Aius Locutius – heavenly voice
Aius Locutius is a mysterious deity of unknown origin and appearance. In Roman mythology, it appears only once and in the form of a voice.
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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.
Plutarch’s mention of Domitian
“Lives” are one of the most fascinating works of antiquity. Its author, Plutarch of Chaeronea (ca. 46 – ca. 120 CE), compiles the profiles of famous Greeks and Romans. When describing these characters, he focuses mainly on their actions, character and anecdotes related to them. His work, however, is not devoid of very interesting digressions about the people and events of his contemporaries. One of them is an interesting mention of Emperor Domitian, whose reign was 81-96 CE. Although Plutarch writes his work several years after the emperor’s murder, he probably remembers the times of his reign and expresses his short opinion about this princeps.
Griffin on Roman fresco
Roman fresco from the Villa of the Mysteries in Pompeii, showing a griffin. The scene shows a member of the Arimaspa people stealing gold from a griffin. The object dates back to the mid-1st century BCE. The artifact is located in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples.
Roman glass vessel in shape of gladiator’s helmet
Roman glass vessel in the shape of a gladiator’s helmet. The object was made in the Rhineland in the 3rd century CE. It is currently in the British Museum.
“Human lanterns” – dark practice of ancient Rome
Brutality and cruelty are often associated with ancient Rome, and one of the most horrific customs was the practice of using convicts as “human lanterns”. What did this cruel way of punishment look like and what does it say about the mentality of the Roman empire? More about this in the article below.
Roman sculpture of woman’s head
Roman sculpture of a woman’s head, probably the goddess Juno Sospita (savior). Its attributes were a goat’s skin with horns, which was on the sculpture’s head. The preserved head was part of a larger composition. The object dates back to the 1st century BCE and is made of marble. The artifact is located in Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen (Denmark); probably discovered in Tusculum (Italy).
Fate in Roman world
In ancient Rome, one of the most intriguing customs was fate, i.e. the concept of fate, which was closely related to divine will. It was believed that the goddesses of fate, known as the Trinity of Fatum – Nona, Decima and Morta – had control over each person’s life.
Computer reconstruction of famous couple from Roman fresco
Computer reconstruction of the famous couple from the Roman fresco entitled “The Baker and His Wife”.
Asinius Pollio – creator of first public library in Rome
Gaius Asinius Pollio (ca. 76 BCE – ca. 4 CE) was a Roman military officer, politician, supporter of Julius Caesar, and writer. Pollio’s greatest achievement was founding the first public library in Rome – the Atrium Libertatis (“Temple of Liberty”) in the Forum Romanum. Thanks to this building, works of Greek and Latin literature became more accessible. Pollio combined the library with an art gallery, making it a place with a multi-faceted cultural character. His actions initiated the tradition of creating public libraries in the empire.
Crepitus – controversial god of “farts” and toilets
Crepitus is an interesting character in Roman mythology, whose domain was supposed to be “farts” and toilets. Its authenticity is questionable because the only mentions of it are in Christian texts, which may have been an attempt to ridicule pagan beliefs. The lack of direct evidence in Roman sources suggests that he may have been a satirical creation rather than an actually worshipped deity.
