Antonio de' Medici

At the table

Daily Meat and Friday Fish Habits

Ordinary families frequently consumed meat, which they bought daily, while adhering to the religious practice of abstaining from meat on Fridays by eating freshwater fish like frogs, crayfish, eels, tench, carp, and pike.

What people wore

Artisans Kept Festive Clothes in Chests

Artisan families often owned a modest wardrobe, such as two or three sets of clothes kept in chests, including fine garments reserved for Sundays and festive occasions.

Getting around

Network of roads and mule tracks

The region relied on a network of paths and roads, including the major Via Emilia that connected Parma and Piacenza, while others like the route to Spezia were mountain mule tracks. Carriageable roads existed for local travel, such as the route between Piacenza, Rivergaro, and Travi.

What it cost

Urban and rural bread quality differences

City dwellers in Parma received bread made from high-quality flour, while rural inhabitants relied on coarse bread made from a mixture of pulses and less-valuable cereals.

Music

The Popular Pavane Dance

The solemn, slow-moving pavane was a popular dance used by nobles for grand entries and festivities, often accompanied by drums, oboes, trombones, and violins.

Daily life

Schooling for children in Savoy towns

Towns such as Chambery and Montmelian paid schoolmasters, supported by ecclesiastical institutions or private patronage.