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Curiosities of ancient Rome (Unknown facts)

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.

“Miniature gardens” of Romans

Vegetation and love of greenery were known to ancient peoples, especially the Greeks and Romans. The Romans, as a typically agricultural people, referred to nature and appreciated the presence of plants in their surroundings.

Buildings of an ancient Roman city

Clivus Capitolinus

Clivus Capitolinus (“Capitoline Ascension”) road was the main road to the Roman Capitol. The road continued Via Sacra and stretched from the Forum Romanum to the Temple of Jupiter the Greatest. Clivus Capitolinus was the last and most important leg of the Roman triumphal route. It is worth mentioning that this road was one of the oldest in Rome.

Clivus Capitolinus

Ancient abortion measures

In antiquity, salt, resin, honey and mouse droppings were considered abortives. At the Queen’s court, Cleopatra VII also used extracts of white poplar, juniper berries and fennel. Interestingly, modern medicine has confirmed the strong contraceptive properties of these plants.

Probably the Roman goddess of birth Lucina

Images on Roman coins

The decline of the Roman republic changed the iconography of coins. During the reign of Julius Caesar, he first appeared in 44 BCE on the Roman coin as an image of a living man – the dictator of the time. This custom quickly found numerous followers. During the battles fought after the death of Caesar by the leaders of the falling Republic, almost all: Mark Antony, Octavian, Sextus Pompey, and even the defender of republican traditions – Marcus Junius Brutus, put their own image on the coins.

Coin of Augustus

Sarcophagus – where did name come from?

The sarcophagi were created in order to be able to hide the bodies in stone coffins that could stand on the surface of the earth. In this way, it was possible to save space on valuable land in rocky surroundings – there was no need to “waste” them on cemeteries because stone sarcophagi could be placed on unprofitable, from the agricultural point of view, rocks.

Roman sarcophagi in Worms (Germany)

Solemn procession (pompa cirensis)

The ceremonial procession that preceded the Roman games was called the pompa cirensis. It was characterized by great splendour and picturesqueness. The procession started from the Capitol to reach the circus. At its head was the official who presided over the games, followed by priests, youth, players, dancers, musicians, and finally a procession of the gods in parade chariots.

Solemn procession (pompa cirensis)

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