Interesting facts about Ancient Rome - photo# 1
1. Juno, the Roman goddess, was known for her title - "The Coin". In Latin it means "counselor". The fact is that earlier near the temple of the goddess (on the Capitol) there were workshops where they minted metal money. That's why in our time we call them "coins". It is also interesting that the main meaning of this term becomes valid when a person throws a coin to get an answer to a question or advice of interest.
2. There is an opinion that Guy Julius Caesar did not take off the laurel wreath appropriated to him because he was, in fact, bald.
Interesting facts about Ancient Rome - photo# 2
3. The word "barbarian" was invented in ancient Greece. So called foreign people who did not speak Greek. And the Romans borrowed this term, calling it so all nations except themselves. Later the word was used in many countries, denoting one thing - people speaking in an incomprehensible, foreign language.
4. The legal term "code" means "piece of wood". It was on the wooden plaques, greased with wax, that the first books, which were familiar to us, were made. Parchment began to be used later. In the III century, it was in the form of the code that the code of imperial constitutions was issued. Therefore, in our time, a code is called a code of laws.
5. The funny and childish spell "abra-kadabra" is mentioned in the works of the doctor of the emperor Rome Caracalla - Serena Sammonik. This inscription had to be written 11 times on the amulet, taking away the last letter with each circle. Such a spell should have been saved from evil spirits, healing the sick.
Interesting facts about Ancient Rome - photo# 3
6. In ancient Rome, there were only 70 personal names of people, and used, and then - 20 of them. Even these two dozen names were shortened to a few letters. For example, Publius's name was "R.". And so, as there were no other names for this letter, everyone understood who they meant.
7. Interesting facts about Ancient Rome also relate to the traditions and rules prevalent in the army. Decimation (or execution of the tenth) - the so-called highest form of execution in the army of ancient Rome. It consisted in the fact that the unit, which was guilty, was divided into dozens. The members of each of them cast lots. To whom no luck, that and executed the other 9 colleagues.
8. For more than four tens of days in 547 Rome was empty. It happened after the Goths, under the command of the leader of Totila, destroyed the city and drove out all its inhabitants.
Interesting facts about Ancient Rome - photo# 4
9. A unique statue of bald Venus was placed in the Roman city of Aquileia. The fact is that during a very long siege, the women of the city donated warriors their hair for catapults and bows. It was thanks to them that they managed to keep the defense all the same. Therefore, the temple with an unusual statue of Venus became grateful to the inhabitants of Rome.
10. Personal names in ancient Rome were accepted to give only four first sons. The rest received ordinal numbers, like Quintus (Fifth), Sextus (Sixth) and so on. Later such names became generally accepted. And the man named Sextus was not necessarily the sixth son.
11. During wars with other ancient peoples, the Romans often conducted an interesting ritual called "evocation". He consisted in turning to the gods of the enemies, so that they went over to the side of Rome. And the Romans at the same time pledged to carry them faithful service and worship.
Interesting facts about Ancient Rome - photo# 5
12. Emperor of Rome Caligula once declared war to the god of all the seas of Neptune. He led his army ashore and ordered the spears to be thrown into the water.
13. In ancient Rome, it was customary to eat with your hands. But the rich townspeople had special slaves, whose hair they wiped their dirty hands after a meal.