Curiosities of ancient Rome (Society)

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Society is a collection of curiosities dedicated to the daily life, customs, and social structure of ancient Rome. This category includes lesser-known facts and interesting information about interpersonal relationships, family, social status, work, and the functioning of various social strata of the Roman Empire.

Dowry in Roman world

In ancient Rome, it was an unwritten rule that in the event of marriage the bride should bring a dowry (dos). The additional capital contributed to the husband was to facilitate the maintenance of the…Więcej

High infant mortality in ancient Rome

Although the Roman Empire was powerful and was inhabited by a huge mass of people, it still, like other countries of that period, had a high infant mortality rate. In ancient Rome, infant mortality ranged…Więcej

Ancient acne

Who among us did not struggle in adolescence with colloquially called “pimples”. The same problem also applied to the youth of the ancient world. Papyrus of Ebers The first records of acne can be found…Więcej

Are you up with your left foot again?

Greco-Roman texts provide a great deal of information about the ancients’ views on religious matters, many of which refer to very mundane matters. Often the superstitions of ordinary people from two thousand years ago are…Więcej

Wedding day in Roman world

The wedding day in the Roman world was chosen with great care. This was done to avoid any ordinary omens that might adversely affect future life. For example, June was considered a successful month until…Więcej

How much did gladiatorial fight cost?

Gladiator fights were one of the most popular events for Roman society. The custom of gladiatorial fights derives from the Etruscan custom of worshipping the dead through fighting, rather than sacrificing human beings. In Rome,…Więcej

Roman fresco showing daily expenses

We learn a lot about the expenses of ordinary citizens of course from Pompeii. It was there in one of the houses that the Roman “graffiti” survived; the resident calculates his expenses on the wall…Więcej

In Rome, there were so-called wet nurse

Children from rich homes were often fed by other women, the so-called mammals. Soranus of Ephesus in the 2nd century CE. He proposed to hire a woman between 20 and 40 years of age who…Więcej

How were large transactions carried out in ancient Rome?

In 62 BCE Cicero was to buy a house from Licinius Crassus, located in a prestigious place – on the Palatine – until for 3.5 million sesterces1. For this, the famous orator was forced to…Więcej

Sex in middle of female cycle?

Roman doctors recommended having sex in the middle of a woman’s menstrual cycle, which would guarantee a zero chance of becoming pregnant. As we currently know, this is the most “dangerous period” for such activities.…Więcej

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