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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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Request from Augustus veteran
There is a story saying that one day, to the Emperor Augustus, came his former soldier who took part in the battle of Actium (31 BCE). The veteran asked August to defend him in court.
SPQR – what do these letters mean?
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.
21st century technologies shed new light on the Egyptian painting
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.
Emperor Vespasian’s urinary tax
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 extortioners
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.
Pompey was organizing great games
Gnaeus Pompey was famous for hosting on a huge scale games with wild animals. When he became a consul, he took care of the construction of the theater, where he exhibited mimic, music and wild music contests, including elephants. According to Plutarch, 500 lions were also supposed to die there. If it’s about bloody animal shows, the bears were fighting buffalo, buffalo with elephants, rhinoceros elephants.
