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 sculpture depicting man

Roman sculpture depicting a man. Dated to approximately 130-145 CE. The object is located at the Dallas Museum of Art (USA).Więcej

Bronze bust of Roman emperor Hadrian

Bronze bust of the Roman Emperor Hadrian. Dating to the 2nd century CE, located in the Greco-Roman Museum in Alexandria, Egypt.Więcej

Martina – witch and poisoner

Without a doubt, the most notorious Roman poisoner was Lucusta, who operated at Nero’s court. However, she was not the only woman to engage in this dark occupation (or at least to be suspected of…Więcej

Woman with short hair in Fayum portrait

Woman with short hair in the Fayum portrait. The painting dates from the Hadrianic period, dating to approximately the 2nd century CE. The Fayum portrait is a unique example of ancient encaustic painting on wood.…Więcej

Young man in Fayum portrait

The painting depicts a young man. It is a so-called Fayum portrait—a unique type of portrait created in Egypt during the Roman period, roughly from the 1st to the 3rd century CE. These portraits were…Więcej

Qasr Bashir in Jordan – well-preserved Roman fort

Qasr Bashir in Jordan is the well-preserved ruin of a Roman fort built during the reign of Diocletian (284-305 CE). During this time, the Romans constructed smaller but better fortified strongholds than before. The fort…Więcej

Sparsiones – spraying water on audience at Roman shows

Sparsiones referred to the practice of sprinkling water on the audience gathered in Roman amphitheaters and theaters. The water was often flavored, intended both to cool the audience and to enhance the atmosphere. The word…Więcej

Bust of Roman

Marble bust of Roman. The artifact is located at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen, Denmark.Więcej

Roman fresco confirming selective painting of building

Beautiful Roman fresco that decorated the cubiculum (bedroom) of the Villa Synistora in Boscoreale (southern Italy), dating to the mid-1st century BCE. The painting and its preserved colours indirectly confirm the opinion that the Romans…Więcej

Roman fresco showing woman’s tragic mask

Roman fresco depicting a woman wearing a tragic mask. The painting was executed in the Third Pompeian style (focusing on aesthetic effects rather than the illusion of space); it was found in the triclinium of…Więcej

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