Preserved Punic amphora
Preserved Punic amphora that was excavated from the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea near the island of Gozo. The object is dated to the 4th-3rd century BCE.
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Curiosities of ancient Rome
The world of ancient Romans abounded in a number of amazing curiosities and information. The source of knowledge about the life of the Romans are mainly works left to us by ancient writers or discoveries. The Romans left behind a lot of strange information and facts that are sometimes hard to believe.
Roman floor mosaic depicting birds
Roman floor mosaic depicting birds. The object is located in the so-called House of the Faun (VI. 12. 2) in Pompeii.
Mosaic depicting Pan and Hamadryad
The mosaic of Pan and the Hamadryad, found in Pompeii, is a fascinating example of Roman art. Such works were popular among Roman householders, who were eager to decorate their villas with mythological scenes, often imbued with erotic or metaphorical symbolism.
Inscription on wall of Lovers’ House in Pompeii
Inscription on the wall of the House of Lovers in Pompeii: “Amantes, ut apes, vitam melitam exigunt”, meaning “Lovers, like bees, lead a life sweet as honey”.
Glass vessel with intact cork and contents
Glass vessel with intact stopper and contents; probably olive oil from Pompeii. The object is in The British Museum.
Bloodletting as form of treatment in ancient times
Aulus Cornelius Celsus was a Roman scholar and encyclopedist of the 1st century CE, best known as the author of De Medicina, one of the most important sources of medical knowledge in antiquity. In his work, he described various methods of treating general illnesses, including recommending bloodletting (sanguis mittendus) as a preventive measure in the event of the body becoming overloaded with excess “fluids”.
Rubbed amber attracts light objects
Pliny the Elder in his “Natural History” (Book XXXVII, Chapter 12) described the electrostatic properties of amber. He noticed that when rubbed with the fingers, under the influence of heat, it attracted light objects such as chaff, dry leaves and fibers. This observation of Pliny shows how ancient scholars observed and described natural phenomena that were not explained scientifically until many centuries later.
Ostriches according to Pliny the Elder
Pliny the Elder described in his “Natural History” that ostriches would bury their heads in a bush to hide from danger. This belief has persisted to this day as a popular myth, despite the lack of evidence for this behaviour in these birds. In reality, ostriches would place their heads low to the ground to hide, which may have given the impression that they were “burying it in the sand.”
Lettuce – Roman way to sleep
Today, lettuce is a light appetizer or side dish, but for the ancient Romans it was much more functional. They considered it a medicinal plant — especially helpful for sleep and digestion problems.
Horrea Piperataria – spice storehouses in the heart of ancient Rome. Recently open to visit
The ruins of Horrea Piperataria – former storehouses used to store valuable spices from Asia and Egypt, such as pepper, cardamom and anise – are located in the Parco Archeologico del Colosseo in Rome. These buildings also housed incense, which played a crucial role in religious ceremonies and medicinal practices.
