Roman grave in Naissus
Roman grave in Naissus (present Niš in south-eastern Serbia) with found body and ceramics. The grave comes from the 4th century CE and is part of the necropolis in which both Christians and pagans were buried.
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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.
Marcellus – Augustus’ nephew
Marcus Claudius Marcellus/ was the nephew of emperor Augustus. He was born in 42 BCE and he was the son of Gaius Claudius Marcellus and Octavia the Yougher, the older sister of Augustus. Being one of the closest relatives of emperor, he became eventual successor.
Circus Maximus now and in the past
Circus Maximus was a stadium for chariot races, located in the valley between the mountains of Aventine and Palatine. It was the first and largest stadium in ancient Rome. Its length was 621 and width 118 m. The facility could accommodate up to 150,000 spectators.
Roman ring showing connected hands
Roman ring showing connected hands. Donated probably on the occasion of the wedding. The object is made of gold.
Marble torso of centaur
Preserved marble torso of a centaur. Fragment of a Roman sculpture from the 1st-2nd century CE. It is a copy of the Greek monument.
Breeding of muraenidae
Pliny the Elder, a Roman historian and writer, remembers that the Romans valued the taste of meat very much. In addition, even the richer Romans created their own muraenidae farms in the estate to have access to fresh fish.
Crucifixion was used in Rome
Crucifixion was an extremely common form of punishment and torture, especially in cases of treason or non-citizenship. When a Roman citizen committed a crime, he was sentenced to exile or fined. A non-citizen, on the other hand, was subjected to the penalty of crucifixion even for minor theft.
Pan with goat
Figurine of Pan during a sexual intercourse with a goat, from around 79 CE. It was found in Villa of the Papyri in Herculaneum, which possibly belonged to the father-in-law of Julius Caesar, Lucius Calpurnius Piso. Pan was a Greek god, taking care of forests and fields, guarding pastors and their flocks. In the Roman pantheon he was identified with Faun or with the god of forests Silvanus.
