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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 Britannicus
Britannicus, a son of the emperor Claudius after his father’s death (he was poisoned by the mother of Nero with a dish of mushrooms) was a big threat to Nero, a half brother. Nero, embracing the purple, was afraid that the Britannicus would want to use his birth in the future and reach for power.
Roman fashion
According to Roman fashion, feasts were organized in the so-called triclinium. In the middle of the room, the table was set up, and the sofas around it, leaving one side “unmarked” (something like a horseshoe was created).
Triclinia could have different sizes – in the picture we can see the smallest possible triclinium, consisting of three sofas. Most often, however, it consisted of nine couches arranged around the table.
Map showing growth of Roman Empire
A very interesting map showing the growth of the Roman Empire from the beginning of the Republic till the crisis of the 3rd century CE.
Skeleton from Viminacium
Found in Viminacium – Roman town located near Kostolac (eastern Serbia) – skeleton of Roman in grave. Dated back to 3rd-4th century CE.
Wall painting from Herculaneum
Wall painting from Herculaneum, depicting a tragic actor resting after the play. The fresco is dated to the 1st century BCE. The objectis in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.
Farnese Bull
Farnese Bull is a famous Roman sculpture from the 3rd century CE showing the scene of punishing queen Dirce by tethering her to the horns of a bull.
Tessera – Roman theater ticket or game token?
So far, many items with the appearance of tokens have been discovered and date back to the times of ancient Rome. Scientists refer to them as tesserae, and their function is still not fully understood to this day. The item had the image of the emperor and numbering; they were made of clay, bone or ivory.
