1. Rome is one of the oldest cities in Europe, founded in 753. BC The birthday of the Eternal City falls on April 21 (the date of the mythical founding of Rome by Romulus and Remus). Every year on this date tourists from all over the world come to the Italian capital. Roman celebrations include fireworks, gladiator shows, fairs and tastings of Italian cuisine, and noisy parades in the city center. In addition, on this day many museums in Rome are open for free.
2. In early Rome there were catastrophically few women; Romulus (771-717 BC) kidnapped girls from the nearby Sabine tribe. The most beautiful of them were given to Roman senators.
3. In Italy, in addition to the common European fear of the number 13, the number 17 is also considered unlucky. A possible explanation for this lies in the graves of the ancient Romans, on which there were often inscriptions VIXI, which translated means “I lived” or “My life is over.” If we express the inscription in Roman numerals, then we get VI + XI = 6 + 11 = 17.
4. Rome is the only city in the world that has another sovereign state on its territory. This is the Vatican, which is also known as the smallest state in the world.
5. St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican is the largest church in the world.
6. The phrase “All roads lead to Rome” comes from the fact that by the end of the fourth century AD, the Romans had built over 53 thousand miles of roads throughout their empire. Each Roman mile was equal to approximately 1450 meters and was marked with a road stone (milestone).
7. The Roman Colosseum, which seats up to 50,000 people, is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. On the day of the official opening of the Colosseum, 5 thousand animals were killed in its arena. According to conservative estimates, over the entire history of this structure, more than 500 thousand people and more than a million animals were killed in it.
8. Near the Coliseum in Ancient Rome, you could buy animal fat and gladiator sweat at special kiosks. Women used these substances as cosmetics.
9. In ancient Rome, the senior clown from the theater - the archimimus - was invited to the funerals of noble people. In the procession, the archimime walked immediately behind the coffin, and his job was to imitate the gestures and behavior of the deceased. To enhance the effect, the actor could dress in the clothes of the deceased or wear a mask representing him.
10. Among the first fifteen Roman emperors, only Claudius did not have love affairs with men. This was considered unusual behavior and was ridiculed by poets and writers, who said: by loving only women, Claudius himself became effeminate.
11. Ancient Roman women did not have personal names. They received only a family name, for example, Julia, if she was born into the Yuli family. If there were several daughters in one family, ordinal prenomen were added to their family names: Segunda (second), Tertia (third), etc.
12. When the son of the Roman emperor Vespasian reproached him for introducing a tax on public latrines, the emperor showed him the money received from this tax and asked if it smelled. Having received a negative answer, Vespasian said: “But they are from urine.” This is where the expression “money doesn’t smell” comes from.
13. The abbreviation SPQR, which can be seen on Roman statues, buildings, stones and wells, stands for “senatus populusque romanus” and means “the senate and people of Rome.”
14. The ancient Romans ate with their hands. Rich citizens had special slaves, on whose hair they wiped their hands after eating.
15. The custom of the newlyweds kissing at the end of the wedding ceremony came to us from Ancient Rome. Then it had a slightly different meaning - a wedding was considered a contract, and a kiss served as a kind of seal sealing the contract.
the text was written using the source muzey-factov.ru
Rome is Europe's crown jewel of a tourist destination and for good reason - this Eternal City certainly holds its share of secrets and surprises. Even those tourists who have had the opportunity to visit this incredible city more than once have barely seen and recognized all its delights. For your attention, we would like to present 10 interesting facts about Rome that will probably add to your knowledge base, and maybe even inspire you to travel by train.
Only a small part of Ancient Rome is accessible to the public
Many people think that all the secrets and mysteries of Ancient Rome have become available to the modern public thanks to various excavations, but this is far from the case. The ancient city is located within 9 meters below the modern street level and according to some estimates, only ten percent of the ancient city became accessible from the depths of the earth... Which is logical, because people live on top of the ruins. Even such ancient cities as Pompeii and Herculaneum have only been partially excavated (about 25 and 20 percent, respectively).
The Farewell Coin Toss contributes to a very impressive budget.
Every night, about 30 thousand euros are extracted from under the bottom of the Trevi Fountain. The money is donated to Caritas, a Catholic charity that uses the funds to help needy families in Rome.
Oh, great Rome!
Rome is known as the "Eternal City" and also has a Latin version, "Caput Mundi", which means "Capital of the World".
Koshkin House
In Rome there is a law that allows cats to live in the places in which they were born, without any harm to the animals. If you look closely, you will see hundreds of wild cats climbing the walls of the Colosseum, and sleeping in the stones of the Forum.
In Piazza Torre Angentina you can see the cat sanctuary among the ruins of four Republican temples.
Sorry, Florence
Rome became the unified capital in 1870, after taking the title from Florence.
