The Roman state is not only about a great empire, Caesar and proud legions. The way of life and traditions of the ancient Romans may seem wild to modern man. Don't believe me? Read and see for yourself.
1. In the immediate vicinity of the arenas, where the battles "going to death" took place, there were always trade tents. There, for quite a lot of money at that time, one could get a potion that replaced cosmetics for the inhabitants of Rome - the sweat of gladiators, as well as animal fat. Such an unusual set helped to eliminate wrinkles.
2. An annual festival dedicated to the god Saturn was held in ancient Rome. It differed from other celebrations in that these days the slaves had the illusion of freedom.
They could sit at the same table with their host. It also happened that even the owner himself prepared dinner for his slaves.
3. Emperor Claudius haunted the poets and writers of the "Eternal City". Therefore, they did not miss the opportunity so as not to make fun of him in public. The fact is that Claudius always preferred exclusively women and was not noticed in relationships with men. At that time, it was believed that those who have connections only with the fair sex themselves become like a woman.
4. Everyone knows that the inhabitants of Ancient Rome adored bloody spectacles. But few people know that the tradition of taking the lives of others in gladiatorial arenas has safely migrated to the theatrical stage. Therefore, if according to the scenario the hero was to die, then he was sure to be killed. Thus, for some actors, the first role became the last.
5. The attitude towards medicine was the most serious. Ancient Aesculapians were usually not forgiven for mistakes. For example, if during the operation the patient died, then the doctor's hands were immediately cut off.
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6. Wealthy 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 on a chain in the courtyard of the house. They replaced the dogs and the "bell", warning the owner about the guests with their shouts.
7. In ancient Rome, instead of napkins and towels, rich people wiped their hands on the heads of curly children during a feast. By the way, they were called so - "dining boys". This "service" was considered very honorable.
8. The Roman emperor Claudius had a wife named Messalina. Even her compatriots who were not at all enslaved, she struck with lust and debauchery. According to the stories of the historians Tacitus and Suetonius, Messalina even had her own brothel.
The "First Lady" not only covered the costs of its maintenance, but sometimes she herself served everyone. Once Messalina even arranged a contest with another priestess of love to find out which of them would serve more customers in the same time. The emperor's wife won by exactly two times the margin: fifty against twenty-five.
9. As you know, prostitution in ancient Rome was considered an absolutely normal and legal occupation. Therefore, the priestesses of love did not need to hide their status. Moreover, they tried their best to stand out from the crowd. So, for example, only prostitutes could walk around the city in high-heeled shoes, which immediately attracted attention.
10. By the way, the spell "abracadabra" familiar from childhood came from Rome. It appears in the writings of the personal physician of the Emperor Caracalla Serena Sammonik.
To get rid of any disease or drive away evil spirits, this phrase should have been written on the amulet in a column eleven times.
11. In the Roman army, there was a special type of execution, which was called decimation (execution of the tenth). Its meaning was as follows: the guilty detachment was divided into dozens and each of the soldiers drew lots. The one who pulled the unlucky one died at the hands of nine colleagues.
12. Interestingly, traditionally, only the first four sons in a family were given personal names. If there were more, then they were named ordinal numbers. For example, Quintus is the fifth or Sextus is the sixth. Over time, these names have become generally accepted.
13. During military operations against any state or tribe, the Romans often resorted to a kind of ritual called "evocation". Simply put, the soldiers turned to the gods of the enemy and asked them to go 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' estimates, more than a hundred gladiators lost their lives in the arena every month.
15. In the Roman Empire, special attention was paid to transport links. By the time of the death of the state, many roads stretched on its territory, the total length of which exceeded fifty-four thousand kilometers.