Curiosities of ancient Rome (Unknown facts)

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.

Ancient Romans, on various occasions, but mainly during the January calendars, wished each other happiness with expressions of kindness and exchanged gifts. Ovid mentions that the Romans gave themselves gifts, mainly dates, figs, and honey. In addition, there were also cash gifts.

After the death of Nero, it was speculated that the emperor was alive and merely faked a suicide to escape from his torturers. His grave was worshipped, flowers were laid on it. There were several pretenders claiming to be Nero.

In ancient Rome, contrary to popular belief, human sacrifices were made. We are talking here, especially about the period of the wars with Carthage in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BCE, when numerous failures were explained by the disapproval of the gods.

The cat in ancient Egypt was an extremely respected animal. According to the Greek historian Herodotus, the Egyptians, as a sign of mourning after the death of their cat, mourned and shaved their eyebrows.

In Rome, there were a phenomenon of throwing wild animals to be eaten (damnatio ad bestias) convicts. This form of execution was used to entertain the crowd.

In 52 CE on Lake Fucine at the behest of Emperor Claudius, there were naumachiae. At the famous cry of the convicts about to take part in the naval battle: Hail, Emperor, those who are about to die salute you, Claudius replied sarcastically: Or not (“Aut non”).

Children up to the age of fourteen wore a medallion called a “bulla” around their necks. The medallions were designed to protect children from evil spirits and forces.

The end of the Greek and Macedonian phalanxes brought clashes with Roman legions fighting in a more flexible manipular formation. The defeats of the Hellenistic armies at Cynoscephalae (197 BCE), Magnesia (190 BCE) and Pydna (168 BCE) ended the centuries-old reign of the phalanx on the fields of an ancient battle.