This is statistically true. But it’s largely because child mortality was so high – around one half of children died before they were 10 – and because many people died in battle. For those who safely made it into adulthood, life expectancy was actually good. Romans routinely lived until their 70s, and in fact to be consul you had to be 43 – eight years older than the US’s minimum age limit of 35 to hold a presidency.