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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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Menenius Agrippa’s fable
Argentarii – Roman bankers
Roman bankers appeared in the 3rd century BCE. Initially, they were called trapezitai in Greek, but then the Latin name argentarii came into use.
Attila – leader of Huns
Attila – the leader of Huns, one of the most important figures in the history of the late-antique world. Together with his brother Bleda, he inherited power from his uncle – Ruas. In the year 445 CE killed his brother while hunting, allegedly mistaking him for a bear. He then became the independent ruler of the Hunnic Empire. In the 40s of the 5th century, the Eastern Roman Empire paid Attila several thousand pounds of gold of various kinds of tribute and tribute.
Roman sarcophagus showing four busts
Roman sarcophagus showing four busts, probably family members. The cover imitates a tiled building. The object is dated to the mid-2nd century CE. The artefact was discovered in Thessaloniki and is now on display at the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki.
Petrified Roman bread
Petrified Roman bread from 79 CE. On the bread, there is an inscription: owned by Celer, slave of Q. Granius Verus. The find comes from Herculaneum (near Pompeii) and dates back to the 1st century CE. What is worth emphasizing, the basic ingredient of Roman’s dinner was bread.
Roman mosaic in dining room
Roman mosaic in the banqueting room (triclinium) of a villa in Antandros, northwestern Turkey. The scene in the center of the floor mosaic shows a vessel and birds. The object is dated to the 4th century CE.
Feast of twelve gods
Octavian Augustus was to organize the so-called feast of the twelve gods, i.e. a feast where each guest was dressed as a deity. The emperor chose the figure of Apollo for himself. The people of Rome did not like it for two reasons – such games were considered to arouse the wrath of God, and second – there was a great famine in the city at the time. People even said that “the gods had eaten all the grain”.
Roman tombstone of Gaius Popillius
Roman tombstone of a certain Gaius Popillius, who was shown on a representative chair. In front of him is probably his slaveholding a scroll and making the gesture of “horns”, thus drawing the misfortune away from his master.
