ABSTRACT
The death of children at an early age was common in ancient Rome. Children who died young, however, were commemorated with inscriptions and accompanying reliefs. While there was a philosophical attitude that mourning for children, especially the very young, should be limited, mourning could and did take place, and was socially expected. Any achievements which a child had made were extolled as a way not simply of praising them, but of emphasising the loss of their potential and their parents’ disappointment. While children were buried promptly, this was not a reflection of a lack of feeling on their parents’ behalf.
