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Curiosities of ancient Rome
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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Great-grandfather of Lucius Sergius Catiline
The great grandfather of Lucius Sergius Catiline, a Roman who tried to overthrow the republic in the year 63 BCE, was the hero of the Second Punic War. He was named M. Sergius Silus. He was twice captured by the army of Hannibal and was imprisoned for twenty months. He was named after M. Sergiusz Silus. He was twice captured by the army of Hannibal and was imprisoned for twenty months.
Beautiful Roman mosaics in Switzerland
The small town of Orbe in western Switzerland abounds in a huge amount of Roman mosaics. It is certainly the largest collection of this type of art from Roman times, north of the Alps. Interestingly, very few enthusiasts know about what is evidenced by the small number of tourists visiting this place.
Roman fibula showing gladiator fight
Roman fibula showing gladiator fight. Dated back to 2-3 century CE.
In north of Italy, hundreds of gold Roman coins have been discovered
In an Italian city in the north of Italy – Como – hundreds of gold Roman coins were found. The objects are dated to the 5th century CE, and found in a stone urn in the basement of Cressioni’s theater.
