Anubis on Roman fresco
In the Roman baths of the Emperor Caracalla (reigned 211-217 CE), there is a preserved fresco depicting Anubis, which dates back to the 2nd century CE.
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Curiosities of ancient Rome
The world of ancient Romans abounded in a number of amazing curiosities and information. The source of knowledge about the life of the Romans are mainly works left to us by ancient writers or discoveries. The Romans left behind a lot of strange information and facts that are sometimes hard to believe.
Roman amforiskos
Roman amphorae made of banded agate, dating from around 1st BCE – 1st century CE. An amphorae was a small, amphora-shaped vessel usually used for storing expensive oils, perfumes or aromatic essences.
Woman in Roman fresco
A fresco from the Roman villa known as Casa della Farnesina, depicting a woman pouring perfume. Dating back to the 1st century BC, it is located in the National Museum in Rome.
Regulus and battle with beast in Africa
During the First Punic War (264-241 BCE), the Roman commander Marcus Atilius Regulus was said to have fought – according to Pliny the Elder – an extraordinary battle not with the Carthaginians, but with a giant serpent (this is suggested as the first mention of a dragon in Roman culture) on the Bagradas River in Africa (present-day Tunisia).
Fragment of Roman tombstone showing three legionaries
Fragment of a Roman tombstone depicting three legionaries. The object was discovered on Croy Hill on the Antonine Wall and is currently in the collections of the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Bust of Agrippina the Younger
Bust of Agrippina the Younger, made of marble and dated to the 1st century CE. The object is located at the Rhode Island School of Design Museum (USA).
Monument to Emperor Antoninus Pius near Wrocław
In the town of Magnice (commune of Kobierzyce) in the suburbs of Wroclaw, a new street has been named after a Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius.
Roman mosaic with parrot
Roman mosaic with a parrot, dating from the 2nd century BCE; currently in the collection of the Pergamon Museum (Berlin, Germany).
Roman fresco showing flying bird
Roman fresco depicting a flying bird. The scene is part of a larger composition from Pompeii.
Donkeys – inconspicuous co-creators of empires
When we think of the animals that have most influenced the fate of humanity, we likely first place horses – after all, it was on their backs that armies, rulers, and ultimately, multitudes of ordinary people traveled. Perhaps we would think of the dog – the first domesticated animal in history. But in these reflections, we often forget another, inconspicuous creature whose role was no less significant, or perhaps even more significant, than those mentioned above. Since its domestication in North Africa around 6000 BCE, the donkey has become the most important beast of burden in ancient history.
