Curiosities of ancient Rome

Now, most of the tourists who come to Rome throw coins into Fontanna di Trevi, hoping to return to the city again. In ancient Rome, this custom was also present, but it was associated with the celebration of the birth of Augustus.

Letters SPQR can be seen on many monuments, buildings and banners. They mean Senatus Populusque Romanus, meaning “Roman Senate and People”. These words were a symbol of Roman identity and official name of the Roman Empire. Abbreviation SPQR, until the eagle’s image became popular, served as the state emblem.

Researchers from UCLA and the National Gallery of Art in Washington used the latest technologies to discover the process of the creation of an ancient work of art – a female Fayum mummy portrait.

In ancient times, urine was a valuable commodity and many people collected it and then delivered it for a fee to manufactories that used it to bleach the material and remove stains. Due to this practice and the desire to provide additional funds to the state treasury, in 74 CE, Emperor Vespasian introduced urine tax (urinae vectigal).

Roman tax collectors were apparently usually extraordinary “extortioners.” The father of Emperor Vespasian – Titus Flavius Sabinus was an exception. He was a tax collector of the fortieth part (quadragesima, port tax) in Asia. According to sources, he was an extremely righteous and just man in performing his role.