Curiosities of ancient Rome
This page is also available in: Polish (polski)
Young man in Fayum portrait
The painting depicts a young man. It is a so-called Fayum portrait—a unique type of portrait created in Egypt during the Roman period, roughly from the 1st to the 3rd century CE. These portraits were painted on wooden panels using ... Read more
Qasr Bashir in Jordan – well-preserved Roman fort
Qasr Bashir in Jordan is the well-preserved ruin of a Roman fort built during the reign of Diocletian (284-305 CE). During this time, the Romans constructed smaller but better fortified strongholds than before. The fort was part of the Limes ... Read more
Sparsiones – spraying water on audience at Roman shows
Sparsiones referred to the practice of sprinkling water on the audience gathered in Roman amphitheaters and theaters. The water was often flavored, intended both to cool the audience and to enhance the atmosphere. The word literally means “sprinkling” (from the ... Read more
Bust of Roman
Marble bust of Roman. The artifact is located at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Roman fresco confirming selective painting of building
Beautiful Roman fresco that decorated the cubiculum (bedroom) of the Villa Synistora in Boscoreale (southern Italy), dating to the mid-1st century BCE. The painting and its preserved colours indirectly confirm the opinion that the Romans used colour selectively on the ... Read more
Roman fresco showing woman’s tragic mask
Roman fresco depicting a woman wearing a tragic mask. The painting was executed in the Third Pompeian style (focusing on aesthetic effects rather than the illusion of space); it was found in the triclinium of the so-called House of the ... Read more
Fragment of Roman fresco depicting preparation of meal
Fragment of a Roman fresco depicting the preparation of a meal. The object dates to the 1st century CE.
Yew – tree of death and longevity
The common yew (Taxus baccata) is an evergreen conifer native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Today, it is a popular ornamental plant, but in ancient times its meaning was quite different. The ancient Greeks, Romans, Germanic peoples, Celts, and ... Read more
Roman mosaic depicting old woman
Roman mosaic depicting an elderly woman. The artifact was discovered in Italica, southern Spain. Dated to the 3rd century CE, it is located at the Archaeological Museum of Catalonia in Barcelona, Spain.
Dormouse – furry snack for rich
The gray dormouse (Glis glis) is a rodent similar in size to a rat, found throughout almost all of Europe. The ancient Romans valued it for its meat – initially, they only hunted it, but by the 1st century BCE, ... Read more
IMPERIUM ROMANUM needs your support!
If you like the content I collect on the website and share it on social media channels, I will be grateful for your support. Even the smallest amounts will allow me to pay for further corrections and improvements on the site and pay for the server.
Support IMPERIUM ROMANUM!
Discover secrets of ancient Rome!
If you want to be up to date with the newest articles on the website and discoveries from ancient Rome, subscribe to the newsletter, which is sent each Saturday.
Subscribe to newsletter!