re: It's all relative,
When it comes to technology, the Romans were a head of their time. Their citizens enjoyed a high standard of living comparable to what we have today. Even the slaves enjoyed a better life than what most people outside of Rome experienced.
They also invented philosophy and the arts. They were a modern society.
If I had to live in ancient times, I would have wanted it to be in Rome, or perhaps Tahiti (Those Tahitians had a great life until the Europeans came on shore.)