Via Salaria – Roman road
Via Salaria (literally “the salt road”) is one of the oldest roads in Italy and is even older than the Eternal City itself. The 242 km long road connected the capital of the Empire with the Adriatic Sea.
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Curiosities of ancient Rome
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.
Why do we learn so little about Byzantine history at school?
The Byzantine Empire was a continuation of the Eastern Roman Empire, which was created as part of the division of the Roman Empire in 395 CE, on the initiative of Emperor Theodosius I. It was also thanks to this ruler that Christianity became a state religion that began to have an increasing influence on the centre of power. The fall of Rome in 476 CE and the return of the insignia of power to Constantinople meant that the continuity of the Roman state was based only on the emperors from the east.
Roman duralex
Behind Emperor Tiberius, the “duralex“, non-fading glass was invented. Flexible glass (vitrum flexile) is a legendary, forgotten discovery that was lost during the reign of Emperor Tiberius (14-37 CE).
Water from Roman aqueducts was stolen
The running water that was provided by Roman aqueducts was very welcome. Often, however, not everyone was able to draw water directly from the aqueduct and had to go, among others, to public fountains.
Greedy Roman legionaries
Many of us think the Roman legions were brave, disciplined, tough and well-trained soldiers It is true. However, the Romans were like us and they had their own weaknesses. For example greed.
Snails fattened with milk – Roman delicacy
One of the favourite delicacies of the ancient Romans was snails fattened with milk. Varro or Pliny the Elder mention that rich Romans enjoyed snails from their own farms.
Adoption in Roman world
In ancient Rome, adoption (adoptio) meant taking a son or daughter from another family under paternal authority. Adoption was carried out in the presence of a praetor or governor. The adoptive consent was not required. The most common reason for the adoption was the need to maintain the continuity of the family.
Sunday is day off from work
On March 3, 321 CE Roman Emperor Constantine the Great issued an edict which instituted Sunday (dies Solis, meaning “the day of the sun”) a day off from work in crafts and trade but did not prohibit agricultural work.
Offices were closed, except for those responsible for supervising the liberation of enslaved people.
The ordinance changed the week’s length (until now there was an 8-day week, the so-called nundinae) and sanctioned the Christian custom of celebrating the first day of the week (Sunday).
