Curiosities of ancient Rome

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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.

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

Roman bas-relief depicting god Mercury

Roman bas-relief depicting the god Mercury. Object dated to the 2nd-3rd century CE. The sculpture shows the deity with a cap with wings on his head and a rooster at his side. Artifact found in…Więcej

What did Vesuvius look like in ancient times?

View of Vesuvius through the gate at Palestra Samnitica, in Pompeii. What is worth emphasizing, the mountain was not as visible as it is now. The inhabitants of Pompeii and the Herculaneum painted frescoes with…Więcej

Caesar and his campaigns across Rhine

Julius Caesar is one of the greatest leaders in world history. This is evidenced by his victories in Spain (61 BCE), the conquest of Gaul (58-50 BCE), the invasion of Britain (54-53 BCE) or, for…Więcej

Fresco depicting scene of making offering to Diana

Roman fresco depicting the scene of the sacrifice in honor of the goddess Diana, accompanied by the sacred animal – the deer. It is located in the triclinium of the House of the Vettii in…Więcej

Roman silver ladle

Roman silver ladle. Object found in Pompeii and dated to the 1st century CE. It is now located in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples.Więcej

Gladiatorial fight – secutor and retiarius

One of the most popular gladiator fights in ancient Rome was the clash of secutor (“the chaser” 1 Pliny the Younger, Letter to Tacitus, 1 ) and retiarius (“net-man”). Roman mosaic from the 3rd century…Więcej

Teacher with three students on tombstone

Roman tombstone relief showing a teacher with three students. The object is dated to the end of the 2nd century CE and comes from Neumagen (west Germany).Więcej

Mosaic showing feeding donkey

Extremely interesting Roman mosaic showing the scene of a donkey being fed by a man. The object is dated to the 5th century CE; now the artifact is in the Istanbul Archaeological Museum (Turkey). It…Więcej

Roman marble statue depicting young man – called Britannicus

Roman marble statue depicting a young man – called Britannicus. The photo was taken in 2011 in the so-called Nero’s Cryptoporticus in Rome. The object is dated to the 1st century CE and it was…Więcej

Amor on winged phallus

Roman agate gemstone depicting Amor flying on a winged phallus with eagle legs. He holds lightning in one of the claws, while Amor holds a laurel wreath. Object dated to the 1st century BCE.Więcej

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