Curiosities of ancient Rome (Artifact)

Fragmented ancient papyrus which was sent by a Roman soldier named Aurelius Polion to his family. In it, the soldier complains that he does not receive letters from them and that he feels as if they treated him as a “stranger”. The object is dated to the beginning of the 3rd century CE and was found in Egypt.

A military sandal (caliga) made of leather, preserved to our times, in good condition. The object was found in Qasr Ibrim, in the south of Egypt. The artefact is dated to the 1st BCE – 1st century CE. Currently, it is housed in the British Museum in London.

Preserved Roman shoe was found in the Roman fort of Bar Hill (part of the Antoninus Wall) in the south of Scotland. The artefact can be seen at The Hunterian in Glasgow (Scotland).

Preserved Roman columns in Villa Romana del Casale – a luxurious Roman villa in Sicily. The columns decorated the peristyle (inner courtyard of the building).

Roman sculpture showing a marriage. Object dated to the 2nd century CE; the artifact is in the villa Torlonia in Rome.

Roman strigil, made of bronze. The object is dated to the 1st century CE and is currently in “The MET” in New York. There is an inscription on the object: L.MUC.F, which means that the object was made by a certain Lucius Mucius.

Roman mosaic from the 2nd century CE showing the so-called “judgment of Paris”. The object comes from Antioch (southern Turkey). In the mosaic, we see the goddess Juno, who is depicted next to Minerva and Venus.

Roman bas-relief showing a Roman family. The artefact was discovered in the ancient city of Lauriacum, or present-day Enns (Austria). Dated to the reign of Septimius Severus (193-211 CE). It is located at the Museum Lauriacum in Enns.

Roman toilet located in the famous Roman villa – Villa Romana del Casale in Sicily. The site has been deliberately isolated from the rest of the building and is close to the villa owner’s south room and the triclinium (dining room). According to the researchers, the toilet was used by the Dominus and his family, and sometimes by guests who feasted at the triclinium.

Partly preserved Roman inscription, which we can read as “[… a building in honor of] Tiberius … Pon[tius Pilate … Pref[ectus of Judea”. Object dated around 36 CE and is located in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.