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Curiosities of ancient Rome (Artifact)

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 fresco showing old Silenus and Maenad

Roman fresco showing old Silenus and Maenad, who offers him a silver cup with wine. They were both companions of Bacchus, the god of wine. Object dated to the 1st century CE; it was discovered in Pompeii. The artifact is in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.

Roman fresco showing old Silenus and Maenad

Roman floor mosaic showing Medusa

Roman floor mosaic showing Medusa, a mythical monster who turned people to stone with her eyes. Object dated to the 1st century CE; discovered in Pompeii. The artifact is in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.

Roman floor mosaic showing Medusa

Golden milestone (Milliarium Aureum)

Emperor Octavian Augustus loved order in his country. For this purpose, he commissioned the construction of the so-called “golden milestone” (Milliarium Aureum) near the Temple of Saturn in the central part of the Roman Forum. Today’s researchers believe that the stone could have been a list of the most important cities of the Empire with the distance to them.

Remains of an inscription in latin Milliarium Aureum

Roman fresco showing sexual act

Roman fresco showing a sexual act. Object dated to the 1st century CE; possibly found in Villa Arianna in Stabiae. The artifact is in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.

Roman fresco showing sexual act

Bust showing young Caracalla

Bust showing the young Caracalla (188-217 CE), who was the Roman emperor reigning in the years 211-217 CE. Supported by praetorians and part of the army, he became famous for his cruelty and bloody spectacles. Caracalla was the son of Emperor Septimius Severus and brother Geta. The artifact is in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.

Bust showing young Caracalla

Young Hercules

Roman sculpture showing the young Hercules. The object is dated to the 2nd century CE and is a copy of a Greek original from the 4th century BCE. The artifact is in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.

Young Hercules

Roman fresco showing half-naked Maenad

Roman fresco showing a half-naked Maenad (worshipper of Dionysus). Object dated to the 1st century CE; discovered in Pompeii. The artifact is in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.

Roman fresco showing half-naked Maenad

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