If you have found a spelling error, please, notify us by selecting that text and pressing Ctrl+Enter.
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.
Bust showing the young Caracalla (188-217 CE), who was the Roman emperor reigning in the years 211-217 CE. Supported by praetorians and part of the army, he became famous for his cruelty and bloody spectacles. Caracalla was the son of Emperor Septimius Severus and brother Geta. The artifact is in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.
War of the allies (so-called bellum sociale) fought in 90-88 BCE was a conflict between the Roman Republic and its Italian allies (socii). For years, the policy of “divide and conquer” allowed to keep many cities and peoples of Italy under the rule. The controversial death of the people’s tribune, Marcus Livius Drusus, who pushed for, among other things, the granting of civil rights to all free inhabitants of Italy, as well as the division of all public lands, caused a violent outbreak of rebellious Italian tribes.
Roman sculpture showing the young Hercules. The object is dated to the 2nd century CE and is a copy of a Greek original from the 4th century BCE. The artifact is in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.
Banishment was commonly used in ancient Rome. One of its variations was the punishment interdicere aquae et ignis (“to prohibit fire and water”). The convict was forced to leave Roman lands and automatically lost his property to the state. If the exile returned he was still treated as an outlaw; had, among others forbidden to use fire and water, and could be killed without trial.
Roman fresco showing running horses. The object was discovered in Stabie; dated to the 1st century CE The artifact is in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.
Water engineering in the Roman Empire was at the highest level. Aqueduct network supplied ancient Rome in the 2nd century CE with one million cubic meters of water per day. In some places, the area around the aqueducts was drained to prevent contamination by groundwater.
Roman fresco showing a half-naked Maenad (worshipper of Dionysus). Object dated to the 1st century CE; discovered in Pompeii. The artifact is in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.
Tertullian was a well-educated Roman orator and jurist who lived in North Africa at the turn of the 2nd/3rd century CE. In about 190 CE he was baptized and became a zealous supporter and defender of Christianity. He founded his own Tertullian sect, which preached moral rigour and forbade escape from persecution; it mandated fasts that other Christians did not practice.
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.
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.
