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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.
Noctes Atticae (“Attic Nights”) is a work written by Aulus Gellius (c. 125 – after 180 CE) in the 2nd century CE during his stay in Athens. It is a list of fascinating information about the ancient world that he obtained in conversation or read in books. The work contains knowledge about grammar, geometry, philosophy, history and many other subjects, as well as anecdotes about famous people.
Lucius Aemilius Paullus Macedonicus (ca. 228 – 160 BCE), an outstanding Roman commander and consul, made history thanks to his victory over Macedon at the Battle of Pydna in 168 BCE. He ended the Third Macedonian War and suppressed the power of Macedonia once and for all. His achievements were so important that he received the nickname Macedonicus, becoming a permanent part of the history of the empire.
Suicide of Cato the Younger (95 – 46 BCE), a staunch opponent of Julius Caesar and a representative of the optimate party (Roman aristocracy), was an attempt to maintain honor in the face of defeat in the war with Caesar. In 46 BCE, after the defeat of Pompey’s troops and Republican senators in the civil war against Julius Caesar, Cato retreated to the city of Utica (in present-day Tunisia) in North Africa. Realizing that Caesar was closing in and not wanting to surrender or ask for mercy, he decided to commit suicide as an act of defiance of tyranny.
In ancient Rome, bird’s nest hairstyles were especially popular during the reign of the Flavian dynasty (69-96 CE) and the late empire. Roman women, especially those from the aristocracy, experimented with their hair, creating impressive structures with numerous weaves and curls.
Medicamina Faciei Femineae, or “Cosmetics for the Female Face”, is a fascinating treatise written by Ovid, one of the most famous poets of ancient Rome. This is a work that reflects the ancient approach to female beauty. It is a poetic facial care instruction. Interestingly, this text can be considered one of the first cosmetology magazines in literature.
Nowadays, street names and house numbers are used to identify a place of residence. It is a simple and effective system, but the ancient Romans did not use it. In small towns, finding a given house by a stranger might not have been a big challenge. Such a person was certainly helped by local residents and guided him accordingly.
Columella, or Lucius Junius Moderatus Columella, was a Roman agronomic writer who lived in the 1st century CE and is one of the most important authors of ancient texts on agriculture. His work De re rustica (On Agriculture), consisting of twelve books, is a comprehensive agricultural manual that describes all aspects of farm management – from growing plants, through animal husbandry, to methods of storing crops. Columella also wrote about the owner’s role on the farm, and his advice was addressed to both landowners and ordinary farmers. Columella’s work has survived and is still an important source of knowledge about ancient agriculture and man’s relationship to the land.
Diades of Pella was an ancient military engineer and one of Alexander the Great’s closest advisors, considered a true innovator in the field of war machines. While many aspects of his life remain a mystery, his contribution to the art of warfare is undeniable. Diades was from Pella, the capital of Macedonia, and probably trained under Polydus of Thessaly, one of the most respected engineers of the time.
Colosseum, a monumental amphitheater in the center of ancient Rome, is not only a symbol of the power of the empire, but also a place shrouded in the legend of Christian suffering. The common idea of crucifixions taking place there arouses many emotions – but did it actually take place?
Publicans (publicani) in ancient Rome were entrepreneurs who administered taxes and participated in lucrative contracts to supply food and equipment to the legions and carried out large construction projects.
