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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.
In Ab Urbe Condita, Titus Livius described the war that took place between Rome and Faliscans in 394 BC. In this war, the city of Falerii was conquered in a way, as was described by the victors, which none, whether god or man, can censure.
Christianity in its origins differed quite significantly from what we know in its present form, although the idea of martyrdom raises vivid emotions among the faithful to this day and is still through it appreciated and praised.
Sponsiones were ceremonial promises, sureties and collaterals. Simply put, it was a verbal contract where one party asked the other if the other party promised to fulfil a certain benefit. If that person agreed, a bet was placed.
Map of the western part of the Roman Empire from 117 CE, which shows communication routes used in trade and transport. Grey lines represent land roads; black lines are rivers, used in transportation; dashed lines are sea routes.
In the Roman Empire, there were three forces to ensure order in the Eternal City. The most famous are the praetorians, the emperor’s soldiers, who abused their power more than once.
In 1884, the first skyscraper was built in Chicago, USA. It was 42 meters high. Shortly afterwards, the New York World Building exceeded a hundred meters. In both cases, however, it was only an imitation of the ancient Romans. The first skyscrapers grew in ancient Rome. They were insulae, including the most famous of them, the real miracle and singularity of the city – Insula Felicles.
The Roman games involved vast numbers of animals. Some animals were performers. Elephants balanced on ropes, bowed to the emperor and traced out words with their trunks. Lions gummed their trainers’ hands and played fetch with live hares. Monkeys dressed as soldiers rode goats around the arena.
The best friend of Marcus Tullius Cicero was Titus Pomponius, called Atticus. Even though they were often apart, Cicero and Atticus exchanged letters over the years that reveal a friendship of rare devotion and warm affection.
