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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 marble relief depicting a couple having sex on a boat while sailing the Nile. A steersman in a pointy hat is standing nearby, and a hippo’s rump is visible in front of the boat. The sex scene is possibly a satirical depiction of Mark Antony and Cleopatra.
Column-shaped stone tombstone, dated to the 3rd century CE, with a visible Greek inscription.
Punic urns that were discovered in the necropolis of Marsala (ancient Lilybaeum). The urns are made of white limestone and simply decorated. Remnants of cremated skeletons have been found in urns.
Golden aureus Marcus Junius Brutus, one of the murderers of Julius Caesar. Object dated to 43-42 BCE. The artifact is in The British Museum.
Interesting Roman mosaic showing the chariot race performed by children. The boys drive two-wheeled chariots drawn by birds. The colours of the teams were marked not only by the colour of the boys’ tunics but also by the species of birds: Whites have geese, Reds – flamingos; Blue – gallinula; Greens – pheasants.
Lilybaeum (today’s Marsala) was an ancient city founded on the initiative of Carthaginians, who considered the southwestern coast of Sicily as their base of operations on the island. The walls were connected in a straight line and separated a fragment of the area with the fortress.
Roman helmet once belonged to a gladiator of type provocator. Object dated to the 1st century CE and is on display at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples.
Roman denarius showing the dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla. The object is dated around 54 BCE, so it was made posthumously (Sulla died in 78 BCE). The artifact is in The British Museum in London.
