12. Laws in Ancient Rome were meant to stop people wasting money on frivolous clothes and banquets
Back in the days when Rome had kings, the government sought to protect the Roman people from frivolity and excess. They placed limits on how much someone could spend on banquets and items of clothing. However, such laws also became a means of social control. Simultaneously, these strictures (known as sumptuary laws) made certain restrictions based on a person’s social status. Togas, for instance, could only be worn by Roman citizens, and purple by royalty. Other clothes and bits of jewelry could only be worn by high-status citizens. You could learn a lot about someone in Ancient Rome from their appearance.
