Roman fresco showing Amor riding crab
Roman fresco showing Amor riding a crab. Object discovered in the House of the Vettii in Pompeii.
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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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Hyena on Roman mosaic
Hyena on a Roman mosaic. Object dated to the 2nd century CE; discovered in Tunisia.
Agrippa’s villa on Tiber
In 1880, during the construction of the Tiber embankments near Villa Farnesina in Trastevere, a very interesting discovery was made: large fragments of a luxurious residence from the reign of Emperor Augustus were excavated. It is a fascinating building: breaking with the typical architectural layout of the Roman “domus” (and with its canonical sequence of rooms: vestibule-atrium-tablinum-peristyle), reminiscent of the more refined suburban villas of Roman patricians. Its location on the very bank of the Tiber must have been captivating.
Portrait of ancient woman
Portrait of an ancient woman. The painting was found in a cemetery in the Fayoum oasis (most of it was found in the necropolis in Hawara) and is one of many of this type found in this place. The object is in the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest (Hungary).
Emperor Augustus’ workshop
I am always fascinated by the possibility of “touching” the elements of reality that 2000 years ago accompanied the heroes of my novels. The Roman historian Suetonius writes about Octavian Augustus: “If ever he planned to do anything in private or without interruption, he had a retired place at the top of the house, which he called “Syracuse” and “technyphion”1.
What were homosexual practices like in ancient Rome?
What did homosexual practices look like in ancient Rome? What were their social and cultural contexts? Did gay men from lower classes have any opportunities to fulfill their desires?
Head of emperor Octavian Augustus
Head of the emperor Octavian Augustus, made of black glass with a turquoise-green coating. Object dated to the 1st century CE; has a height of about 4.7 cm.
Marine life on Roman mosaic
Roman mosaic showing marine life; object dated to the beginning of the 1st century BCE. The artifact was discovered in the garden of San Lorenzo in Rome. Currently stored in Centrale Montemartini.
Amores’ race in circus
Relief from the Roman sarcophagus showing the scene of Amores’ racing in the circus. Object dated to the mid-2nd century CE. The artifact is in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.
Great Roman mosaic showing lion
Great Roman mosaic showing a lion. The object was discovered in central Italy (the city of Teramo) and is believed to come from the times of the empire.
