The Aulularia or Pot of Gold was written by the Latin playwright Plautus (ca. 254–184 BC). It was, however, adapted from a Greek original, the Dyscolus by Menander (ca. 342/41–c. 290 BC).

The first important element of the socioeconomic background is gender inequality. Both Greek and Roman societies were strongly patriarchal, with women having limited amounts of freedom. Marriages for women were arranged by their fathers, with women having little choice in whom they married. Often marriages among the upper classes were primarily economic arrangements to benefit their families. Given high infant mortality rates, women normally were married in Athenian society in their teens to men in their thirties who had inherited a patrimony.

Next, slavery was universally accepted in Greek and Roman societies of this period. Slaves were part of the family household or "oikos." The "clever slave" scheming to buy his or her freedom is a stock character in ancient comedy. Also, something repugnant to most modern readers is that audiences of this period thought that masters beating slaves who were caught misbehaving was funny. There are jokes about slaves being beaten in most of Plautus' comedy.

The gods played an important role in life and literature of the period. Omens and portents were respected and the notion of a benevolent household deity that intervenes in someone's life was not unrealistic. Most people in this period would have made daily offerings to their household deities.