Roman wall mural from Pompeii
Roman wall mural from Pompeii, on which we can read the slogans of passers-by. The artifact is in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.
If you have found a spelling error, please, notify us by selecting that text and pressing Ctrl+Enter.
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.
Did Romans drink beer?
Beer, currently an extremely popular drink, was not popular in Greek and Roman civilizations. Pliny the Elder referred to beer as barley wine and treated it very contemptuously.
Roman statue showing lion
Roman marble statue showing a lion. Object dated to the 2nd century CE. The artifact is in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.
Aes signatum – precursor of Roman money
Aes signatum was a primitive form of Roman money, succeeding aes rude – copper nuggets. The exact date of the introduction of these “coins” is unknown, but it is believed that it took place in the middle of the 5th century BCE, and is related to the codification of Roman law (the so-called law of the Twelve Tables).
Contemporary stairs in Pompeii
Contemporary stairs, which are located in one of the tenement houses in Pompeii. Wooden ancient structures of this type have not survived our times. The business was usually conducted at ground level, with living quarters upstairs.
Roman fresco showing Maenad and Amor
Roman fresco showing Maenad and Amor. Object dated to the 1st century CE; discovered in Pompeii. The artifact is in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.
Rome’s water supply network
In the ancient port of Arles on the Rhône, in 2014, French researchers made an astonishing discovery. They found a Roman water supply network – eight threads of lead pipes laid across the Rhône bed, at a depth of 12 meters. Each section of pipe laid on the bottom is approximately 200 meters long. These sections consist of 3-meter-long sections.
Ancient sculpture showing goddess Athena Parthenos
Ancient sculpture showing the goddess Athena Parthenos (Athena-Virgin). It is a Roman copy from the 2nd century CE of Greek famous original made by Phidias (5th century BCE).
Patria potestas – paternal authority
In the Roman family, the husband and father were the head of the family. “Paternal authority” (patria potestas) lasted as a rule for life. It died out only with the death patris familias. Then the wife of the deceased (if she was subject to his authority), his children (but not grandchildren) and further descendants became persons sui iuris ([persons] of their right).
Correction of morals under Augustus
Octavian Augustus, the first emperor of the Roman Empire (27 BCE – 14 CE), from the beginning of his office, proclaimed the need to correct morals, criticizing promiscuity and a taste for luxury. As it turned out, he had to start repairing Roman society from his own home.
