Shelby Brown has collected a humorous and fascinating look at the common gripes of the ancient Roman city dweller. From from traffic jams to fashion requirements, many of these complaints will sound eerily modern.
Complied for a gallery class Brown taught at the Getty Villa last month, her list of "Seven Plagues" demonstrates that many of the problems faced by contemporary city dwellers wouldn't have been foreign to their ancient world antecedents.
According to Brown, "Some of the most illuminating diatribes come to us from D. Iunius Iuvenalis (Juvenal), an embittered poet of the late first and early second centuries A.D." Passages have been translated by Peter Green.
On noise pollution:
"Insomnia causes most deaths here . . . Show me the apartment
that lets you sleep! In this city sleep costs millions,
and that's the root of the trouble. The waggons thundering past
through those narrow twisting streets, the oaths of draymen caught
in a traffic-jam, would rouse a dozing seal-or an emperor."
(Juvenal, Satire 3.232–238)
On the high costs of city housing:
"If you can tear yourself loose from the Games, a first-class
house can be purchased, freehold, in any small country town
at the price of a year's rent, here, for some shabby, ill-lit attic."
(Juvenal, Satire 3.223–225)
Thanks to APA
FULL STORY: The Seven Plagues of the Ancient Roman City Dweller

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

Florida Seniors Face Rising Homelessness Risk
High housing costs are pushing more seniors, many of them on a fixed income, into homelessness.

Massachusetts Budget Helps Close MBTA Budget Gap
The budget signed by Gov. Maura Healey includes $470 million in MBTA funding for the next fiscal year.

Milwaukee Launches Vision Zero Plan
Seven years after the city signed its Complete Streets Policy, the city is doubling down on its efforts to eliminate traffic deaths.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont