Curiosities of ancient Rome (Unknown facts)
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Cheap Armani, or Eau de Gladiateur
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. In ... Read more
When did Rome begin to fall into ruin?
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… When we think about ... Read more
Rhineland hides real Roman treasures
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. Massive coal mining threatened ... Read more
Will we ever find image of Julius Caesar?
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? If so, ... Read more
Cultural transformation: Influence of Greek sculpture on art of ancient Rome
Greek influence had a huge impact on Roman culture. In one interesting example, we can see this in the field of art. In ancient Greece, it was customary to place statues of naked athletes in public places, such as gymnasiums ... Read more
Forgotten hippodrome of mad emperor
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 ... Read more
Victim or aggressor – Christianity in ancient Rome
In the popular consciousness, there are only two facts in the conversion of the Roman Empire to Christianity: first, the persecution of Christians (especially during the reign of Nero in the 1st century CE and Diocletian in the early 4th ... Read more
Spoliarium – place where corpses of gladiators were kept
In front of the entrance to the arena of Roman amphitheatres, there was a special space – the so-called spolarium. In this place, the corpses of fallen gladiators were kept, which were deprived of weapons and armament. The weapons and ... Read more
Dictator and magister equitum – a unique case
In Roman Republic there could be only one dictator. But for a short time in the most turbulent period in the history of Rome a single exception took place. Commander of the cavalry appointed by Quintus Fabius Maximus gained power ... Read more
Polybius square
Polybius square is (known also as Polybius checkerboard) a type of monoalphabetic cipher (the hidden letter corresponds to the open letter), which owes its name to the famous ancient historian and writer – Polybius. As Polybius himself tells us in ... Read more
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