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The world of the ancient Romans was rich in extraordinary, and sometimes even surprising, facts. We draw our knowledge of Roman daily life, customs, and mentality primarily from works left by ancient writers and historians. It is thanks to them that we discover information that is astonishing today – sometimes even hard to believe. Below are some interesting facts that reveal a lesser-known and less obvious side of the Roman world.
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The performances in the Roman Arena were terrifying that the victims led to death resorted to any way to take your own life sooner. Seneca the Younger describes the case of a German who – under the pretext of having a bowel movement in a void – put a stick in his throat to cleanse feces.
The custom of vomiting (by skilfully manipulating a feather or a slave’s finger) during Roman feasts, although mentioned in various sources, almost always applies to only a few Roman emperors (Vitellius, Claudius, Nero; the latter helped himself with enemas); the other thing is that we know less about the figures of the lower class – few of them have their own biographies.
Commisatio was the last part of the Roman feast (cena). At that time, the revelers consumed large amounts of wine, which was accompanied (similar to the Greek symposium) by discussions and reflections.
Roman barrel-shaped tombstone. The tombstone commemorates a certain Lucius Julius Polybius, who lived 72 years, and the inscription on the object reads “sit tibi terra levis”, that is, “let the earth rest lightly”. Naturally, the shape of the tombstone suggests that the deceased was probably related to the production or trade of wine.
Roman patricians ate in reclining positions, settling on sofas. The sofas encircled the main table on three sides, with food and drink delivered by slaves to individual guests. The name of the Roman dining room – triclinium – comes from three beds (Greek: treis kline).
Once upon a time, an envoy from Laodicea came to Rome. He was to ask Julius Caesar himself for freedom for his country. Before that, however, he met Cicero. He was supposed to say to him:
Augustus’ daughter Julia was an example of an unfaithful wife. Although in 11 BCE she became the wife of Tiberius, she did not avoid romance and love outside the marriage bed. Julia’s scandalous conduct resulted in Tiberius leaving for Rhodes in 6 BCE.
The ancient building Saepta Iulia on the Field of Mars was a place where in ancient Rome citizens cast their votes in the so-called tribute commissions (comitiatributa), deciding on the election of lower officials (aediles, quaestors)1 or sometimes the adoption of laws.