Romance the Roman way
The ancient Romans kissed their wives on the lips upon arrival home, but alas, their motive was not as romantic as it might seem at first glance... They checked the breathing of their spouses to make sure that they had not been sitting around all day and drank wine in their absence.
The sad price of bread and circuses
It is believed that more than 500,000 people died and more than a million wild animals were killed throughout the fighting held at the Colosseum. The last gladiatorial fights took place in 435 AD.
Great Caesar
Contrary to legend, Julius Caesar was not assassinated in the Roman Senate, but in the vestibule of the theater built by Pompey the Great more than 2 thousand years ago, which can be found today in Piazza Torre Angentina.
Eternal Architecture
Concrete was a Roman invention, used for many structures such as the Pantheon, Colosseum and Roman Forum, which are still standing today thanks to the development of Roman cement and concrete. The Romans first began building with concrete more than 2,100 years ago, and used it throughout the Mediterranean basin to produce everything from buildings and bridges to aqueducts and monuments.
Largest dome
Roughly 43 meters in diameter, the dome of the Pantheon in Rome is larger than even the dome of St. Peter's Basilica. It is also completely unreinforced, making it the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the entire world.
We hope this article was interesting to you and you were able to learn even more about such a magnificent city as Rome. Good luck and have an unforgettable trip!
We all know for certain that European culture began with historical Rome. Interesting facts about Ancient Rome have been described for many centuries. The Eternal City was the name given to ancient Rome. Luxury and prosperity made it a truly unique city.
With all his power, greatness and development, he also carried a philosophy that was not acceptable to many states. Group orgies of a sexual nature and same-sex relationships were commonplace there. Most likely, prostitution originates from them. Sex has been elevated to the level of worship.
Explicit frescoes of an erotic nature were painted on the walls of many buildings. Special bronze coins were made specifically to pay prostitutes. They, too, were depicted with sexual activities and explicit scenes.
The pinnacle of abundance of paid love were courtesans. They were prostitutes, but they served special nobles. At times, they influenced the social and cultural life of society, being trendsetters. The life of the courtesans was lived in incredible luxury.
But it is not entirely clear where the citizens’ incredible thirst for blood came from. Their favorite spectacle was gladiator fights. Death was also practiced on the stage. If an actor were to die during the course of the play, he was exchanged for a condemned criminal and executed right on stage.
Caesar issued an interesting decree in 45. Surprisingly, there were huge traffic jams there. Real traffic jams. Caesar issued a decree prohibiting travel by private transport from dawn to dusk.
Useful and interesting facts about Ancient Rome
Asparagus was a favorite dish of citizens. They froze it and stored it in the mountains.
In Rome, school attendance was compulsory for boys only, and girls were expected to study at home from their parents.
In ancient Egypt and Rome, it was allowed to pay taxes with honey instead of gold.
Well, how can we not remember the merits of the Romans, which we use to this day. They invented concrete. Many architectural treasures that still fascinate us today were cast from concrete. One can imagine the art of mastering concrete work.
The Colosseum was so huge that it could accommodate two hundred thousand spectators.
The Romans had forums for discussing politics and religion. Such sites were called forums.
The Romans used milk as a cosmetic and butter as a medicinal substance.
Flamingo tongues were considered the most recognized delicacy for nobles at receptions.
Guy Julius Caesar at one time legalized the leap year. In general, he was a gifted person.
Salt was offered to a certain person as a sign of friendship.
Ridiculous and interesting facts about Ancient Rome
If the patient passed away during the operation, the doctor would have his arms amputated.
Nero, the Roman emperor married one of his slaves. This slave's name was Scorus.
The Romans believed that a man with a hooked nose had great leadership potential.
At the wrestling competitions there was only one restriction: not to gouge out your eyes. Everything else was allowed.
In ancient Rome, the practice was to place elephant dung in the vagina. Allegedly, this method excluded pregnancy.
During gladiatorial fights, the blood of a defeated warrior was collected. It was a good remedy for infertility, according to Roman citizens.
Caesar began to go bald early and took great pleasure in the right to wear a laurel wreath.
The Romans did not use any utensils when eating. They did it exclusively with their hands. Rich nobles had special slaves on whose hair they wiped their hands after eating.
If a man took an oath, he put his hand to the scrotum as a sign of the oath.
Interesting facts about gladiator fights.
Gladiatorial fights came to Rome from Greece. As a rule, gladiators were prisoners of war, but anyone could become one to earn money. For this purpose, there was an oath, under which a citizen was declared “legally non-existent.” Criminals also went to fight.
We have received incorrect information that in the Colosseum the spectators raised their thumb as a sign of the gift of life, and a thumb down as a sign of death. This is not true at all. And it happened like this: the thumb is bent - it meant death to the vanquished. In their opinion, this is a symbol of a naked sword. Well, to give life to a warrior, the audience raised a clenched fist - a symbol of a sword hidden in a sheath.
