Legend of Silvester
Certainly many of us celebrate the last day of the year, called New Year’s Eve. But how many people know exactly where this name actually comes from?
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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.
Certainly many of us celebrate the last day of the year, called New Year’s Eve. But how many people know exactly where this name actually comes from?
Agrippina the Younger became famous, among others, as Nero’s mother. She was the daughter of Germanicus – an outstanding Roman leader and Agrippina the Elder. She was born around 16 CE in a city located on the Rhine. Her husband, whom she married at the age of 13, was Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus.
Roman decoration in the shape of a black man, made of bronze. The object is on display in a museum in Herculaneum (Italy).
Roman fresco showing a half-naked woman. Object discovered in the 1st century CE, in Pompeii. The artifact is located in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples.
Relief showing a vegetable seller (including cabbage, garlic and asparagus) from Ostia. Roman relief dates back to the 2nd century CE. The artifact is in the Archaeological Museum in Ostia (Italy).
Further interesting discoveries are being made in the Rhineland (western Germany), which is rich in brown coal. In ancient times, the borders of the Roman Empire reached here. Roman cities included: Cologne, Aachen, Bonn and Jülich.
Pompeian fresco depicting Theseus after killing the Minotaur. The fresco is not large. In the past, it was the central panel of a larger painting. It was like a painting hung in the middle of the wall and the attention of the person entering the room was supposed to focus on it.
Mars, god of war, and Nike, goddess of victory, on a Roman gemma. The artifact is located in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples.
Roman sculpture showing Seleucus I Nicator, one of the leaders (so-called diadochi) of Alexander the Great, who, after he died due to the ongoing war to divide the Empire, took over most of the lands and established the Seleucid monarchy. The artifact is located in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples.
Roman floor mosaic showing a hunting tiger. The object dates back to the 3rd century CE; discovered in a villa from Lod, near Tel Aviv, Israel.