Teodósio I

Getting around

Daily Travel Distances

A hurried travel party on horseback could cover approximately 40 kilometers per day, though this distance was significantly reduced if the animals used for traction were oxen.

What it cost

Higher Bread Costs in Cities

In urban centers like Lisbon, Funchal, and Algarve towns, the cost of daily bread was twice as high as it was in rural agricultural areas.

What people wore

Commoner Clothing in Everyday Life

Ordinary people wore dark-colored clothing made of coarse, patched fabrics. Men wore woolen tunics, coarse leggings, and felt or cloth hats.

Daily life

Common eating spots in Lisbon

In 16th-century Lisbon, there were 300 taverns where people commonly consumed wine, brandy, bread, boiled and roasted meat, and fried fish.

Work

Memorable fact: The sea chest

Sailors often stored their precious belongings, such as navigational tools or pewter utensils, in a shared wooden sea chest that was passed down through generations.

Music

Music in civic and religious processions

In early 16th-century processions, such as Corpus Christi in Coimbra, participants performed choral polyphony, instrumental music, dances, and even acted out scenes while dressed as angels.

At the table

Simple fare for ordinary Portuguese families

Ordinary families often ate light meals of fruit and bread, or pottages of cereals and vegetables, saving meat and sweets for festive days. In 1422, a local council purchased farteis, which were cakes made with flour, eggs, butter, and sometimes almonds, for community celebrations.