10 interesting facts about ancient Rome. Interesting facts about Ancient Rome - a state that influenced the history of the world

Ancient Rome is one of the greatest states of Antiquity. The state was located on the territory of modern. Rome Was named after the founder - Romulus. It was famous for its customs, gladiatorial fights, the Colosseum, Emperors, etc.

• Not far from the gladiator arenas, you could always buy gladiator sweat, as well as animal fat. These substances were used by women as cosmetics.

• Saturnalia- a large annual festival in ancient Rome in honor of the God Saturn. These days slaves had some privileges, for example they could dine at one festive table with the owner, and sometimes even the owners set the table for the slaves.
• Emperor Claudius was ridiculed for not having sex with men. They said that those who have relationships only with women become effeminate themselves.

• Kiss after the wedding ceremony came to us from Ancient Rome. But then a kiss was considered not just a beautiful tradition, but a kind of seal confirming the marriage contract.
• The expression “return to one’s native land” means “return to native home" This expression comes from Ancient Rome, but it must be pronounced a little differently, “return to your native Penates,” since the Penates are the guardian gods of the hearth. In every house there hung images of penates.
• In Ancient Rome, the Goddess Juno bore the title "Coin", which meant "Counselor". Near her temple there were workshops where metal money was minted, so they also began to be called coins. Also from this word comes the general English name all money "money".

• Spinthria- These are ancient Roman coins with images of sexual intercourse. These coins were made specifically to be used as payment in brothels.

• Emperor Caligula once declared war on Neptune (the Sea God) and ordered spears to be thrown into the sea. He was also known for introducing his horse into the Senate.

• Leap year introduced.
• In the Roman armies, people lived in tents of 10 people. In each tent there was a leader, who was called the Dean.
• If the patient died during the operation, the doctor's hands were cut off.
• About 40% of the ancient Roman population were slaves.

• The Colosseum was the largest arena and could accommodate more than 200,000 spectators.

• After the death of the emperor, an eagle was released to carry his soul to heaven. The eagle was a symbol of the God Jupiter.
• The ancient Romans were the first to make toilets. Emperor Vespasian even came up with a urine tax. The point was that initially not all toilets were connected to a common drain, but there were containers underground that filled up over time. This is what the tax was levied on. By the way, after this he also managed to sell this urine to tanners and laundresses for various household needs. By the way, it was after this that the expression “Money doesn’t smell” came about.

The Roman state is not only great empire, Caesar and the proud legions. Lifestyle and traditions of the ancient Romans to modern man may seem wild. Don't believe me? Read and see for yourself.

1. In the immediate vicinity of the arenas where the “going to the death” fights took place, there were always trading tents. There, for quite a lot of money at that time, it was possible to get a drug that replaced cosmetics for the inhabitants of Rome - the sweat of gladiators, as well as animal fat. Such an unusual set helped eliminate wrinkles.

2. An annual festival dedicated to the god Saturn took place in Ancient Rome. It differed from other celebrations in that on these days the slaves had the illusion of freedom.

They could sit at the same table with their owner. It also happened that even the owner himself prepared dinner for his slaves.

3. The poets and writers of the “Eternal City” were haunted by Emperor Claudius. Therefore, they did not miss an opportunity not to ridicule him in public. The fact is that Claudius always preferred women exclusively and was not seen in relationships with men. At that time, it was believed that someone who has relationships only with the fair sex becomes like a woman himself.

4. Everyone knows that the inhabitants of Ancient Rome loved bloody spectacles. But few people know that the tradition of taking the lives of others in gladiator arenas has successfully migrated to the theater stage. Therefore, if according to the script the hero was supposed to die, then he was definitely killed. Thus, for some actors, the first role became the last.

5. The attitude towards medicine was the most serious. The ancient Aesculapians were usually not forgiven for their mistakes. For example, if a patient died during an operation, the doctor’s hands were immediately cut off.

6. Rich Romans lived in large and luxurious mansions. Those who wanted to get inside had to knock: either with a special ring or with a wooden mallet.

Some especially wealthy Romans had slaves chained in their courtyards. They replaced the dogs and the “bell”, warning the owner about the guests with their screams.

7. In ancient Rome, instead of napkins and towels, rich residents wiped their hands on the heads of curly-haired children during a feast. By the way, they were called “canteen boys.” Such “service” was considered very honorable.

8. The Roman Emperor Claudius had a wife named Messalina. She amazed even her completely unenslaved compatriots with lust and depravity. According to the stories of historians Tacitus and Suetonius, Messalina even had her own brothel.

