Servus ad pedes

The Servus ad pedes - which literally means "servant at foot" - was, in Ancient Rome, a slave who had the task of remaining at the foot of the triclinium during the meals of patrician families. As we know, Roman patrician families used to organize long banquets in the triclinium, a room in which they arranged themselves on cushions around a low table.

Only the wealthiest families had a Servus ad pedes, which lay seated at the foot of the cushions, each for each guest, and remained available pending orders. In addition to this, it had the function of keeping the shoes that guests took off to position themselves on the cushions.

Since it was a slave who was supposed to take part in an important event such as a banquet, the Servus ad pedes was usually chosen among the most cultured and well-attended slaves.

The Servus ad pedes should not be confused with the Servus ad pedibus, a slave who served as a messenger and moved on foot to deliver messages on behalf of his master.