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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.
Roman oil lamp (lucerna) is an everyday item that was widely used in ancient Rome to illuminate homes, temples and other spaces. Made of clay, bronze, and sometimes marble, these lamps had a characteristic shape with a spout for the wick, which was immersed in olive oil – the main fuel for this type of lamp.
Although both the municipality and the Roman colony refer to forms of urban organization in ancient Rome, they differed significantly in terms of administrative structure, autonomy, and relations with central authority. Understanding these differences is crucial for a fuller comprehension of the functioning of the Roman legal and administrative system.
There is strong evidence that the ancient Greeks and Romans knew the world was a round globe before the rest of the world learned of it.
I don’t know about you, but I’m fascinated by discovering the continuity of the fate of the city and its individual parts. From the perspective of a short human existence, the evolution of urban space – its reconstructions, transformations and changes in functions – seems almost imperceptible. Sometimes it is only when we return to a place after many years that we say “what has changed here!” But when you look at the city from the perspective of hundreds of years, the changes the city is undergoing are much more visible.
Did you know that in ancient Rome, the most sought-after cosmetic was… the sweat of gladiators? Rich ladies, in jars containing the sweat of warriors, searched for charm believing it to be the secret to eternal youth and attractiveness.
Whenever I look at the ruins of ancient Rome, I wonder: how could these magnificent buildings be allowed to perish? Why have they not survived to our times? What a pity you can’t see them today…
Further interesting discoveries are being made in the Rhineland (western Germany), which is rich in brown coal. In ancient times, the borders of the Roman Empire reached here. Roman cities included: Cologne, Aachen, Bonn and Jülich.
Will we ever find the image of Julius Caesar? The question may seem strange, but have we ever wondered how we can be sure that the busts of the most famous Roman are actually the image of Caesar?
Greek influence had a huge impact on Roman culture. In one interesting example, we can see this in the field of art.
When we think of chariot races in ancient Rome, the first thing that comes to mind is Circus Maximus. But the “Great Circus” was not the only racetrack existing in ancient Rome. Many of you probably remember that Emperor Caligula also started building his hippodrome in the Vatican (the work was finally completed by Nero). A memento of him is the obelisk currently standing on pl. St. Peter. Recently, I also wrote about the Maxentius Hippodrome on the Appian Way.
