Amazing facts from the life of ancient Rome, which were not told in history lessons. Interesting facts about Ancient Rome - the state that influenced the history of the world

There are not many well-preserved great cities in the world, whose history begins before our era, but they did not turn into ruins, but still amaze the imagination with their architecture, museums, memorable places. No wonder 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 attract the attention of even sophisticated readers, including those who were lucky enough to be there.

From kingdom through republic to empire

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

• The basis of the original population of ancient Rome was made up of criminals, exiles from other cities of nearby lands. It is very reminiscent of the history of the settlement of the United States and Australia, where enlightened sailors exiled criminals of all stripes.
• When they lacked female attention, they kidnapped the Sabine women. When there was no money, they raided neighboring villages.
• But common sense, pointing to the dead-end path of such development of Ancient Rome, prevailed over the purely predatory method of development, and in parallel, various crafts and trade began to develop rapidly.
• Even in the tsarist period of government, stable power structures were created, such as the Senate, 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 ​​​​the territory that belonged to the Eternal City of that period of history, according to historical evidence, the results of archaeological excavations, was no more than 900 square kilometers 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 the whole of Italy. Of course, it was a story of conquest. The invincible Roman army was forged in them, the principles of construction, management, supply of which were reflected in the creation of even modern troops. Not everything was always smooth sailing. Once, the newly emerging power of the republic was defeated by the Gauls who invaded the lands of Italy, as a result, Rome was burned.
• But the city was rebuilt again, and the lands were reclaimed. The true heyday of Ancient Rome is associated with the period of the empire - the dominant state for all of Europe, northern Africa. It was the only state formation that owned all the lands of the Mediterranean coast, which cannot but 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 that are reflected in historical documents, works of art that popularize Ancient Rome during the 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 supreme pontiff, 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, revolutions will definitely begin, absolutely not needed by the ruling class. From public executions to humorous TV shows, all means are good.

In ancient Rome, athletic competitions, horse racing in stadiums were excellent entertainment for the crowd; gladiator fights, arranged in specially equipped halls, buildings - amphitheatres. 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 bloody fights between people, predatory animals was the Colosseum in Rome:

• The colossus of ancient architecture, which got its name because of its size, accommodated, according to modern estimates, more than 50 thousand spectators. Although the historical records mention 87 thousand enthusiastic visitors who wanted to see the bloody battles.
• The construction of the huge amphitheater, which lasted eight years, was completed in 80 AD. e. Huge amounts of money were invested in it.
• The external dimensions of the building, built in the form of an ellipse, are striking - 524 by 188 m, the inner arena - 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, who ruled in those years. The latter consecrated the Colosseum, after which games began in it, including gladiator fights beloved by all the Roman people.

The decline of the popularity of the Colosseum came in 405, when gladiator fights were banned throughout the Roman Empire, as contrary to Christian morality. Nowadays, the Colosseum is easily recognizable, the 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 impact it had on the fate of the whole world:

• Roman law. One of the origins of the modern legal system, a subject studied in law schools. The basic principle of Roman law is that the state is the result of an agreement between citizens. 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 is Latin, without knowledge of which it is difficult to imagine modern doctors, lawyers, and biologists.
• Field surgery, which saved many lives of the legionnaires of Rome, is still relevant today.
• Architecture. Some solutions and their embodiments, including perfectly preserved ones, 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 hard 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.
• A lot of engineering solutions, both borrowed from the ancient Greeks, Egyptians, and invented in Ancient Rome. For example, mills driven by a water wheel, throwing siege and defensive military equipment.
• Solutions in the field of construction. Until now, aqueducts, built even before our era, 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, refers to Rome to a much greater extent:

• After all, on the lands of this ancient state, which included Jerusalem, all the biblical events related to Jesus Christ took place.
• In Rome is the state of the Vatican 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, Orthodox Church, it was the Catholic Church that was both the decisive factor in the inexorable spread of Christianity throughout the world and served to exalt Ancient Rome.

