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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.
Cassius Dio has left a message that King Abgarus, who ruled in the small country of Osroene on the Euphrates, tried at all costs to remain neutral during the invasion of Trajan’s Roman troops on the Parthia. In order not to offend any of the parties and in the future not to worry about the fate of the kingdom, he decided to use his secret “weapon”.
Emperor Vitellius was perhaps one of Rome’s most obese rulers. He feasted all the time. He ate at least three times a day. He often vomited so that he could eat more and more.
Emperor Caligula made many bizarre decisions during his reign. Certainly one of them was declaring war on the god of the sea, Poseidon. He ordered his soldiers to go to the beach and stab the sea and waves with their swords and throw spears at them.
Gaius Fabricius, in Roman transmissions, was an example of an incorruptible politician and an extremely honourable and brave man. This is evidenced by the history of the war with Pyrrhus (282-272 BCE).
Trajan was one of the most respected Roman emperors. Over the centuries, it was believed that the conqueror-emperor showed extraordinary rule of law, and he made decisions based on the opinion of his closest council of advisers. Until our times, the probably imaginary, although widespread and popular in the Middle Ages story about the meeting of the emperor with a mourning woman has survived.
Although Emperor Octavian Augustus appears to be a descendant of the first and one of the greatest emperors of the Roman Empire, it should be remembered that he gained power by force.
According to Plutarch, the queen of Cleopatra VII after the defeat at Actium in 31 BCE for several months she picked up strong poisons, the effectiveness and degree of pain of which she checked on prisoners.
Plutarch mentions a story about a senator whose wife questioned him about what the Senate was debating on. To silence his curious wife, the senator replied that the congregation was considering whether the appearance of a lark in the sky with a golden helmet and a spear was a good or bad omen. By the way, he asked his wife to keep a secret when he left the house.
Cassius Dio mentions that Domitian (ruled 81-96 CE) did not shy away from spilling blood among his family as well. On his order, Flavius Clemens was related to him, grandson of Titus Flavius Sabinus (brother of Vespasian, and uncle of Domitian) and the husband of his niece, Flavia Domitilla.
Emperor Claudius was once a judge of a man accused of an unlawful preaching Roman citizen. According to Suetonius, the ruler was to make brilliant decisions.
