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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.
Antikythera Mechanism is an ancient mechanical device that most scientists believe was designed to calculate the positions of celestial bodies. It was originally thought to be some kind of ancient computer. However, the discovery of numerous Greek inscriptions and zodiac signs indicates that it was an astrological device.
Caesarion was the only child of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra VII. After the death of his father, he remained at the side of his mother, who, together with her lover, suffered a defeat in the civil war with Gaius Octavian. Seventeen-year-old Caesarion, after invasion of Roman army on Alexandria, was sent by his mother, Cleopatra, to the south, where Cleopatra’s ships stood by the bay of the Red Sea.
Roman phalera glass military ornament, dated to the 1st century CE. The object was found in Britain.
A first and only newspaper of the ancient world was founded by Julius Caesar in 59 BCE. It was called Acta Diurna – “Events of the Day” and, unfortunately, no copy has been preserved so far, and we do not know the amount of its circulation.
In Roman times, hunters while tring to catch tigers1 avoided direct fighting. Instead, they used a trick to steal small tigers from the lair.
Bronze figurine showing a captured barbarian. The find is dated to the 1st-2nd century CE.
Caesar’s death in 44 BCE was a huge shock for Roman society. As if sensing his fate, the dictator decided to write down his will earlier, probably trying to prevent fights for supporters, property, power and heritage. The act of his last will was deposited in the temple of Vesta and it was publicly read by the last father-in-law of Caesar – Lucius Calpurnius.
Roman saddle from Aegyptus frontier. It comes from the Qustul site in southern Egypt and is dated to the last quarter of the IV century CE. Located in the Oriental Institute Museum in Chicago, USA.
