Curiosities of ancient Rome

This page is also available in: Polish (polski)

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.

I encourage you to submit your own suggestions and to report any corrections or inaccuracies.

Father was not only head of family

Under Roman law, the father was not only the head of the family but exercised absolute authority over it. The fact that his wife gave birth to a child did not yet mean that he…Więcej

“The dice have been cast”

On January 10, 49 BCE Gaius Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon River in northern Italy and thus started a civil war against Pompey and the Senate. In the days of the Roman Republic, the Rubicon…Więcej

Dowry in Roman world

In ancient Rome, it was an unwritten rule that in the event of marriage the bride should bring a dowry (dos). The additional capital contributed to the husband was to facilitate the maintenance of the…Więcej

Decency according to Valerius Maximus

In the work Factorum et dictorum memorabilium libri novem by Valerius Maximus, we can see the characters and behaviours that the author distinguished in the context of decency and dignified life. An example is Pompey…Więcej

Prohibition of service in Roman legions

In the light of social norms or Roman law, from the earliest years of its existence, the Roman state limited access to military service. Only Roman citizens (cives Romani) had the right or duty to…Więcej

Gemma was popular in Rome

Gemma was a semi-precious or noble stone with the shape of a round or oval plate decorated with relief. Gemmas were popular as ornaments or seals in the Roman Empire. In Rome, probably the first…Więcej

Extravagance of rulers

Some of the Roman rulers tried to emphasize their own uniqueness by serving and eating unusual and unusual dishes. According to the historian Suetonius, the notorious Caligula “drink pearls of great price dissolved in vinegar,…Więcej

Caesar and Brutus family

Gaius Julius Caesar was a famous lover and seducer of Roman women of high society. One of the Roman women he seduced was the mother of Marcus Brutus – Servilla. In the course of his…Więcej

Initium aestatis

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…Więcej

Weapons made of Lower Silesia iron could scare the Romans

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).…Więcej

IMPERIUM ROMANUM needs your support!

If you like the content I collect on the website and share it on social media channels, I will be grateful for your support. Even the smallest amounts will allow me to pay for further corrections and improvements on the site and pay for the server.

Support IMPERIUM ROMANUM!

Discover secrets of ancient Rome!

If you want to be up to date with the newest articles on the website and discoveries from ancient Rome, subscribe to the newsletter, which is sent each Saturday.

Subscribe to newsletter!

Classic mobile version