Curiosities of ancient Rome (Unknown facts)
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Most handsome Greek and Roman
Claudius Aelianus, a Roman writer, reports that, according to the ancient, one of the most handsome Greeks was Alcibiades and among the Romans Scipio. However, we do not know which Scipio was it about: Elder or Younger.
Pork very popular in Rome
Archaeologists studying the eating habits of the Etruscans and Romans came to the conclusion that pork was the basic ingredient in the diet of Italian cuisine, both for the upper and lower classes. Meat was eaten either in the form ... Read more
Ancient fast-food
Ancient fast-food in Ostia. Probably the Romans were the first to invent “fast food” restaurants. In Pompeii, several places were discovered that offered quick food to residents. Such an ancient fast-food bar was called thermopolium (literally “a place where something ... Read more
Stroke of Valentinian I
Emperor Valentinian I in 375 CE commanded Roman troops in Illyria, where he tried to suppress the rebellion of the Sarmatians and the Quadi. The situation was so stalwart that both sides sought agreement. In one of the talks, representatives ... Read more
Drink in Scythian fashion
In ancient Greece and Rome, the wine was diluted with water. People who liked the unreported drink were considered crude, and drinking in this way was defined as “in Scythian fashion”. Today, the custom of diluting wine may be surprising, ... Read more
“Fabian strategy”
After the destruction of Roman army in the battle of Lake Trasimeno in 217 BCE, Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus Cunctator (“the delayer”) was entrusted with the dictator’s dignity to save the Republic’s in a crisis situation. Fabius decided to avoid ... Read more
Emporium
Emporium in antiquity was a municipal square where goods imported by sea were stored. In Rome, the emporium, founded in 192 BCE, was located on the banks of the Tiber River at the foot of the Aventine Hill.
Cooks of queen Cleopatra VII
Plutarch states that the cooks of queen Cleopatra VII had to have different sets of dishes always prepared in case her lover Mark Antony made a visit. Plutarch claims that the source of the rumor was a friend of his ... Read more
Geta after death
After murdering his brother Geta, Caracalla ordered removing his name from public life. Originally, 174 records of his name survived, however, 37 have survived to our times. Many of the inscriptions are found on the water pipes, which were probably ... Read more
Nero loved to perform as Hercules
Apparently, Nero loved to perform as famous hero Hercules. His opponent was to be a lion, who was prepared and trained in such a way that the naked ruler could kill him with one blow of a club or by ... Read more
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