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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.

When Pantheon became church

On May 13, 609, Pope Boniface IV decided to transform the Pantheon into the Church of Santa Maria ad Martyres. Until now, the former temple of all Roman deities, since the fall of the Western Roman Empire, was largely unused. There is, however, a parable related to this event.

Pantheon

Trophy of Augustus

A few kilometres from the Principality of Monaco, at the top of a 486-meter-high hill, are the imposing remains of the monument. The monument called Trophy of Augustus (Tropaem Augusti or Tropaeum Alpium) was built around 6 BCE, in honour of the victories made in campaigns between 16 and 7 BCE by Emperor Augustus over the Alpine tribes.

Trophy of Augustus

Roman nobles grew moray eels in ponds

The Roman aristocracy had such exorbitant needs that it even built ponds (piscinae or vivaria piscorum) on its enormous property, in which various species of fish lived, including moray eels.

Fish on the Roman mosaic

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