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Curiosities of ancient Rome

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.

Honorary Otho

Marcus Salvius Otho went down in history as a ruler who would rather give his life than compete for the throne when it would involve a fratricidal war Romans. In a situation where his troops suffered heavy losses but were not destroyed by Vitellius, Oton decided to pierce his heart with a dagger he hid under a pillow in his tent. In this way, Othon wanted to save the country from further shedding of fratricidal blood. He did it despite the fact that his soldiers showed a willingness to continue the fight.

23 October 2021

Roman wooden tablet with will

Roman wooden tablet on which is written a will. The beneficiary of the document – with an unknown name – had 100 days to apply for the inheritance in the event of the author’s death; otherwise, the person was to be disinherited. The object is located in the National Museum Wales.

22 October 2021

Musculus – Roman war machine

The Latin word musculus means “little mouse” as well as “muscle”. The ambiguity comes from the fact that some of the moving muscles under the skin look like little mice in motion. Interestingly, musculus was also a term for the Roman war machine.

22 October 2021

What games did Romans play?

Roman children played games similar to those we know today. They probably played a variant of hopscotch, they competed in tug of war, tug of war or hide and seek. Paper, scissors and stone were played in Rome and Egypt. The boys probably played war with the use of wooden swordtails and recreated the siege of Troy, popular in ancient times.

21 October 2021

Fresco showing the ancient Romans playing soccer.

Fortune-telling events

Valerius Maximus in his work Factorum et dictorum memorabilium libri novem presents interesting events in the history of Rome, in which omens and the superstition of the Romans were to play an important role.

21 October 2021

Where was Nero buried?

We all remember from elementary school the ending of the novel “Quo Vadis?” H. Sienkiewicz, in which he recorded the end of the life of Emperor Nero, based on the account of the ancient historian Suetonius:

20 October 2021

Visualization of Golden House of Nero

Visualization of Golden House of Nero in Rome. The Golden House of Nero, also called Domus Aurea, was a Roman palace Emperor Nero located between the Palatine and Esquiline hills. Construction works began in 64 CE and were conducted until 68 CE. They were discontinued after the emperor’s death. It was in the “Golden House” that Nero spent his last day of life in 68 CE.

20 October 2021

Rome was often hit by earthquakes

Research by seismologists and historical records show that Rome has been hit by earthquakes every hundred years over two thousand years.

18 October 2021

Expansion and Hellenization of city of Rome

The city of Rome, despite great military successes in the republican times, could not be compared to the powerful and beautiful metropolises of the Mediterranean world, such as Alexandria. To this end, in the 2nd century BCE Intensive construction and modernization works began in the Eternal City. The conquered Greek world had a great influence on these transformations.

17 October 2021