The “First Lady” not only paid for the costs of its maintenance, but sometimes she herself served everyone. Once Messalina even staged a competition with another priestess of love to find out which of them could serve more clients in the same amount of time. The emperor's wife won by exactly two times the margin: fifty to twenty-five.

9 . As you know, prostitution in Ancient Rome was considered an absolutely normal and legal activity. Therefore, the priestesses of love did not need to hide their status. Moreover, they tried their best to stand out from the crowd. For example, only prostitutes could walk around the city in high-heeled shoes, which immediately attracted attention.

10. By the way, the “abracadabra” spell, familiar from childhood, came from Rome. It appears in the works personal doctor Emperor of Caracalla Serenus Sammonik.

To get rid of any illness or drive away evil spirits, this phrase had to be written on the amulet in a column eleven times.

11. In the Roman army there was special kind execution, which was called decimation (execution of the tenth). Its meaning was as follows: the offending detachment was divided into dozens and each of the soldiers drew lots. The one who pulled out the unlucky one died at the hands of nine colleagues.

12. The interesting thing is that according to tradition personal names were given only to the first four sons in the family. If there were more, they were called ordinal numbers. For example, Quintus is the fifth or Sextus is the sixth. Over time, these names became generally accepted.

13. During military operations against a state or tribe, the Romans often resorted to a peculiar ritual called “evocation.” Simply put, the soldiers turned to the enemy gods and asked them to come over to the side of Rome. In return, they were promised to be worshiped and honored in every possible way.

14. On the very first day of the opening of the Colosseum, about five thousand animals died on its sands, and a little less people.

By the way, according to researchers, more than a hundred gladiators lost their lives in the arena every month.

15. In the Roman Empire Special attention focused on transport links. By the time of the death of the state, many roads stretched across its territory, the total length of which exceeded fifty-four thousand kilometers.

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It turns out that Ancient Rome is not only philosophers, gladiators and theaters. The Romans left behind many mysteries, and we certainly would never have been told about some of their traditions in a history lesson at school, and that’s for the best.

website I have collected for you the 15 most unusual facts about the Romans.

1. The Romans drank the blood of gladiators

5. A unibrow was considered a sign of intelligence.

In Rome, thick, fused eyebrows were highly valued among women. They were considered a sign of high intelligence, so Roman fashionistas went to various lengths to increase the thickness and bushiness of their eyebrows. For example, they used artificial eyebrows made from goat hair. And they were glued to the face using tree resin.

6. Dentistry was in demand

Ancient Rome had its own dentists, and the Romans themselves were very concerned about dental health. Archaeologists even discovered a woman's jaw with dentures. Scientists believe that such products of ancient dentists were intended not so much for the successful absorption of food, but for demonstrating wealth, because only very wealthy people could afford to flash a mouth full of teeth.

7. The Romans didn't like philosophers

The Roman Empire produced such outstanding philosophers as Seneca and Marcus Aurelius. However, many Romans were hostile to philosophy. From the point of view of the practical Romans, the study of philosophy with its concentration on inner world makes people unsuited to active life and service to the state. Galen, the imperial court physician, observed that the Romans considered philosophy no more useful than drilling millet seeds.

8. Roman commanders did not fight

In art, military leaders are often depicted fighting on the front lines alongside their soldiers. However, Roman commanders usually did not take part in battle. They occupied command posts and directed the army’s actions from their “captain’s bridge” in order to better navigate what was happening. Only in exceptional circumstances, when the battle was almost lost, was the military leader supposed to either commit suicide or go to seek death at the hands of the enemy.

9. There was a tradition of drinking poison

From the end of the 1st century AD. e. Roman emperors started the tradition of consuming a small amount of each daily known poison in an attempt to gain immunity. The mixture of poisons was called mithridatum in honor of Mithridates the Great, the king of Pontus, who first tried this method.

10. Persecution of Christians

The Romans believed they had good reasons to persecute Christians. The Romans believed that their empire was based on polytheism. Christians argued that pagan gods were evil demons, or completely denied their existence. If the Romans had allowed them to spread their beliefs, it would have angered their gods. However, the Roman persecutors gave Christians every chance to recognize the traditional gods and thus avoid martyrdom. But the believers could not make such a deal.

For many centuries, Ancient Rome ruled the world. The incredibly influential Roman Empire united the world in a way that no other state had done before or since. However, we mostly know the facts from the lives of representatives of the upper class and rulers, while interesting nuances Everyday life other Romans remain little known. A variety of studies can give us insight into the lives of the various classes and people who lived at that time.

