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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.
Roman mosaic floor with images of the seasons. Winter was shown with a crown of branches on its head; Autumn with green and yellow leaves; Summer with a crown of thorns; when Spring with red flowers. Additionally, the mosaic features images of birds and fish. The mosaic adorned the entire floor of one of the many rooms in the luxurious villa Villa Romana del Casale in Sicily.
A preserved Roman helmet of the Niederbieber type, made of bronze. The object was discovered during excavation works carried out in an ancient well in Rainau-Buch (southwest Germany) in 1979.
Roman mosaic showing a group of women playing musical instruments (e.g. flutes, bowls, kitara, hydraulis). The object is dated to the 4th century CE; discovered at Maryamin, in central Syria.
Roman fresco from Pompeii shows the nymph Io (left, with golden horns) who is greeted by Isis in Egypt. The goddess was shown as the hostess, with her sacred animal – the serpent – on her lap. Io is carried by the river god, and according to Greek mythology in Egypt, she gave birth to a son from her relationship with Zeus – Epaphus – who became the king of Egypt.
Roman painting showing Liber Pater and Libera – Roman deities personifying freedom. Along with the images of the gods on the wall of the house are the names of two characters: C. Julius Polybius and C. Lollius Fuscoto. It is therefore possible that it was a kind of political billboard in ancient times, perhaps painted for the time of the elections.
Preserved remains of the Roman small fort Kinnel, which was part of the fortifications of the Antoninus’ Wall in northern Britain.
Detail from a Roman sculpture showing Hermes tying a sandal. The sculpture was made of marble and dates back to the 2nd century CE. It is a copy of a Greek original made of bronze and dated to the 3rd century BCE. The artifact is on display at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen (Denmark).
Roman portrait of a young man. The work is dated to the 2nd century CE and was found in Roman Egypt.
Roman sculpture showing a young man. Researchers suspect that it may be an image of one of Octavian Augustus’ grandsons: Gaius or Lucius. It is located in the Archaeological Museum of Milan.
