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The world of the ancient Romans was rich in extraordinary, and sometimes even surprising, facts. We draw our knowledge of Roman daily life, customs, and mentality primarily from works left by ancient writers and historians. It is thanks to them that we discover information that is astonishing today – sometimes even hard to believe. Below are some interesting facts that reveal a lesser-known and less obvious side of the Roman world.
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Roman sources have left us messages about many Roman heroes. One of them was Marcus Cassius Scaeva – centurion of Julius Caesar during the civil war with Pompey. After the battle of Dyrrachium (48 BCE), he was the head of the cohort, which belonged to legio VI. The aim of this unit was to defend a certain fortress against the four legions of Pompey’s army.
Roman glass fish. Object dated back to I century CE. Found on territory of former state – Empire Kushan.
Roman marble head of a girl. It is dated to the end of II century CE.
Cassius Dio mentions in his “Roman History” that in 172 CE the Roman army of Marcus Aurelius was trapped by the much larger German forces of Quadi. Roman legionaries suffered from scorching and thirst, but it was said that the god of rain caused the rain, which helped them.
Ancile was the oval shield of the same the god Mars, which Jupiter offered to the king Numa Pompilius, the second in the history ruler of Rome. According to the messages, the capital city was to exist for as long as ancile was safe. On the advice of the nymph Egeria, Numa had eleven identical shields to prevent theft.
Roman fresco shoiwng scene of dressing a priestess or bride. Found in the palaestra of the Forum Baths at Herculaneum. Dated back to I century CE.
During the battle of Lake Trasimeno, a strong earthquake took place. As mentioned by Livy, the Romans and Carthaginians who were fighting at that time were so absorbed in the fight, that they did not even feel the trembling of the earth.
Roman marble figure of a togatus – man wearing a toga. Object dated back to 2nd century CE.
When Nero was a boy his favorite topic for conversations were chariot races in Circus; though he did so against the teacher’s prohibition. Once, Nero complained to another student that the driver of the Greens was dragged by a chariot on earth.
