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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.
Roman marble relief depicting a couple having sex on a boat while sailing the Nile. A steersman in a pointy hat is standing nearby, and a hippo’s rump is visible in front of the boat. The sex scene is possibly a satirical depiction of Mark Antony and Cleopatra.
In ancient Rome, not having at least one slave meant living in poverty. It is worth mentioning that about 25% of the population of ancient Rome was enslaved at the end of the existence of the Republic.
Column-shaped stone tombstone, dated to the 3rd century CE, with a visible Greek inscription.
As it turns out, the Romans took magic very seriously, because they even regulated its use legally in their famous 12 tables.
Punic urns that were discovered in the necropolis of Marsala (ancient Lilybaeum). The urns are made of white limestone and simply decorated. Remnants of cremated skeletons have been found in urns.
Wigs were worn in ancient Rome. Julius Caesar reportedly wore a wig and a laurel wreath to hide his progressive baldness. The Emperor’s wife herself Marcus Aurelius – Faustina the Elder (c. 100-141 CE) – had an impressive collection of at least 300 wigs.
Golden aureus Marcus Junius Brutus, one of the murderers of Julius Caesar. Object dated to 43-42 BCE. The artifact is in The British Museum.
The letter Y was not originally in Romans. Y was added to the Latin alphabet around the 1st century BCE to render Greek words better.
