Curiosities of ancient Rome (Unknown facts)

Emperor Domitian (51-96 CE) was known for locking himself in his office and doing nothing else but catching flies and piercing them with sharp stylus.

Ancient Rome appears to us as one of the civilizations that became famous for achievements in the field of sewage and hygiene. However, despite the presence of sewers and public toilets, there was some fear among the Romans when they thought of the toilets.

There is only one speech of the emperor to the soldiers which survived to our times (so-called adlocutio). Its author is the emperor Hadrian, who gave it in the summer of 128 CE in Lambaesis, in present-day Algeria.

The umbrella is not an innovation of modern times. Already in ancient Greece and Rome umbrellas-like items were used. In Rome they were called umbraculum.

Caligula, known for his madness and unreasonable rule, was the third emperor of Rome. We know about his pranks and unbelievable ideas thanks to the account of historians for whom he appeared to be a tyrant and opponent of the senate.

The ancient Romans also divided the day into 24 hours. However, with the difference that it was always 12 hours a day and 12 hours a night, regardless of the time of year and the actual length of the day.

The political career in ancient Rome followed a strictly defined pattern, the so-called Cursus honorum. The first stage was a 10-year military service in the Roman legions or alongside the general who was a relative or friend of the family.

The office of the high priest of Rome “Pontifex Maximus” offered great opportunities. One of the functions was taking care of the calendar, which involved, for example, setting the next month. This explains why in 46 BCE the calendar December was in September. Influencing the calendar was to even shorten or extend the duration of the term of office of other officials.

Interesting items related to the private life of legionaries were found in one of the military camps in the north of Britain. Well, one of them was the shopping list, which included coat, probably needed to survive in the cold northern conditions by the “southerner”.

The word “barbarian” comes from the Latin word barbarus, which means “foreigner.” The ancient Roman felt that anyone who was not Roman was a barbarian.