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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.
According to Roman terms, every person participating in gladiatorial fights was put under infamy, a loss of honour. This was associated with the deprivation of most public rights, limitation of legal capacity, deprivation of legal protection (e.g. torture could be used). In a legal sense, therefore, each gladiator (with very few exceptions) was on the margins of Roman society.
The eruption of Vesuvius in August 79 CE was a powerful cataclysm. To this day, we can admire the remains of Pompeii inhabitants buried alive. And this is due to the brilliant method of Giuseppe Fiorelli.
The Roman aristocracy had such exorbitant needs that it even built ponds (piscinae or vivaria piscorum) on its enormous property, in which various species of fish lived, including moray eels.
Naturally, ancient Romans also had their own expressions for all sexual activities. For example, the word cinaede meant a person who was anally penetrated.
Roman gladiators as an energy drink probably drank a drink made of vinegar, water and plant ash – this was the conclusion of scientists studying the remains of warriors from Ephesus (modern Turkey), discovered in 1933.
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.