However, even today the church of St. Peter, the Vatican Museums, numerous Catholic churches in the Eternal City work like a powerful electromagnet that attracts iron filings - pilgrims, tourists from all over the world who are ready to spend a lot of money to bow to Christian shrines, to see the historical, architectural beauty, unusualness of Rome.

Interesting facts about Ancient Rome will interest people who like unusual and fascinating information. This state hides many secrets in itself. Legends about him are both true and fictional. Historical facts about Ancient Rome are not only what they tell in school. Many of them are unknown to anyone.

1. The history of modern Rome lasts for about 3000 years.

2. In 625 BC, the first settlements appeared in Rome.

3. In the 5th millennium BC, the first mention of Rome appeared.

4. On its territory, Rome has another sovereign state - the Vatican.

5. It was customary in ancient Rome to hang phallic symbols on the front doors.

6. Ancient Roman doctors had a wide variety 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 a 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 the invasion of Hannibal, the Romans were able to free themselves.

14. The virgins who maintained the sacred fire of Vesta were women.

15. Throughout their empire until the fourth century AD, the Romans built about 54,000 kilometers of roads.

16. Abortions and the use of contraception were common in the Roman Empire.

17. In honor of the Roman emperor Augustus, the month of August was named.

18. They built the Colosseum for more than 12 years.

19. It takes only 3 minutes for all the spectators to leave the Colosseum.

20. Incense smelled in ancient Roman temples.

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. For a month, on average, up to 100 gladiators died at the Colosseum.

25. About 114 public toilets were 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 wealthy Romans lived in mansions.

30. A curly-haired boy was 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 in ancient Rome was a legal profession.

34. To pay for the services of prostitutes in Rome, there were special coins.

35. In honor of the god Saturn, an annual festival was held in Rome.

36. The title "Coins" was worn by the Roman goddess "Juno".

37. In Rome there was a coin depicting sexual intercourse.

38. Ancient Rome is considered one of the largest states of antiquity.

39. Bloody spectacles were loved by the inhabitants of ancient Rome.

40. Once in Rome war was declared against 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. ​​A quarter of a million spectators could accommodate a Roman hippodrome.

47. In ancient Rome, lead was used to resolve disputes.

48. In 64 there was a great fire in Rome.

49. The phrase “money does not smell” came from Ancient Rome.

50. Flamingo tongue was considered a delicacy at Roman feasts.

51. Verminus - the god who protected cows from worms.

52. In ancient Rome, girls who were under the age of majority obeyed their father.

53. Most of the 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 the hair of boys in Ancient Rome.

58. In ancient Rome, agreements were sealed with a kiss.

59. The guardian gods in Rome were the Penates.

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. Frank frescoes of an erotic nature were painted on the walls of many Roman houses.

65. The favorite dish of the Romans was asparagus.

66. In ancient Rome, only boys were required to attend school.

67. Honey could pay taxes 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. Roman emperor Nero married one of the slaves.

73. The hooked nose was considered in Rome to be a great mental potential.

74. Elephant dung in ancient Rome was used as a contraceptive.

75. The blood of a defeated warrior was collected and used for medicinal purposes.

76. Exclusively with hands in ancient Rome, they ate any dishes.

77. In ancient Rome, a man who took an oath put his hand to the scrotum as a sign of an oath.

78. Gladiator fights in ancient Rome came 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, noble deer could be harnessed to the chariot.

82. Eating woodpecker meat was considered a sin in ancient Rome.

83. Reclining spruce in ancient Rome.

84. More than 6,500,000 kilometers was the area of ​​​​Rome in 117.

85. It was forbidden to gouge out the eyes during gladiator fights.

86. Roman women were not allowed to go outside with their heads uncovered.

87. The Romans always left their houses 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. More than 44 meters was the total height of the Roman Colosseum.

92. There were 76 exits in the Roman Colosseum.

93. According to the social status of the audience, places in the Roman Colosseum were distributed.

94. Underground chambers were 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 prosperity for paid love in ancient Rome.

97. Girls in ancient Rome studied at home.

98. Most of the houses in ancient Rome were built of concrete.

99. The Roman emperor Caesar began to go bald early.

100. There were no eating utensils in ancient Rome.

Ancient Rome is not only philosophers, gladiators and theaters. The Romans left behind a lot of mysteries, and some of their traditions would certainly never have been told to us at school in a history lesson, and this is for the best.

