Curiosities of ancient Rome

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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.

I encourage you to submit your own suggestions and to report any corrections or inaccuracies.

Roman wall painting of bird

Roman wall painting of bird from Boscoreale near Pompeii. Object dated to the 1st century CE.Więcej

Roman sculpture showing panther

Ancient Roman marble statue of a panther with a goat’s head between the legs. The marble artifact is in the Vatican Museums in Rome. It was restored in the 18th century.Więcej

Mosaic with actor in comic mask

Detail from Roman mosaic of an actor wearing a comic mask, Pompeii.Więcej

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…Więcej

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,…Więcej

Roman emerald green glass boat

Roman emerald green glass boat. Found in Pompeii, dated back to 25-50 CE.Więcej

Roman fibula showing gladiator fight

Roman fibula showing gladiator fight. Dated back to 2-3 century CE.Więcej

Roman ring with image of Minerva

Roman ring with the image of Minerva in a convex precious stone (so-called cameo). Object madein 1st century CE. Located in the Getty Museum. Więcej

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…Więcej

Roman fresco showing fish

Roman fresco showing fish in the ‘House of the Ephebus’ in Pompeii.Więcej

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