Curiosities of ancient Rome (Unknown facts)

In 452 BCE plebeians and patricians agreed on the creation of a ten-person college to deal with the codification of Roman law. Until now, all norms of social life were based on common law, whose familiarity and interpretation were reserved for pontificates derived from patricians – this only strengthened their power over the plebeians.

Suetonius reports that Augustus was a game lover to such extent that he invited his friends and family, gave everyone a sum of 250 denarii in order to encourage them to play. And he did not mind his own legal restrictions introduced in this matter. However, he was not a good player. In the letters he complained that he had suffered numerous losses due to gambling. Also Nero loved to play and was known for high bets. Apparently, they reached up to 400.000 sesterces.

How, tribes living in ancient times on current Polish territory, described Publius Cornelius Tacitus in De origine et situ Germanorum?

Adlocutio was the emperor’s speech to the assembled soldiers. In general, the ruler directed them to soldiers before the commencement of the war campaign, during a visit or on another particularly important occasion. Adlocutio can be seen only on numismatic monuments, where usually the emperor is standing on the tribune (suggestus), assisted by praefectus castrorum, who directs his speech towards the army presented in the form of ensigns (signifer).

Under the reign of emperor Marcus Aurelius, there was unprecedented freedom of expression for those times. It was a phenomenon in history. For example, comedian writer Marullus allowed himself to criticize the authorities without any consequences.

Britannicus, a son of the emperor Claudius after his father’s death (he was poisoned by the mother of Nero with a dish of mushrooms) was a big threat to Nero, a half brother. Nero, embracing the purple, was afraid that the Britannicus would want to use his birth in the future and reach for power.

According to Roman fashion, feasts were organized in the so-called triclinium. In the middle of the room, the table was set up, and the sofas around it, leaving one side “unmarked” (something like a horseshoe was created).
Triclinia could have different sizes – in the picture we can see the smallest possible triclinium, consisting of three sofas. Most often, however, it consisted of nine couches arranged around the table.

A very interesting map showing the growth of the Roman Empire from the beginning of the Republic till the crisis of the 3rd century CE.

The picture shows stone blocks in Pompeii. They made it possible for residents not to get dirty and not to walk on the lower level of the road, where all impurities accumulated.