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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.

Roman cameo collection

Roman cameo collection. Carved images of Roman deities are visible on the stones. Dated to 2nd – 3rd century CE. Objects were found in the Roman city of Singidunum (now Belgrade, Serbia).

Collection of roman cameos

Denar showing Octavian and “Caesar’s comet”

Roman denarius depicting Augustus (reigned in 27 BCE – 14 CE). The silver coin was minted around 19- 18 BCE, probably in one of the Spanish mints. On the obverse, we see the princeps with a wreath of oak leaves on the head (so-called corna civica). On the reverse, in turn, there is an embossed inscription DIVVS IVLIVS and a comet with eight rays and a tail of fire.

Denarius showing Octavian and "Caesar's comet"

Roman soldier on sarcophagus

An image of a Roman soldier on a sarcophagus found in a crypt at the Beljnjač archaeological site in Šid, in northern Serbia. The object is dated to the 4th century CE.

Roman soldier on a sarcophagus

Crazy Emperor Caligula

Emperor Caligula was the first emperor who compared himself to god and called himself like that. What’s more, he allowed himself bizarre decisions, including appointing his horse a senator. About Caligula’s favourite horse (Incitatus, meaning “swift” or “at full gallop”) writes Suetonius in “About the Life of the Caesars”. According to the Roman writer, the animal had 18 servants who cared for it.

Caligula

Bust of elderly man – so-called patrician Torlonia

Roman bust showing an older man – so-called patrician Torlonia. It is widely believed that the sculpture depicts the famous Cato the Elder (234-149 BCE). The object is in the collection of the Torlonia Foundation in Rome. The sculpture is dated to the 1st century CE and is a copy of a republican masterpiece from the 1st century BCE.

Bust of an elderly man - the so-called patrician of Torlonia

Roman women were educated

In ancient Rome, it was appropriate for a woman in upper and middle social classes to be able to read and write. Sometimes the family invested in girls even more and provided private Greek or grammar classes.

Fresco showing a girl reading papyrus. Dated to the 1st century BCE

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