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In the ancient Rome, like in all the ancient world, death was considered as an unavoidable event influenced by the gods and, at a superior level, decided by the Fate or destiny. Its will was even superior to that of the lord of the gods, Jupiter, who was a simple executor of this supreme will. The Greek and Roman mythology personified this role of the destiny in deciding the moment in which a person had to die in three divinities, the Fates (Parcae in Latin). They were imagined as three old women who produced, measured and cut a thread that symbolized the life of every man and identified with the Greek Moirae. Each Parca (or Fata) had a different role in determining human life from the beginning to the end:

- Nona; the first Roman goddess corresponded to the Greek Clotho and she spun the thread of life from her distaff.

- Decima; she measured this thread, deciding the lifespan of every person. The Greek equivalent was Lachesis.

- Morta; she had to cut the thread of life at the point she had decided and she also choose the way every person had to die. The Greek equivalent was Atropos.

The Romans dedicated to them three statues in the Forum of Rome and thought that man hadn't a real power to decide on his life and his destiny, depending on supernatural forces, impossible to control, also for the gods of their Pantheon who, in any case, were immortal.

This was Roman mythology at the base of their view of death and life and, as for other ancient populations, the Romans gave life a minor value respect to that we give it today; dieing was easier than today at whatever age and the average lifespan of men and women was about 40 years. So, the relatively few persons able to live (better, to survive) until 60, 70 or 80 years of age were respected more than in our modern society in which the "system" tends to respect and give value to a person only until he or she can work and produce and an old person is often treated as a useless burden for the community. In the ancient Roman society, instead, old people were usually assisted and helped by their family and considered as wise persons, whose experience was precious and necessary for young people and children.

Given that human life was so easy to lose, the Romans didn't respect much human life, especially when this belonged to war prisoners, criminals at various level and slaves. Death penalty was normal for many crimes and the slaves were considered as sub-humans, or "intelligent animals" able to work for their owners

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