Compared to other civilizations, Rome's sanitary system was advanced, but this did not save its inhabitants from infections.

Only members of the upper classes had access to high-quality and varied food

Ancient Rome was known for its incredible gluttony, but celebrations with exotic delicacies were only available to the upper class. The rest of the population of Rome was on a forced diet, eating mainly cereals such as millet: its grains were the cheapest and were perceived as food for livestock - meaning that most of the inhabitants literally ate like animals.

Despite living near the sea, representatives of the lower classes in Rome rarely ate fish and had only cereals at their disposal. This diet led to various health problems, including anemia and oral diseases. Most city dwellers ate well, but the further from the center people lived, the poorer their food was.

Air Pollution in Ancient Rome

Air pollution levels in the Roman Empire were almost the same as in the modern world

As a result of tests of glaciers in Greenland, climatologists have determined that the level of methane in the atmosphere began to increase in ancient times. Methane was at its natural level until 100 BC, after which it rose and remained at high level before 1600. This peak in methane emissions corresponds in time to the heyday of the Roman Empire.

During this period, record methane emissions were recorded - about 31 million tons per year, which is only 5 million less than the current level of emissions in the United States. In order to feed the entire empire, a huge amount of livestock was required - cattle, as well as sheep and goats. This, along with the population growth of the Roman Empire in the West and the Chinese Empire in the East, contributed to air pollution.

Bribery was widespread among ancient Roman athletes

Wrestling as entertainment is common in many countries, and this tradition came to us from ancient Roman competitions. A papyrus dating back to 267 AD, found in the Egyptian city of Oxyrhynchus, represents the first documented case of bribery in sports: a wrestler was willing to pay about 3,800 drachmas to win a fight - enough to purchase a donkey. This amount is relatively small, but the competition on the Nile was spectacular, so there is no doubt that other wrestlers had the opportunity to sign a similar agreement.

Bribery was widespread among Roman athletes, but the punishment was harsh. It is said that the statue of Zeus at Olympia was built using fines from bribe takers. The Greek philosopher Philostratus once commented on the state of athletics, saying that coaches “have nothing to do with the reputation of the athletes, but have become their advisors in buying and selling for profit.”

Bestiary show at the Colosseum

Gladiator fights became more and more brutal and sophisticated over time.

Roman gladiator fights date back to 247 BC, when two brothers decided to celebrate receiving an inheritance from their father with a fight between slaves. Over the years, the game was improved and became more perverted and cruel to satisfy the desires of the fastidious Romans.

Gladiatorial fights began with the famous Caligula and gained fame thanks to the bestiary Karpophorus - they were designed to demonstrate the cruelty of man and the world. Bestiaries had to train animals for show - for example, training eagles to eat the entrails of a defeated gladiator. Karpophorus was the most famous bestiary of his time. He not only trained his monsters to kill the poor fellows in the Colosseum in the most sophisticated ways, but also fought them himself. The most shocking act that Sarpophorus taught the animals was the rape of prisoner gladiators on command - this caused shock and awe among the audience of the Colosseum.

Gladiator Energy Drinks

Athletes drank energy drinks back in the Roman Empire - however, the ancient drinks were exclusively natural

Energy drinks are widespread among modern athletes due to their ability to increase endurance. These drinks are also popular among fitness enthusiasts. But this is not an invention at all modern world. Gladiator energy drinks existed centuries before Gatorade.

Gladiator drinks contained ash extract, which is rich in calcium, which stimulates strong bones. Elevated levels of calcium were indeed found in the remains of gladiators, so this idea is not so far-fetched. What did the ancient energy drink taste like? Given that the drink was simply ash and water, it must have been incredibly bitter, but the vinegar might have given it a more palatable flavor.

Ancient texts for the study of Latin

Ancient Latin textbooks contained not only words, but also game dialogues that helped to better learn the language.

Most people in the Roman Empire spoke Greek and its dialects, but if anyone wanted to learn Latin, they turned to colloquia. These books not only taught the Greeks the Latin language, but also talked about many situations and how to get out of them most advantageously.

Of the original manuscripts, only two have reached us, dating from the second and sixth centuries. Some of the situations described in them tell about the first visit to public baths, what to do if you are late for school, and how to deal with a close relative who is drinking. These texts were widely circulated and accessible to rich and poor alike. It is believed that these situations were described for role-playing educational games, where students could experience the material and speech.

One of the oldest taverns of the Roman Empire was discovered in the ancient city of Lattara on the territory of modern France.