Ancient Rome was an empire that managed to become one of the greatest in the entire history of mankind. Today we will tell you 15 Interesting Facts About Ancient Rome. As usual, as part of the regular “Facts” section.
The first fact is that in ancient Rome, doctors were directly responsible for the life of the patient. Simply put, if the operation led to the death of the patient, then the doctor was entitled to punishment - he cut off hands on the forum. If the operation was declared useless by the court, the doctor could lose his license to work and pay a heavy fine.
The second fact is punishment with sex. If a sister disobeyed her brother and contradicted him, he could easily punish her by putting her in bed. We asked ourselves the question, if he asked her to have sex and she refused, could he punish her by having sex with her?!
The third fact is that all slaves who belong to one owner were called “surname”. A little later, during the reign of the emperors, the word changed its meaning and began to unite the entire huge family (again, including slaves and servants).
Fifth fact - the head of the tent was called dean. The armies of the Roman Empire reached the edge of the known lands of that time. The soldiers lived in tents of ten people, and the most important one, responsible for order in temporary housing, called dean.
The sixth fact - instead of toilet paper there was a rag and a stick. As in the Middle Ages, the Romans did not want to bother themselves with any special inventions for wiping. Therefore they just pulled a rag over a stick which was dipped in water.
Seventh fact - in Ancient Rome slaves were actively used instead of dogs. The nobility lived in large mansions that had a large wooden door with a ring. Slaves were often tied to this ring, notifying the owner of the arrival of guests by shouting. It's especially ironic that Nearby lay a rug with the inscription “salve” - “Welcome”.
Eighth fact – curly-haired boys instead of napkins. Only poor citizens of Rome used napkins. Noble gentlemen were served at feasts by curly-haired boys, on whose heads it was customary to wipe their hands. To be in such a service was considered an honorable occupation for any teenager.
Ninth fact - women drank turpentine to smell urine. Incredible but true. Despite its destructive influence, turpentine made urine smell like roses. Many women wanted to smell like that in their toilets (which is funny) and did not pay attention to the mortal danger.
Eleventh fact - Penates were the name given to the guardian gods of the hearth. This is where the saying “Return to your native Penates” comes from. Many people use it without fully understanding its meaning. But everything is very simple - you you return to the protection of the guardian gods.
Twelfth fact - the emperor's wife was a prostitute. Prostitution in Ancient Rome was generally treated with respect, but even at this they looked askance at Messelina, who not only kept her own den, but also worked there (not for money, but for pleasure). There was a joke going around the streets of Rome that Messalina bet with the most expensive prostitute in the empire that she would be able to serve more clients in a certain time. The emperor's wife won, giving joy to almost 50 noble men, while her rival barely managed to serve half of Messalina's result.
Fact fourteen – In ancient Rome, all prostitutes were respected. To be a “night butterfly” in that society was even honorable. Prostitutes did not hide and freely offered free love (forgive the tautology) on the streets of Rome. Only they were allowed to wear heels and this was considered a privilege.
Fifteenth fact – erotic coins. Indeed, in Ancient Rome they loved sex so much that they even produced special bronze erotic coins called “spintrii”. They were often used as “hints”, but mostly exclusively to pay for the services of call girls and boys.
Interesting facts about Ancient Rome will interest people who like unusual and fascinating information. This state hides many secrets. There are legends about him, both true and fictional. Historical facts about Ancient Rome are not just what they teach in school. Many of them are unknown to anyone.
1. The history of modern Rome lasts about 3000 years.
2. In 625 BC, the first settlements arose in Rome.
3. In the 5th millennium BC, the first mentions of Rome appeared.
4. On its territory, Rome has another sovereign state - the Vatican.
5. It was customary to hang phallic symbols on entrance doors in Ancient Rome.
6. Ancient Roman doctors had a wide selection of medical instruments.
7. The first shopping center was built by the Roman Emperor Trajan.
8. The snake in Rome is a symbol of love and prosperity.
9. Unique Roman clothing is the toga.
11. When the Roman emperor died, an eagle was released into the wild.
12. About 5,000 animals were killed in the arena on the opening day of the Colosseum.
13. 17 years after Hannibal's invasion, the Romans were able to free themselves.
