{"id":3220,"date":"2023-03-22T06:07:51","date_gmt":"2023-03-22T05:07:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.learnancientrome.com\/?p=3220"},"modified":"2023-03-22T06:07:51","modified_gmt":"2023-03-22T05:07:51","slug":"how-common-was-infanticide-in-ancient-rome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.learnancientrome.com\/how-common-was-infanticide-in-ancient-rome\/","title":{"rendered":"How common was infanticide in ancient rome?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Although there is no exact number for how common infanticide was in ancient Rome, the practice was definitely not unheard of. Roman law actually condoned the killing of newborns if the parents could not afford to raise them or if the child was disabled in some way. In addition, exposed infants were often left to die of exposure or to be taken in and raised by someone else. While there are no exact numbers, it is clear that infanticide was not an uncommon practice in ancient Rome.<\/p>\n

There is no definitive answer to this question since there is no way to know how many infants were killed in ancient Rome. However, some historians believe that infanticide was quite common in Rome, especially among the poor and lower classes. Many infants were probably killed simply because their parents could not afford to care for them. In some cases, infants may have been killed for political reasons or to prevent them from inheriting property.<\/p>\n

What did Romans do with unwanted babies? <\/h2>\n

The foundling wheel was a popular method of anonymously abandoning babies in Rome during the Middle Ages. The baby would be placed in a wooden barrel that was mounted on a wall, and the barrel would be rotated so that the baby would be deposited inside the convent. The foundling wheel was a convenient way for mothers to get rid of their unwanted babies without being seen.<\/p>\n

It is estimated that Ancient Rome had a high infant mortality rate, with anywhere from one quarter to one third of infants dying in their first year of life. This meant that babies were at very high risk and there was no formal mourning period for an infant less than 1 year old.<\/p>\n

How were babies treated in ancient Rome <\/h3>\n