Curiosities of ancient Rome (Unknown facts)

Marriage quarrels and mismatches between spouses is not a problem only in modern times. Proof of this can be a marriage from a close family circle Cicero.

Aristocratic families kept in the atrium, in their homes, death masks of their ancestors. Such masks were worn during funerals. In 78 BCE during Sulla’s funeral, apparently, about six thousand such masks took part in the march and funeral ceremony. Similarly, it was to be during the funeral of Marcus Claudius Marcellus, in 23 BCE.

Ludus latrunculorum (also called latrunculi or latrones or milites) was a Roman board game that was extremely popular. Most likely, two players took part in the game.

Marcomannic Wars were fights in the years 166-180 CE between the Roman Empire and hostile barbarous tribes: the Quadi, the Iazyges and Marcomanni. According to the “Historia Augusta” account, Marcus Aurelius was ultimately seeking to create two new Roman provinces: Sarmatia and Marcomania, as evidenced by the medallion found in Cyprus dedicated to Marcus Aurelius and his son Commodus, with the inscription PROPAGATORIBVS IMPERII, meaning “those who expanded the borders of the Empire”.

It is probably known to everyone a phenomenon in the form of Gaius Verres and his abuses as governor of Sicily. He was so bold and greedy in his actions that we can expect that there was no sanctity for him or any border that he could not cross in his abuses against the state and private persons, as evidenced by the refusal to give Corinthian vases to Mark Antony in 43 BCE, for which he paid with his life.

Lanista was the trainer of gladiators. The lanista’s art was probably to train people to fight, and then put them against each other in interesting combinations: for example, the combination of “fishhead” (mirmillo) with “net-man” (retiarius).

Roman cities that arose along with the development of the empire were characterized by a specific location resulting from economic premises. As a result of these location rules, it is believed that Roman cities were primarily consumer centres where goods were traded. However, in many cases the location of Roman cities did not coincide with already existing and favourably located settlements. This was due to some characteristics of the urban layout of the Roman city. This arrangement can be seen in preserved cities like Pompeii or Herculaneum.

With the expansion of the Roman republic in the second and first century BCE intensified slavery. Some sources say that in the first century BCE in Italy alone there were 2-3 million slaves, which constituted 35-40% of the population on the Apennine peninsula.