Elagabalus the joker
Emperor Elagabalus made exceptional jokes to his friends. He locked drunk people in one room with lions, leopards or bears, from which he previously removed fangs and claws (the so-called exarmati).
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Curiosities of ancient Rome (Ancient stories)
Ancient stories are curiosities revealing lesser-known, surprising, or unusual episodes from the world of ancient Rome and antiquity. This category includes short stories about events, people, and situations that don’t always make it into classical works, yet allow for a better understanding of the realities and mentality of the era.
Envoy from Laodicea
Once upon a time, an envoy from Laodicea came to Rome. He was to ask Julius Caesar himself for freedom for his country. Before that, however, he met Cicero. He was supposed to say to him:
Livia took care of herself
The wife of Octavian Augustus – Livia – took great care of her body, caring for both its beauty and health. She reportedly had a large number of hairdressers, masseuses, dressmakers, and jewellers among her servants.
Well I’ve played my part
Emperor Octavian Augustus (63 BCE – 14 CE), while lying on his death bed, asked his friends if they thought he had played his the drama of life. Finally, he was to say in Greek: