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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.
Nero charioteer
Nero often participated in the Olympic Games as a charioteer. During one of them he even carried a chariot drawn by ten horses. It did not matter to him that earlier he had criticized king Mithridates for exactly the same, claiming that just king wanted to show off. During the race, Nero dropped from the chariot and the servants had to help him get back to the platform.
Beautiful Roman mosaic showing geometry
Roman beautiful geometric mosaic-work from Ravenna (Italy). Object located in Mausoleum of Galla Placidia.
Poppea Sabina’s funeral
Nero at the funeral of his second wife Poppea Sabina ordered to burn all-year production of Arabic incense. Interestingly, the ruler himself killed pregnant empress, whom he kicked in the stomach.
Carnelian or agate sculpture showing unknown emperor
Roman sculpture made of carnelian or agate showing unknown emperor. The person wears a lion skin. Object found in Geresa (Jordan) and dates back to II-IV century CE.
How to catch monkey?
Elian Claudius, a Roman writer and rhetoric teacher who lived in the times of Septimius Severus, noticed that if someone is wearing a shoe, the animal behaves exactly the same. Hunters wanting to catch an animal used a trick.
Northern gate of Roman fort in Bu Njem in Libya
Remains of the northern gate of the Roman fort in Bu Njem in Libya. In ancient times, this place was called Gholaia and was founded on the initiative of the emperor Septimius Severus (193-211 CE).
Cats in ancient Egypt
Cats in ancient Egypt were sacred. In the middle of the first century BCE Diodorus Siculus witnessed how the Egyptian crowd lynched a member of the Roman embassy who accidentally killed a cat. People did not respond even to the request of Pharaoh Ptolemy XII.
