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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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Pompey the Great was famous for his courage and bravery. In 58 BCE he assumed the position of praefectus annonae, who oversaw grain deliveries to Rome. It was a unique position that the edile normally covered under its authority during the republic. However, in the event of major food crises, a special officer was appointed for 5 years.
One day a man very similar to Octavian Augustus was to come to Rome. He ordered him to be brought and asked: “Was your mother ever in Rome?”. The young man was supposed to answer in the following way.
Roman military diploma, which confirms the granting of Roman citizenship to the soldier Gaius Gemellus and his family. He served for 26 years in the sea fleet in Alexandria.
Cicero was arguably one of the few not fooled by the polite and pleasant manner of being Julius Caesar, and who saw the fierce strength of his character. In all of Caesar’s hidden plans and all political tactics, Cicero saw autocratic plans.
Apart from loan for consumption (mutuum) and deposit (depositum) there were other real contracts in the Roman law – loan for use (commodatum) and pledge (pignus). Loan for use emerged towards the end of the Republican era as a result of the need to regulate the everyday practise of using object which belong to other people.
Nowadays, it is common to take care of privacy in your apartments by installing pleats, blinds or curtains on the windows. In addition, this way you can effectively reduce the heating of rooms in the summer. As it turns out, these solutions were known already in ancient times.
Emperor Titus (39-81 CE) ensured that none of his petitioners was left without an answer. Once, when he was accused of promising more than he could fulfil, he replied: “It is not right for anyone to go away sorrowful from an interview with his emperor”.
Wreck of a Roman merchant ship from Comacchio, Northern Italy. The ship was about 20 meters long and 5 meters wide. The wreck was discovered in 1981 during the maintenance of the drainage canal. Researchers suggest that the ship was probably washed ashore by a storm at the mouth of the river.