The Romans drank the blood of gladiators

In ancient Rome, they drank the blood of slain gladiators. It was believed that in this way the life force enters a person. Several Roman authors describe how, after gladiator fights, the blood of dead gladiators was collected and sold as medicine. The Romans believed that gladiatorial blood could cure epilepsy.

Romans didn't die young

Although the average life expectancy in ancient Rome was 25 years, many Romans lived to old age and boasted a life expectancy quite familiar to us. Probably, the establishment of the figure at 25 years was influenced by the frequent deaths of women during childbirth, as well as high infant mortality. On average, the Romans lived not much less than ours.

The measurement of time was rather conditional

The Roman hour could last from 75 of our modern minutes in summer to 44 in winter. The fact is that for the most part the Romans were guided by the sun. 12 hours of the day began at dawn, and after sunset, another 12 night hours were counted. But since the length of the day in winter and summer was very different, the length of each hour could change. Therefore, the Romans were quite tolerant of being late and were not particularly punctual.

Lilac is only for the rich

It was customary for the Romans to meet strangers “by their clothes”, or rather, by their color. There were two options: all "natural" colors, be it shades of brown-yellow and gray-black, were the natural color of sheep's wool and therefore were perceived as a sign of modest, poor citizens; and all shades of red, purple, green were created artificially, with the help of expensive dyes brought from afar, and were considered a sign of wealth and aristocracy. Wearing lilac clothes was considered a special chic.

Monobrow 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 women of fashion went to various tricks to increase the density and bushiness of their eyebrows. For example, they used artificial eyebrows made from goat hair. And they were glued to the face with the help of tree resin.

Dentistry was in demand

Ancient Rome had its own dentists, and the Romans themselves were very concerned about dental health. Archaeologists have even discovered a female 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 sparkle with a full mouth of teeth.

Romans didn't like philosophers

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

Roman generals did not fight

In art, military leaders are often depicted fighting on the front lines next to their soldiers. However, usually Roman commanders did not take part in the battle. They occupied command posts and directed the actions of the army 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 commander supposed to either lay hands on himself or go looking for death at the hands of the enemy.

There was a tradition of drinking poison

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

Persecution of Christians

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

At feasts it was customary to induce vomiting

The Romans were so fond of excess in everything that they even introduced the tradition of inducing vomiting during banquets. According to Seneca, the Romans ate at feasts until they simply couldn't eat more, and then vomited to empty the stomach and continue eating.

Roman women dyed their hair

Roman women dyed their hair. Initially, dyed hair was considered a sign of women of easy virtue, but the third wife of Emperor Claudius, Messalina, introduced the fashion for wearing multi-colored wigs, and later for dyeing hair among the Roman nobility.

Horses were involved in politics

Incitatus was the favorite horse of Emperor Caligula. According to Suetonius, a statue of Incitatus was erected in marble and ivory, he had purple robes and harness made of precious stones. Dio Cassius tells that the horse ate oats mixed with golden scales. Suetonius also writes that Caligula planned to make Incitatus consul. Perhaps in this way the emperor wanted to play a trick on the senate, showing that even a horse is able to do the work of a senator.

Didn't use soap

The Romans took a bath every day, but they did not use soap. Instead, they rubbed themselves with oils, and then scraped them off along with the dirt with special scrapers.

Used an unusual method of washing

The Romans used human urine to wash clothes. The workers filled the vat with clothes, and then filled them with urine. After that, one person climbed into the vat and trampled on the clothes to wash them.

Ancient Rome is one of the greatest states of Antiquity. The state was on the territory of modern. Rome was named after its founder, Romulus. It was famous for its customs, gladiator fights, the Colosseum, Emperors, etc. Here we will highlight 16 interesting facts about Ancient Rome.

1. Near the arenas of gladiators, one could always buy gladiator's sweat, as well as animal fat. These substances were used by women as cosmetics.

