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.

Unidentified man on Roman statue

Unidentified man on Roman marble statue. The object is dated to the reign of Emperor Tiberius (14-37 CE). The artifact is in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.Więcej

Farnesian Atlas

Roman sculpture that depicts the mythological Atlas holding the celestial vault on his shoulders. According to mythology, the titan Atlas was condemned for participating in a conspiracy against the power of Zeus. The “Farnesian Atlas”…Więcej

Slaves in Rome

The prevailing view is that slavery is one of the darkest sides of Roman civilization. From our perspective, this is a reasonable opinion, but on the other hand, it must be remembered that slavery was…Więcej

Roman fresco depicting parody of Aeneas’ escape from Troy

Roman fresco depicting a parody of Aeneas’ flight from Troy; the painting adorned one of the houses in Pompeii. The scene depicts Aeneas carrying his father Anchises on his shoulder and leading his son Ascanius…Więcej

Roman women’s leather sandals

Roman women’s leather sandals made in Gaul around 1900 years ago. The object was discovered at Vindolanda Fort in northern Britain.Więcej

Roman wall painting depicting pygmy feast

Roman wall painting depicting a feast of pygmies, a fight with a hippopotamus and sexual acts. The object is dated to the 1st century CE and was discovered in the Doctor’s House in Pompeii. The…Więcej

Beards in ancient Rome

In ancient Greece, the main type of beard was a lush full beard. In Sparta, this is a complicated issue. Spartans are generally said to have had beards without mustaches. However, every depiction in art…Więcej

Dowry hunters in Roman Empire

Surely some of us have heard of a situation where someone married someone to take over his property. It turns out that such a wicked way of getting rich was practiced long ago, in ancient…Więcej

Victim or aggressor – Christianity in ancient Rome

In the popular consciousness, there are only two facts in the conversion of the Roman Empire to Christianity: first, the persecution of Christians (especially during the reign of Nero in the 1st century CE and…Więcej

Roman figurine of tragic actor

Roman statuette made of ivory depicting a tragic actor. The figure probably shows the actor in a tragic female role, in a mask, costume and wig. Object dated to the 1st century CE.Więcej

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