The 16 chapters present an overview of family structure, names, marriage, children and education, religion, dependents, slaves and client,, the house and its furniture, dress and personal ornaments, food and meals, amusements and baths, travel and correspondence, books, sources of income and means of living, the Roman's day, burial-places and funeral ceremonies.
These things are of interest to us in the case of any ancient or foreign people; in the case of the Romans they are of especial importance, because they help to explain the powerful influence that nation exerted over the old world, and make it easier to understand why that influence is still felt in some degree today.
At the time of original publication in 1903, Harold Whetstone Johnston was Professor of Latin at Indiana University. He was also the author of Selected Orations and Letters of Cicero, Latin Manuscripts, and The Metrical Licenses of Vergil.