2. Saturnalia is 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 the same holiday table with the owner, and sometimes even the owners set the table for the slaves.

3. Emperor Claudius was ridiculed for not having sex with men. It was said that the one who has connections only with women, he himself becomes effeminate.

4. The kiss after the marriage ceremony came to us from Ancient Rome. But then the kiss was considered not just a beautiful tradition, but a kind of seal confirming the marriage contract.

5. The expression "to return to native land" means "to return to one's own home." This expression came from Ancient Rome, but it should be pronounced a little differently, “return to the native Penates”, since the Penates are the gods of the guardian of the hearth. Pictures of penates hung in every house.

6. In ancient Rome, the Goddess Juno bore the title "Coin", which meant "Counsellor". Near her temple there were workshops where metal money was minted, so they also began to be called coins. Also from this word came the common English name for all money "money".

7. Spintrii are ancient Roman coins depicting sexual intercourse. These coins were made specifically to pay with them in brothels.

8. The inhabitants of Ancient Rome were very fond of bloody spectacles, so bloody scenes could be observed not only in gladiator fights, but also in ordinary theaters. There, as a rule, the hero, who was supposed to die according to the script, was replaced at the last moment with a person sentenced to death, and they killed him for real.

9. 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.

10. The leap year was introduced by Gaius Julius Caesar.

11. In the Roman army, people lived in tents of 10 people. In each tent there was an elder, who was called the Dean.

12. If the patient died during the operation, the doctor's hands were cut off.

13. About 40% of the ancient Roman population were slaves.

14. The Colosseum was the largest arena and accommodated more than 200,000 spectators.

15. After the death of the emperor, an eagle was released to take the soul to heaven. The eagle was the symbol of the god Jupiter.

Everyone knows that Rome is the capital of Italy, but many will agree that this characteristic of the "Eternal City" is not enough. First of all, Rome is the capital of world cultural heritage, a city filled with splendor and power.

The best musicians, poets, artists and sculptors sang the beauty of Rome and the Vatican located on its territory, which, in addition to incredible beauty, is still the center of the Catholic world.

Ancient Rome - a city demanding "bread and circuses"

It is difficult to imagine a stronger state than the Ancient Roman Empire. Part of Europe was covered by the Roman emperors, not to mention North Africa and the Middle East. The Romans were considered truly innovators in the art of war, having created an army that was rapidly conquering the world. In the conquered lands, not only the language of the Empire was spread, but the culture and way of life of the Romans were also instilled.

The famous Roman arches appeared in the second century BC and immediately became an indispensable structure and a distinctive feature of the architecture of the "Eternal City". In addition to external beauty and pomposity, the arches bear the brunt of the building, so they first began to appear in the projects of bridges and amphitheatres.

The main buildings in Rome were temples, triumphal arches, public baths, city squares (forums) and aqueducts - structures for supplying water to the Romans.

However, the inhabitants of Rome did not have enough land. Therefore, separate houses became the privilege of wealthy Romans, the rest lived in multi-storey buildings. On the first floor, as a rule, there were merchants' shops, on the second floor - comfortable and spacious rooms. Everything that was placed above was much more crowded, but also cheaper. There was no running water in the tiny rooms on the upper floors, but this problem was solved, since there were public toilets and baths on the streets of Rome, in addition, the Romans quenched their thirst from special drinking fountains.

Externally, the center of the Roman Empire looked amazing. Numerous palaces of the emperor and his family, houses close to the emperor, decorated with columns and hand-painted, statues and triumphal arches - all this took the breath away from those who came to the "Eternal City". The temple of all the gods, the Pantheon, which reflected the greatness of the Empire, also admired. True, this is only the external side, as in fact, in any state. The poor were forced to huddle in crowded places, the dirt and sewage in which led to disease, and the old houses were endlessly exposed to fires. What can we say about the thousands of slaves brought from the conquered territories. In addition to the terrible living and working conditions, suitable men from the conquered countries were attracted to gladiator fights - the most popular spectacles of the Ancient Roman Empire.

