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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.
Noctes Atticae (“Attic Nights”) is a work written by Aulus Gellius (c. 125 – after 180 CE) in the 2nd century CE during his stay in Athens. It is a list of fascinating information about the ancient world that he obtained in conversation or read in books. The work contains knowledge about grammar, geometry, philosophy, history and many other subjects, as well as anecdotes about famous people.
Medicamina Faciei Femineae, or “Cosmetics for the Female Face”, is a fascinating treatise written by Ovid, one of the most famous poets of ancient Rome. This is a work that reflects the ancient approach to female beauty. It is a poetic facial care instruction. Interestingly, this text can be considered one of the first cosmetology magazines in literature.
Titus Livius (59 BCE – 17 CE), one of the most important historians of ancient Rome, left behind a monumental work – “Ab Urbe Condita” (i.e. “From the Founding of the City”, also called “History of Rome”). His work, originally consisting of 142 books, was an attempt to write down the history of Rome from its mythical foundation by Romulus to his contemporary times, i.e. the end of the 1st century BCE. Although only 35 books of the work have survived to this day, its influence on the subsequent history of literature, historiography and the perception of antiquity is enormous.
I am reading “From the Founding of the City” by the ancient historian Titus Livius, and although I am only slowly absorbing the first books of his work, today I would like to share some reflections with you.
The best friend of Marcus Tullius Cicero was Titus Pomponius, called Atticus. Even though they were often apart, Cicero and Atticus exchanged letters over the years that reveal a friendship of rare devotion and warm affection.
Appian of Alexandria (c. 95 – c. 180 CE), a Greek historian, devoted a large fragment of his “Roman history” work comparing Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great. In the ancient world, many generals wanted to gain achievements similar to the young Macedonian king. The same was with Caesar.
The great work of the Roman writer and scientist Pliny the Elder was “Naturalis Historia” – an ancient encyclopedia. Interestingly, it was the writer’s only surviving work.
The “Augustan History” (Historia Augusta) is a late Roman collection of biographies, written in Latin, of the Roman Emperors from begining of rule of Hadrian (117 CE) to death of Numerian (284 CE). This is one of the historical sources around which, however, still are many doubts.
