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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.

Mommsen, Syme, the Nobel Prize, and Octavian Augustus

In common consciousness, the names Mommsen and Syme do not occupy a permanent place. However, they are certainly worth remembering, and in the case of an enthusiast of ancient Roman history, they must even be well known. What do these two characters have in common?

Theodor Mommsen, Ludwig Knaus

Roman enamel brooch

Roman enamel brooch made of bronze. Subject was found in Carlungie in eastern Scotland. The artifact was imported from Gaul and dates back to the 1st-2nd century CE.

Roman enamel brooch

Roman city of Viriconium Cornoviorum

Viriconium Cornoviorum (now Wroxeter in the West of England) was founded as a Roman fort (castrum) in the middle of the 1st century CE, which was the base for the 14th Gemina legion, invading Wales. The city developed at the end of the 1st century and became the fourth largest city in Roman Britain.

The remains of the Roman city of Viriconium Cornoviorum

Mercury – statue from 2nd century CE

Mercury – Roman statue from the 2nd century CE, made of bronze. The object is located in the museum at Colchester Castle (built on the foundations of the Claudius Temple). In Roman times the city was called Camulodunum or Colonia Claudia Victricensis.

Mercury - statue from 2nd century CE

Colossus from Capitol

In the Capitoline Museums we can admire the colossal marble sculpture depicting the Mars Avenger (Mars Ultor). However, this is not an ordinary image of Mars – according to some researchers, the god in this case has the features of Pyrrhus, the great leader and king of Epirus.

Colossus from Capitol

Dragon on ancient mosaic

An ancient mosaic depicting a dragon or a sea monster according to the Greek images. The mosaic dates back to the 4th century BCE and was found in Calabria, in the south of Italy. Currently, the object is housed in the Museo Archelogico di Monasterace in Calabria.

Dragon on ancient mosaic

What did gladiators eat?

Subsequent fights and constant effort required the gladiator’s body to receive the right amount of food with the right nutritional values. We know about what ancient gladiators ate thanks to discoveries from Turkey and ancient records.

Mosaic showing gladiators from Nimes

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