Curiosities of ancient Rome (Unknown facts)

Bull Felix was a legendary Italian bandit operating in the years 205-207 CE, during the reign of Septimius Severus. He gathered under his command a band of about 600 men: escaped slaves, freedmen and former soldiers of the praetorian guard expelled by the emperor. He competed with Roman legionaries and could not be caught. The story of this rebel comes from the message of Cassius Dio, a Greek historian and Roman senator, and it is believed that it became the prototype for later legends about “good” bandits like Zorro, Scarlet flower or Robin Hood.

In Ancient Rome, with the increasing prosperity and splendor, fashion was born for all kinds of curiosities of nature. Plutarch mentions that in his time the highest prices at auctions were obtained for slaves with infirmities.

During the Civil War in 49 BCE Caesar besieged Corfinium. The defense was commanded by Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, consul for 54 BCE. Despite Ahenobarbus requests, Pompey did not send him support, what was one of the reasons for the fall of the city.

Corocotta was an Iberian highwayman from today’s Cantabria, who in the first century BCE according to Cassius Dio invaded Roman territories and wreaked havoc. The damage he was doing was so large that Augustus wanted to reward anyone – with a prize of million sesterces – who will help to catch him.

Roman feast (cena) preceded the choice of a specific king of feast (rex bibendi). It was either the host himself or a person known and recognized by fellow-members. The selection was made with a roll of dice: the best throw – called Venus – set the master of the ceremony among others trying to please the guests.

Caesarion was the only child of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra VII. After the death of his father, he remained at the side of his mother, who, together with her lover, suffered a defeat in the civil war with Gaius Octavian. Seventeen-year-old Caesarion, after invasion of Roman army on Alexandria, was sent by his mother, Cleopatra, to the south, where Cleopatra’s ships stood by the bay of the Red Sea.

A first and only newspaper of the ancient world was founded by Julius Caesar in 59 BCE. It was called Acta Diurna – “Events of the Day” and, unfortunately, no copy has been preserved so far, and we do not know the amount of its circulation.

In Roman times, hunters while tring to catch tigers¹ avoided direct fighting. Instead, they used a trick to steal small tigers from the lair.