Curiosities of ancient Rome (Unknown facts)

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Unknown Facts are curiosities revealing little-known, surprising, or rarely discussed information from the world of ancient Rome and antiquity. This category includes unusual details, curiosities, and facts that offer a less obvious perspective on the Roman Empire.

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…Więcej

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…Więcej

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…Więcej

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…Więcej

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…Więcej

“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…Więcej

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…Więcej

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…Więcej

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…Więcej

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…Więcej

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