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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.
Initium aestatis in Latin literally means “the beginning of summer” and it was not a holiday for the Romans – confirmation is the lack of such information in both Fasti Antiates Maiores, the official Roman calendar of public holidays, and in Ovid’s “Fasti”.
In the Roman period, Lower Silesia was one of the most dynamically operating metallurgical centres in the Barbaricum. One of the largest metallurgical settlements from this period was discovered in Tarchalice (administrative district of Wołów).
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.
In each Roman military camp, latrines were built, fed with running water from nearby streams. The analysis of the contents of the septic tank rinsed from these sanitary facilities allowed archaeologists to reconstruct the diet of Roman soldiers (it turns out that not only digging in the ground but also in… excrement can be extremely beneficial for science). The thing is, there are some remnants of the digested seeds there. Here in cold Britain, on the line of fortifications known as Hadrian’s Wall, products such as olives, figs and dates were often eaten, although apples were also not scorned.
Reconstruction of the appearance of Emperor Didius Julianus (ruled several months in 193 CE), who gained power in an unusual way by buying it.
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.
