Curiosities of ancient Rome (Unknown facts)

The dictator and the great Roman general, Julius Caesar, was murdered on March 15, 44 BCE in Ides of March, in the middle of the month, which was devoted to the war god – Mars. Everyone knows that. The question is, however, where and what is there now?

The snake was often depicted in Roman art and jewellery. According to Roman beliefs, it secured the family’s prosperity.

In 63 BCE a Senate meeting took place regarding the Catiline conspiracy. It was attended by all prominent politicians of Rome, including Julius Caesar and Marcus Portius Cato, called Cato the Younger.

According to Roman law, marriage could be concluded when a man turned 14 and a woman 12. Some Greek authors mocked this caesura, claiming that early marriage is the only guarantee of the bride’s virtue. Moreover, according to Roman law, the husband was not obliged to observe marital fidelity.

In ancient Rome, as today, there were traffic jams, which the authorities tried to remedy in various ways. The streets of Rome were crowded with both pedestrians and sledges. The Eternal City was problematic in terms of traffic because of: irregular city buildings, high population density and warm climate, which encouraged people to leave their homes.

Caritas Romana (“Roman Charity”) is the story of a woman named Pero, secretly breastfeeding her father Cimon after he was condemned to death by starvation. After the discovery of the daughter’s dedication (pietas) Cimon was pardoned.

Emperor Vespasian was known for his intelligence, sympathetic manner, and commanding skills. In the case of natural disasters, he supported poorer senators or equites. Generally, he was generous towards writers and rhetorics, who were paid 1000 gold a year. The first to receive such a grant from the ruler was Quintilian – a public teacher. Pliny the Elder, in turn, his main work “Natural History” was written during the reign of Vespasian, and he dedicated it to the son of the emperor, Titus.

Salt in Roman times was an extremely valuable commodity, mainly due to the fact that it was used for food preservation. This, in turn, encouraged the Roman authorities to impose large taxes on salt or after the monopolisation of the market. Pliny claims that Roman legionaries sometimes received pay in the form of salt allocation. Therefore, the phrase “worth one’s salt” is commonly used in English.

The ancient Romans might have been less promiscuous than the Greeks, what does not mean that in the public sphere they did not allow themselves to make sexual comments. For example, in Pompeii, graffiti made on the walls of buildings can still be read today. One of them: “Weep, you girls. My penis has given you up. Now it penetrates men’s behinds. Goodbye, wondrous femininity!”

Almost every Roman lady dyed her hair. Some have oxidized and lightened, others have darkened. For example, for dark hair, the prescription was taken over from the Egyptians, for whom black color on the head was an expression of beauty. In order to darken the hair, a mixture of lead oxide, slaked lime (calcium hydroxide) and water was used. A paste was thus obtained, which was then rubbed into the head.