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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.

Death of Cicero

In 43 BCE Cicero was on the list of proscribed (outlaws), arranged by triumvirs: Antony, Octavian and Lepidus. The greatest supporter of the death of the speaker was Antony, who hated him. On December 7, 43 BCE Cicero died in his villa in Formianum. The murder of Cicero caused a great stir.

A painting showing the death of Cicero

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.

Roman tomb in Naissus

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.

Marble centaur torso

Celtic war horn was recreated

Music experts recreated the Celtic war horn from the Iron Age. Carnyx was used during the battles between 200 BCE and 200 CE. As Polibius claims, playing the instrument was aimed at increasing the morale of the warriors and intimidating the enemy army.

Carnyx

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.

Moray

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