Curiosities of ancient Rome (Unknown facts)
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Romans loved chariot racing
Alongside the gladiatorial fights, the Romans also loved chariot racing. The fans were divided into specific factions (factiones), depending on the colours. In Rome, four such fan clubs were classically distinguished: red (russata), green (prasina), white (albata) and blue (veneta). ... Read more
There were also women gladiators in arena
The men weren’t the only ones who fought in the arenas of the Roman amphitheatres. The Romans trained arena fighting also women. They were the so-called gladiatrices, which were largely made up of volunteers. The Senate tried to minimize or ... Read more
Left-handed Roman was unlucky
Left-handed Romans were considered unlucky and untrustworthy. In Roman culture, left-handedness was associated with bad luck, impurity, or betrayal — the word sinister in Latin meant “left,” but over time it took on the meaning of “ominous.” In many religious ... Read more
Trepanation – solution to headaches
In ancient Rome, trepanation was seen as the best method to get rid of severe headaches and madness. It was believed that the hole in the head allowed the evil spirit to leave the wretched body and bring relief. The ... Read more
Fuller in Roman world
In the ancient Greco-Roman world, fulling machines were involved in both the production and washing of fabrics. During the excavations at Pompeii destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE several great fulling workshops were discovered, and the ... Read more
Empress Messalina – nymphomaniac
The third wife of Emperor Claudius, Valeria Messalina, was a nymphomaniac. According to Roman historians, she once decided to compete with a professional prostitute. The women were to confirm who would be able to hold more lovers in one night. ... Read more
Romans invented calendar that is mostly used today
The Romans invented the calendar, which we most use to this day. The so-called Julian Calendar is a solar calendar developed at the request of Julius Caesar by the Greek astronomer Sosygenes and implemented in 709 AUC (45 BCE) as ... Read more
Purple color – reserved for emperor and senators
The colour purple was reserved only for the emperor and senators, and any flaunting it was a betrayal. This dye was obtained from spike venom (Murex). It was the so-called “Tyrian purple” and was the only known source of an ... Read more
Rome in 14 CE had over 750,000 inhabitants
The capital of the Roman Empire in 14 CE had over 750,000 inhabitants, which constituted a tenth of the entire population of Italy. The population of Rome grew to over a million by the end of the 2nd century CE. ... Read more
Roman teaching system was based on education of Greeks
The Roman teaching system was largely based on the education of the Greeks. Hence, the teachers of Roman children were most often Greek slaves or freedmen. An example of a Greek who achieved much in Roman education was Livius Andronicus ... Read more
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