The Challenges of Reconstructing History from Below

Reconstructing history from the perspective of non-elite individuals presents significant challenges, as much of the available evidence consists of non-narrative sources like papyri, inscriptions, and graffiti. These fragments, while valuable, were not intended to tell a comprehensive story, making it difficult to form a cohesive narrative about the lives of ordinary people. The reliance on these 'patchwork quilt' pieces requires a creative approach from historians to stitch together micro histories into a broader macro history of the Roman Empire. Consequently, the evidence is often fragmented and necessitates an imaginative interpretation to capture the daily realities of the working population.