Curiosities of ancient Rome (Artifact)

Beautiful mosaic in the so-called The House of Skeletons in the archaeological park in the former Roman city of Conimbriga (central Portugal).

Detail from a Roman mosaic in a villa in Spain (villa de Noheda) showing three beheaded heads. The object is dated to the 4th century CE.

The Dacian king – Decebalus, after the defeat of the Dacians in the Second Roman-Dacian War (at the turn of the first and second centuries CE), decided to commit suicide rather than subject Roman rule. This ruler is worshiped to this day. His cult was revived in Romania, whose lands were once within the Dacian state. In his memory, it was decided to carve a huge image into the rock wall.

The only bust of Julius Caesar that has survived to our time and was made during his lifetime. To this day, this image of Caesar is considered the most reliable. This is evidenced by irregular dictator head shape.

Roman marble sculpture showing the sleeping Silenus. The object dates to the 1st century CE. Silenus was one of Bacchus’ companions (Greek Dionysus) and his teacher. He was a god of nature.

Roman fresco depicting a pygmy soldier with a large raised cleaver, hung above the child outstretched on the table. One woman holds the child, another imploringly kneels before a three-person tribunal, as if asking for mercy.

Roman mosaic showing a lion knocking down a panther. The mosaic can be seen at the Archaeological Museum of Naples, and it comes from the so-called the Pigeon House in Pompeii, located in the southwestern part of the archaeological site.

Bronze tablet containing the original text of the Lex Cornelia from 81 BCE from Sulla’s time, which increased the number of quaestors to 20. The object is located in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.

Portrait of a mummified woman from Roman times, dated back to 150 CE. The painting was made on wooden panels that were in the grave of a mummified Roman woman.

The famous Etruscan terracotta sarcophagus (so-called “Sarcophagus of Spouse”) is an example of the outstanding craft skills of the Etruscans. The artifact was found in 1881 in the Banditaccia necropolis in Cerveteri (antique Caere).