Curiosities of ancient Rome
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Rubbed amber attracts light objects
Pliny the Elder in his “Natural History” (Book XXXVII, Chapter 12) described the electrostatic properties of amber. He noticed that when rubbed with the fingers, under the influence of heat, it attracted light objects such as chaff, dry leaves and ... Read more
Ostriches according to Pliny the Elder
Pliny the Elder described in his “Natural History” that ostriches would bury their heads in a bush to hide from danger. This belief has persisted to this day as a popular myth, despite the lack of evidence for this behaviour ... Read more
Lettuce – Roman way to sleep
Today, lettuce is a light appetizer or side dish, but for the ancient Romans it was much more functional. They considered it a medicinal plant — especially helpful for sleep and digestion problems. Roman physicians recommended eating lettuce for dinner ... Read more
Horrea Piperataria – spice storehouses in the heart of ancient Rome. Recently open to visit
The ruins of Horrea Piperataria – former storehouses used to store valuable spices from Asia and Egypt, such as pepper, cardamom and anise – are located in the Parco Archeologico del Colosseo in Rome. These buildings also housed incense, which ... Read more
Praegustator – slave testing food
In ancient Rome, there was a praegustator – usually a slave- whose job was to taste food intended for important people (patricians or emperors) to make sure it wasn’t poisoned. Interestingly, Columella (the author of the first-century Roman agricultural treatise ... Read more
Nomenclator – slave who recalled names
In ancient Rome, there was a special type of slave called a nomenclator whose job was to remind the Roman patrician of the names of everyone he met. In a society where connections and social networks were crucial to political ... Read more
Myth: Romans always ate lying down during feasts
A common image of social life in ancient Rome is of patricians reclining on their sides in the triclinium (dining room), wine and food during long feasts. The popular imagination is that all Romans ate this way—rich and poor alike, ... Read more
Roman fresco showing figs and bread
Roman fresco showing figs and bread. The object is in the British Museum.
Romans wrote curses – defixiones
In ancient Rome, spells and curses were written on thin lead tablets called defixiones. The Romans used them to curse a rival for reasons of love, rivalry, or pure envy. The tablets were often placed in tombs, wells, or temples ... Read more
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