Curiosities of ancient Rome (Unknown facts)

The kiss plays an important role in many cultures to this day. It was no different in ancient times. Ancient Romans used it as a sign of friendship, respect or even greetings (salutatio) of the client’s patron.

At present, there is a common misconception that the vomitorium was a room specially dedicated by the ancient Romans to empty the stomach during banquets.

Ancient Romans wore underwear. They were simple hip covers, tied on both sides. Roman lingerie had several terms, which was probably due to the many shapes and forms of clothing. It was referred to as subligar, subligaculum, campestre, licium or cinctus. 

In 80 CE the construction of the largest amphitheater – the Colosseum – was completed. It was inaugurated by the Emperor Titus with the start of a hundred-day uninterrupted games. Martialis recalls that one of the highlights of the games was the fight between the gladiators Priscus and Verus.

Scythicon was a poison that the Scythians used and covered their arrowheads. This poison had a terrible fame in ancient times.

Phallus was widely used in the Greek and Roman world. The ubiquity of the phallus also meant its partial detachment from sexuality. The children wore it on the neck, it was on reliefs, it decorated the lamps, jewelry and dishes, or served as an amulet, a religious symbol.

The first use of the white flag took place during the reign of the Chinese Han dynasty (25-220 CE). The flag also appeared during the Roman Empire, as mentioned by Tacitus.

In 1993, an ancient cemetery was found in Ephesus (western part of Turkey), the former capital of the Roman province of Asia. Scientists had two suspicions suggesting that this is a mass grave of gladiators.

As for Easter itself, we can mention after Gerald L. Berry that the roots of this holiday can also be found in ancient Rome. Around 200 BCE cults popular in Greece began to gradually appear in Rome. One of them was Cybele – the Phrygian goddess of fertility, spring and defensive cities, the guardian of the dead and her companion – Attis, the god of vegetation, spring.