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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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From the end of the 3rd century CE, the emperor ceased to be princeps to become “domine” – dominat. We owe the new type of government to Diocletian, who ruled from 284 to 305 CE. The emperor was now omnipotent, he could change the law as he pleased, and the appearance of a republic vanished.
Marble statue showing Hercules’ muscular torso. The object is dated to the 1st century CE and is a copy of a Greek original from the mid-5th century BCE. The sculpture is on display at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen (Denmark).
Suetonius tells us that the famous Roman commander Julius Caesar was known for his moderation in drinking wine. Hence the famous words of Marcus Cato the Younger: “Caesar was the only man who undertook to overthrow the state when sober”.
One day at Octavian Augustus a citizen of Furnius appeared, who wanted to ask the emperor’s forgiveness for his father, who during the civil war was a supporter of Mark Antony. Octavian agreed and spared the man.
Roman mosaic floor with images of the seasons. Winter was shown with a crown of branches on its head; Autumn with green and yellow leaves; Summer with a crown of thorns; when Spring with red flowers. Additionally, the mosaic features images of birds and fish. The mosaic adorned the entire floor of one of the many rooms in the luxurious villa Villa Romana del Casale in Sicily.
In the Latium region to this day, one of the typical Christmas cakes is the so-called yellow bread – pangiallo. Its roots go back to the era of the Roman Empire.
A preserved Roman helmet of the Niederbieber type, made of bronze. The object was discovered during excavation works carried out in an ancient well in Rainau-Buch (southwest Germany) in 1979.
Emperor Hadrian (76-138 CE) often competed with teachers and philosophers in prose or poetry.
Roman mosaic showing a group of women playing musical instruments (e.g. flutes, bowls, kitara, hydraulis). The object is dated to the 4th century CE; discovered at Maryamin, in central Syria.
