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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.

Games in the Greek style

Although Domitian is considered a cruel emperor, he tried to introduce a series of games in the Greek style, that is based on sports competitions. The first took place in 86 CE. In order to promote the competition, Circus Agonalis was built, which was in place of the current Piazza Navona.

Cutting off the head on a mosaic

Canary Islands in antiquity

The Canary Islands, located in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa, were certainly known to the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean. Phoenicians, Greeks and Carthaginians reached the islands.

Tenerife coast

Hercules and Ceryneian Hind

Roman mosaic showing Hercules who caught a Ceryneian Hind. It was a third labour of Hercules to bring an animal to Eurystheus – king of Tyryns. Object is dated back to 170-180 CE and made of marble, terracotta, glass paste. Currenty located in Valencia Museum.

Hercules and the Kerinean doe on the Roman mosaic

Exotic animals in Rome

Animals were delivered from distant parts of the Roman Empire to show the crowd the size of the conquest and show the wonders brought from distant lands. Those were sent by provincial administrators, and even by kings or noblemen of still unconquested lands, eg. from India. Menagerie – vivarium was located near the Porta Prenestina.

Exotic animals on Roman mosaic

Organization at games

The organization of gladiatorial fights has become a great task in which intermediaries and entrepreneurs of all specialties were involved.

Animals on a Roman mosaic

Fighting to death

Fighting to death – munera – come from a sacrifice in honor of the dead and have an Etruscan pedigree. At first gladiatorial fights were arranged by the family on the grave of deceased ancestors. The first games enriched with gladiators at the expense of the state were to take place in 105 BCE.

Men's fight on the mosaic

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