At Lattar, a historical site in France, a 2,000-year-old tavern dating back to the Roman Empire has been preserved, where animal bones and skittles used by visitors have been discovered. The site was probably popular with the local population between 175 and 75 BC during the Roman occupation of the area. In addition to drinks, the tavern had a large selection of food - including flatbread, fish, and sheep and veal tenderloins.

At one end of the kitchen there were three large ovens, at the other there were millstones for preparing flour. The service area had a fireplace and soft armchairs, which created a cozy and comfortable atmosphere in the tavern - this is exactly how we would like bars to be today.

The ancient Romans did not particularly value the lives of newborn children - killing them was not considered something immoral

It's strange for us to hear about this, but in ancient Rome, infanticide was quite common. Before the advent of effective contraception, a woman could get rid of her child if she wanted. Boys were valued more highly than girls, but archaeological research suggests that the number of children killed was about the same for both sexes.

There is even mention of the practice of infanticide in ancient Roman texts, which indicates that the life of newborns was not particularly valued in Roman society. At birth, the baby was not yet considered a human. A child could bear this title only upon achieving certain developmental milestones - the ability to speak, the appearance of teeth and the ability to eat solid food.

Ancient Roman builders showed amazing imagination and inventive minds while working on the greatest city in human history

In 2014, archaeologists began excavating the supposed Temple of Fortuna, the first temple built by the Romans. Since the temple was built in the seventh century, the geographical landscape has changed greatly since then. According to the description, the temple was built on the Tiber River, but it was discovered thirty meters from it and was several feet below the level groundwater. Although archaeologists were in for other surprises: the ancient Romans put a lot of effort into building a perfect city.

Builders had to level hills, fill swampy areas, even reroute the city's waterways to further spread out the buildings. They understood that in order to build a city and further develop it, they would need to make changes to the natural landscape to meet their needs. Such sophistication and engineering talent amazes us to this day - as a result of these complex works, a city arose that became the center of the Western world, proving that all the efforts of the Romans were not in vain.

Humanity still admires the Roman Empire as the ideal of not only ancient civilization, but civilization as a whole - its authorities, inhabitants and workers were progressive and ahead of their time. Modern people There is a lot to learn from the ancient Romans - with the exception of cruelty and violence.

There are not many well-preserved great cities in the world, whose history begins before our era, but they have not turned into ruins, and still amaze the imagination with their architecture, museums, and memorable places. It is not for nothing that the common name of the capital of Ancient Rome and the current Republic of Italy is the Eternal City. Interesting Facts about Ancient Rome, a powerful state that in many ways served as the basis of modern Western civilization, always attracts the attention of even sophisticated readers, including those who were lucky enough to visit there.

From kingdom through republic to empire

This is how the history of Ancient Rome sounds like a cheat sheet for the exam. The beginning is the founding of Rome by the “illegitimate” son of the god Mars, Romulus, who had previously killed his brother Remus in the struggle for the right to found the Eternal City. This legendary event took place in 753 BC. e. Further until 476 AD. BC, when the Roman Empire finally fell, a huge number of events occurred:

• The basis of the original population of ancient Rome were criminals, exiles from other cities in nearby lands. Very reminiscent of the history of the settlement of the USA and Australia, where enlightened sailors exiled criminals of all stripes.
• When they lacked female attention, they kidnapped Sabine women. When there was no money, they raided neighboring villages.
• But common sense, indicating the dead-end path of such development of Ancient Rome, prevailed over the purely aggressive method of development, and in parallel, various crafts and trade began to rapidly develop.
• Even during the tsarist period of rule, stable power structures were created, such as the Senate and the institution of lictors. The reign of the last king, who tired the freedom-loving people of Rome with his tyranny, ended in 509 BC. e. creation of the Roman Republic. An interesting fact is that the area of ​​territory that belonged to the Eternal City of that period of history, according to historical evidence, results archaeological excavations, amounted to no more than 900 sq km of land located along the banks of the Tiber River.
• It took the Roman Republic exactly 240 years to expand its sovereign land area to cover the entire territory of Italy. Of course, this was a story of conquest. They forged the invincible Roman army, the principles of construction, management, and supply of which were reflected in the creation of even modern troops. Not everything was always smooth. One day, the newly emerging power of the republic was defeated by the Gauls who invaded the lands of Italy, as a result of which Rome was burned.
• But the city was rebuilt again, and the lands were recaptured. The true heyday of Ancient Rome is associated with the period of the empire - the dominant state for all of Europe and northern Africa. This was the only thing public education, who owned all the lands of the coast Mediterranean Sea, which cannot fail to impress.

