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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.
Lex Tullia
Candidates for civil servants often organized spectacular shows prior to the elections in order to win the favor of the crowds. In the year 63 BCE the Senate issued an act, on the initiative of the consul Marcus Tullius Cicero – lex Tullia, in which he forbade standing for election to anyone who, during the preceding 2 years, would organize games. In addition, for such an act he was punished with 10 years of exile.
“Bread and circuses”
“Panem et circenses” – “bread and circuses” – according to popular messages, these demanded Roman people. Those being in power were well aware of the mood of the people. The Games were a political tool and served not only as a demonstration of strength. Above all, they were meant to occupy crowds of unemployed Romans, and to provide entertainment to those who work.
Lucky Augustus
When Augustus married Livia Drusilla, she was in advanced pregnancy. Her youngest son was born three months after the wedding with the ruler of Rome. The malicious people in the Eternal City used to say that the lucky ones are having children already born after three months.
“I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble”
According to Suetonius, Augustus, when assessing his rule, said: “I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble”. The question is, had Rome really undergone reconstruction to such an extent under his rule? To this end, a professor of architecture and urban planning from the University of California – Diane Favro – created a computer model of the Eternal City of the time of Augustus, where the individual buildings were marked with colours, depending on what they were made of. However, as the study showed, Rome did not change as much as the first emperor claimed.
Complex of Roman mills in Barbegal
The graphics depicts the amazing Roman mill complex in Barbegal, France. The building was able to produce enough flour to feed the city of Arles.
