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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.

Rare Roman painting showing woman

Preserved in poor condition, one of the few Roman paintings in a frame. The antique painting shows a portrait of a woman made on wood and placed in a wooden frame. Much of the paint peeled off and fell off, leaving part of the face and arms visible.

Rare Roman painting showing woman

Mythical gorgons

According to Ulpian, the great Roman jurist, the mythical gorgons – dangerous sisters with a terrifying appearance, who were depicted as winged figures with claws, sharp fangs and hair in the form of poisonous snakes – inhabited Africa.

Gorgon

Glass Roman cups from Weklice

Roman glass cups from Weklice (Warmińsko-Mazurskie Province). Discovered during archaeological research in 2010 in the graveyard of the Wielbark culture. Together with wine-drinking vessels made of bronze, they constituted a set given as a grave gift. The cups were imported from the area of ​​the Roman Empire. They are perfectly preserved, which is unique in itself.

Glass Roman cups from Weklice

Bas-relief with Hermes

Roman bas-relief was probably made around the 1st century CE. It depicts Hermes (Mercury in the Roman Pantheon of gods), as indicated by the MP’s cane, not visible in the photo above. It was made in the so-called archaic style – consciously imitating the works of the Greek archaic era (ca. 800-480 BCE).

Bas-relief with Hermes

Romans valued the most slaves born in captivity

Ancient Romans created a society in which slavery was used to a large extent. It is worth emphasizing that the Romans valued slaves born in captivity (so-called vernae; in singular verna) the most because such people had never experienced a sense of freedom and considered their life situation to be a normal state.

Junius - slave on mosaic

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