14. The virgins who supported the sacred fire of Vesta were women.
15. The Romans built some 54,000 kilometers of roads throughout their empire before the fourth century AD.
16. Abortion and the use of contraception were common in the Roman Empire.
17. The month of August was named after the Roman Emperor Augustus.
18. The Colosseum took more than 12 years to build.
19. It only takes 3 minutes for all the spectators to leave the Colosseum.
20. The ancient Roman temples smelled of incense.
21. Long names in Rome consisted of three parts.
22. On average, the ancient Romans weighed about 50 kilograms.
23. The average age of life of the Romans did not exceed 41 years.
24. On average, up to 100 gladiators died at the Colosseum per month.
25. There were about 114 public toilets in Ancient Rome.
27. For disobedience in Rome, a brother could punish his sister by having sex with her.
28. Only the Roman emperor Claudius did not have love affairs with men.
29. Only rich Romans lived in mansions.
30. Curly-haired boys were used as table napkins in ancient Rome.
31. In Rome, some women drank turpentine.
32. It was from the Roman Empire that the tradition of the wedding kiss came to us.
33. Prostitution was a legal profession in ancient Rome.
34. To pay for the services of prostitutes in Rome, there were special coins.
35. An annual festival was held in Rome in honor of the god Saturn.
36. The title “Coin” was borne by the Roman goddess “Juno”.
37. In Rome there was a coin with the image of sexual intercourse.
38. Ancient Rome is considered one of the largest states of antiquity.
39. The inhabitants of Ancient Rome loved bloody spectacles.
40. Once in Rome, war was declared on the god Neptune.
41. The famous Roman commander - Gaius Julius Caesar.
42. Warriors from the Roman troops lived in tents of 10 people.
43. More than 40% of the total population were Roman slaves.
44. The Colosseum could accommodate more than 200,000 spectators.
45. Toilets were first created in Ancient Rome.
46. The Roman hippodrome could accommodate a quarter of a million spectators.
47. In ancient Rome, lead was used to resolve disputes.
48. In 64 there was a great fire in Rome.
49. The phrase “money has no smell” came from Ancient Rome.
50. At Roman feasts, flamingo tongue was considered a delicacy.
51. Verminus - a god who protected cows from worms.
52. In Ancient Rome, girls who had not reached adulthood were subordinate to their father.
53. Most Roman emperors were bisexual.
54. Caesar had a passive relationship with Nicomedes.
55. A washcloth on a stick was used as toilet paper.
56. Slaves were almost never used as guards in Rome.
57. They wiped their hands on boys’ hair in Ancient Rome.
58. In ancient Rome, agreements were sealed with a kiss.
59. The Penates were the guardian gods in Rome.
60. Messalina - Roman prostitute.
61. Roman prostitutes used heels.
62. Tokens were used to pay for the services of Roman prostitutes.
63. Same-sex relationships were common in ancient Rome.
64. Explicit frescoes of an erotic nature were painted on the walls of many Roman houses.
65. The Romans' favorite dish was asparagus.
66. In ancient Rome, only boys were required to attend school.
67. You could pay taxes with honey in Ancient Rome.
68. The Romans invented concrete.
69. Special platforms were created in Ancient Rome to discuss religion and politics.
70. Milk was used as a cosmetic product in Rome.
71. It was customary to give salt in Ancient Rome as a sign of friendship.
72. The Roman Emperor Nero married one of the slaves.
73. A nose with a hump was considered in Rome to have enormous mental potential.
74. Elephant dung was used as a contraceptive in ancient Rome.
75. The blood of a defeated warrior was collected and used for medicinal purposes.
76. In Ancient Rome they ate any food exclusively with their hands.
77. In ancient Rome, a man who took an oath put his hand to the scrotum as a sign of the oath.
78. Gladiator fights came to Ancient Rome from Greece.
79. Ancient Rome was founded by shepherds.
80. Rome reached its largest territories during the reign of Emperor Trajan.
81. In ancient Rome, red deer could be harnessed to a chariot.
82. Eating woodpecker meat was considered a sin in Ancient Rome.
83. Reclining ate in Ancient Rome.
84. The area of Rome in 117 was more than 6,500,000 kilometers.
85. It was forbidden to gouge out eyes during gladiator fights.
86. Roman women were not allowed to go outside with their heads uncovered.
87. The Romans always left their house only with their right foot.
88. Removable heads were a statue in ancient Rome.
89. "Flavian Amphitheater" is the ancient name of the Roman Colosseum.
90. In 80 BC the Colosseum was built.
91. The total height of the Roman Colosseum was more than 44 meters.
92. There were 76 exits in the Roman Colosseum.
93. Seats in the Roman Colosseum were distributed according to the social status of the spectators.
94. The underground chambers were located under the floor of the Roman Colosseum.
95. The Roman Colosseum is depicted on the five-cent euro coin.
96. Courtesans were the pinnacle of paid love in Ancient Rome.
97. Girls in Ancient Rome studied at home.
98. Most houses in Ancient Rome were built of concrete.
99. The Roman Emperor Caesar began to go bald early.
100. In Ancient Rome there were no utensils for eating.