The period of the Roman Empire dates back to 27 AD. e., when the Julio-Claudian dynasty came to power, the founder of which is considered the famous Julius Caesar. The main significant events reflected in historical documents are: works of art, popularizing Ancient Rome during its heyday and subsequent fall, date back to this time.

An interesting fact about Julius Caesar, who, contrary to popular belief, was not the first emperor of Rome, but its dictator, is that back in 63 BC. e. he was chosen as Pontifex Maximus, i.e. occupied the highest priestly position, later from 440 AD. e. who became known as the Pope in the Catholic Church, which replaced the polytheism of pagan Rome.

Gladiator fights in ancient Rome

No matter how high the moral foundations of any society, the authorities always try to give bread and circuses to the democratic majority within the necessary limits. Otherwise, conspiracies, uprisings, and revolutions will certainly begin, which are absolutely unnecessary for the ruling class. From public executions to humorous TV shows, all means are good.

In ancient Rome, excellent entertainment for the crowd was athletic competitions and horse racing in stadiums; gladiatorial fights held in specially equipped halls and buildings - amphitheaters. The latter were introduced officially as public spectacles in 106 BC. e., and the state took care of their implementation.

The most grandiose building for holding bloody fights between people and predatory animals was the Colosseum in Rome:

• The colossus of ancient architecture, which received its name because of its size, accommodated, according to modern estimates, more than 50 thousand spectators. Although historical records mention 87 thousand enthusiastic visitors who wanted to witness the bloody battles.
• The construction of the huge amphitheater, which lasted eight years, was completed in 80 AD. e. Enormous amounts of money were invested in it.
• The external dimensions of the structure, built in the shape of an ellipse, are amazing - 524 by 188 m, the internal arena is 86 by 54 m. The height of the walls reaches 50 m.
• This is the fruit of the efforts of the imperial Flavian dynasty from Vespasian to Titus, which ruled in those years. The latter consecrated the Colosseum, after which games began there, including gladiator fights, beloved by all the Roman people.

The decline of the Colosseum's popularity came in 405, when gladiator fights were banned throughout the Roman Empire as contrary to Christian morality. Currently, the Colosseum is an easily recognizable, undisputed symbol of Rome, one of the most frequently visited tourist sites in Europe.

Foundations of Civilization

Interesting historical facts about Ancient Rome that give an idea of ​​the influence it had on the destinies of the whole world:

• Roman law. One of the sources of the modern legal system, a subject studied in legal educational institutions. The basic principle of Roman law is that the state is the result of an agreement between citizens. It still sounds relevant today.
• Newspapers, bound pages of books, the Julian calendar are a significant contribution to the future of the human community.
• The official language of Ancient Rome was Latin, without knowledge of which it is difficult to imagine modern doctors, lawyers, and biologists.
• Field surgery, which saved many lives of Roman legionnaires, is still relevant today.
• Architecture. Some solutions and their implementations, including those that are perfectly preserved, still amaze the imagination. For example, the famous Pantheon in Rome, which has a dome with a diameter of more than 43 m, was built in 126 AD. e. Looking at it, it is difficult to imagine that such a grandiose building could stand for many centuries, despite the fall of Rome, numerous wars, barbarians of all times and peoples, earthquakes, which are not uncommon in Italy.
• Many engineering solutions, both borrowed from the ancient Greeks and Egyptians, and invented in Ancient Rome. For example, mills driven by a water wheel, throwing siege and defensive military equipment.
• Construction solutions. Aqueducts built before our era still regularly supply water to the cities of Italy.

Fountains, of which there are a huge number in Rome, the use of concrete, roads that do not need to be repaired every year are only a small part of the heritage of the ancient Romans.

Capital of Christendom

The famous phrase attributed to Henry I of Navarre, who renounced Protestantism in favor of Catholicism, that Paris is worth a mass, applies to a much greater extent specifically to Rome:

• After all, on the lands of this ancient state, which included Jerusalem, all biblical events associated with Jesus Christ took place.
• In Rome there is the Vatican State with the Holy See of the Pope - the head of the Catholic Church.
• The concept of the Roman Mass appeared here in the first centuries of our era with the advent of Christianity.

Without belittling the importance of the Protestant and Orthodox churches, it was the Catholic that appeared as decisive factor the inexorable spread of Christianity throughout the world, and served to exalt Ancient Rome.

However, even now the Church of St. Peter's, Vatican Museums, numerous Catholic churches in the Eternal City they work like a powerful electromagnet, attracting iron filings - pilgrims, tourists from all over the world, who are ready to spend a lot of money to worship Christian shrines, to see the historical, architectural beauty, and unusualness of Rome.