Curiosities of ancient Rome (Society)
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Extinct profession in ancient Rome – hair puller
It may come as a surprise, but the profession of a hair puller really existed and was very often performed in Rome. The extractor performed its work both under the armpits and in intimate places for women and men Romans ... Read more
Children’s games in ancient Rome
That the ancient Romans liked to have fun is no secret to anyone with even the faintest idea of Roman history. Great famous buildings like Flavian Amphitheater, Circus Maximus, Pompeii Amphitheater and many other lesser-known buildings of this type where ... Read more
Urine in ancient Rome
In ancient Rome, urine was a versatile and valuable commodity that had many uses, from medicine to cleaning to manufacturing. While some of these uses may seem strange or even repulsive today, it’s important to remember that the Romans were ... Read more
Elderly people in ancient Rome
Elders played an important role in Rome, based on the privileges granted to them by Roman law. The Romans both criticized and admired the old. They treated them individually and without referring to the whole problem of old age. Problems ... Read more
Flower bulbs – delicacy in ancient times
In ancient times, flower bulbs were widely used as medicine and an aphrodisiac. Interestingly, ancient people also often ate them; however, it was a delicacy of the upper classes. The most popular was sea onion, which was treated as an ... Read more
Theatrical masks in antiquity
The only ancient source of information about masks that were used in ancient times during theatrical performances is Julius Pollux, a Greek scientist from the 3rd century CE, who wrote the work Onomasticon. In his work, he lists a total ... Read more
Divorce in Roman times
Divorce in Roman times has evolved over the course of history. With the development of the Roman state, the legal norms that regulated marriage issues were transformed. From the very beginning, men had the right to divorce. Although divorce was ... Read more
Gaius Lelius Sapiens and reform of agricultural land law
Gaius Lalius Sapiens was a Roman politician in the mid-2nd century BCE and friend of the famous Roman leader Scipio Africanus the Younger – the conqueror of Carthage in 146 BCE. Lelius received his nickname Sapiens, meaning “Wise”, from his ... Read more
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 ... Read more
Skull of defeated gladiator
Preserved gladiator skull with visible traces of a trident hit. This weapon was used by the retiarus – a lightly armoured warrior who also had a net that he threw at his opponent to restrain him. Most often, his rival ... Read more
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