Death and burial

When someone died, most people thought that a dead person's spirit was rowed across a mythical river (the Styx) to the Underworld (Hades).

A coin (usually one obol) was placed under the corpse’s tongue to pay the ferry fare across the River Styx to Hades. The ferry man was called Charon.

The entrance to the Underworld was guarded by a three headed guard dog, Cerberus who stopped the spirits trying to leave.

When the dead person arrived, a judge decided which Underworld region they should be sent to. There was a choice of three:

The Elysian Fields

For those who had led a good or heroic life

The Asphodel Fields

For those who had led an average life

Tartarus

For those who had led an evil life or for enemies of the gods.

What happened after death?

The Romans believed that the soul rested only when the body had been correctly buried according to proper funeral customs. They believed that the soul would haunt its old house until this was done.

Graves and tombs

By law graves and tombs had to be outside the city. Main roads were lined with magnificent tombs, some of which looked like small houses. Sometimes, instead of burying the body, the Romans cremated (burned) it.

It was also believed that the dead somehow carried on their existence after death so relatives put their personal possessions into the tomb with them. Offerings of food were also made regularly; some tombs even had a hole in them through which food and wine could be poured!