factors. (Heather Wheeler, “The Romans-Clothing,” historyonthenet.com)For such a seemingly complex civilization, the Romans missed out on some greats in the food and drink business. When it came to drinking, the Romans didn't have coffee... middle of paper ......ire, April 25, 2014• Cartwright, Mark, “Roman Architecture” Ancient Education, October 5, 2014. 2013.• “Did the Romans have free time? BBC, April 24, 2014• Hall, Lee, “Ancient Roman Art and Architecture” Scholastic, May 3, 2013.< http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3753873>• Wheeler, Heather, “ The History of the Romans-Clothing” on the Net, November 25, 2000. • Rueman, Chris, “Ancient Rome and Religion” History Learning Site, April 24, 2014. • “Marriages, Marriages and Divorce” PBS, July 13 2006.