The Romans were generally fond of entertainment. Crowds of people gathered to watch the chariot races or the hunting of wild animals. But nothing could compare for them with gladiator fights, in which slaves armed with swords fought to the death with angry animals. After the gladiator was wounded, the crowd decided whether to let him live or not. However, there is a myth that they expressed their decision with the thumb, raising or lowering it. In fact, historians argue that the gestures were different. If the crowd wanted to save the life of the gladiator, then they expressed this with their thumbs hidden in their fists. And the position of the finger up, to the side and down meant only the method of the desired killing of the gladiator: whether to cut his throat, whether to strike between the shoulder blades with a sword or in the heart. The gestures were accompanied by exclamations of pardon or the speedy shedding of blood.

Mostly, the battles took place in the Colosseum - an amphitheater that became a symbol of the Roman Empire.

1. Next to the arenas where gladiatorial fights were held, merchants with tents were placed. They mainly sold vessels containing the fat of animals involved in battles, or the sweat of a gladiator. Thanks to these "cosmetics", according to the Romans, it was easy to get rid of wrinkles.
2. The most interesting ancient Roman festival was dedicated to the god Saturn. Its distinctive feature was the following: on the days of the celebration, the slaves had a certain illusion of freedom, they sat at the same table with the owner, in addition, the owner could even serve them during the meal.

1. It is known that the main entertainment of the Romans were bloody spectacles. But the fact is little known that this "hobby" was reflected in the theatrical life of Ancient Rome. If the hero had to die on stage, then he really was killed. Therefore, some actors were destined to play the only role in their lives.
2. A strict attitude to medicine led to the fact that if the patient died during the operation, the attending physician was cut off both hands.
3. Among the rich in ancient Rome, a kind of “bell” was popular, announcing the arrival of guests. He was replaced by slaves chained in the courtyard in front of the entrance, which made a noise, thereby giving a signal about the appearance of guests.
4. In ancient Rome, the rich did not use either napkins or towels during the meal. They preferred the heads of curly-haired children, who were considered "dining boys", to them. Wealthy Romans wiped their hands on these heads, and such service was considered a worthy occupation.

1. Familiar to children, the spell "abracadabra" in ancient Rome had serious uses. Doctors created special amulets to get rid of diseases. The word "abracadabra" was indicated eleven times on the amulet.
2. In the ancient Roman army, a new type of execution was also invented, which was called the "execution of the tenth." If the detachment was guilty, then it was divided into groups of ten people, each of which drew lots. Every tenth with an unlucky lot perished at the hands of his comrades.
3. Personal names in families were not supposed to be for everyone. Only the first four sons had "special" names. If there were more sons, then the rest were called ordinal numbers, starting with the “fifth”.
4. There are cases when Roman troops turned to the gods of opponents, trying to lure them to their side. In return, the Romans promised to continue to worship them.
5. The first day of the opening of the Colosseum made a splash, because five thousand animals and approximately the same number of people were killed on it.
6. Ancient Rome was famous for its roads. By the time of the collapse of the Great Roman Empire, the total length of the roads was 54,000 km. This is where the popular phrase “All roads lead to Rome” came from.

1. The symbol of consolidating marriage with a kiss also spread thanks to Ancient Rome. But for the Romans, it was not just a tradition, but a kind of consolidation of marriage, at the level of the official press.
2. In the history of Ancient Rome, there is a case of declaring war on Neptune, who was defeated by throwing spears into the sea.
3. The owners of the nose with a hump were in special honor among the Romans, since such a nose was considered a symbol of the mind and the presence of leadership qualities.

1. The blood of defeated gladiators was carefully collected in the arena at the end of the spectacle, as it was considered a reliable treatment for infertility.
2. More than 1 million people lived in Rome. This figure was reached only in the 19th century in London.
3. The first "shopping center" was also built in ancient Rome. The building consisted of several floors and included 150 retail shops that sold everything - food, clothes, and more.
4. Roman emperors practiced taking minimal amounts of poison daily. They did this in order to get used to the properties of toxic substances in order to avoid poisoning in the future.
5. In ancient Rome, the concept of "surname" was used, but it denoted a group of slaves of one owner.

Army of the Ancient Roman Empire

Of course, the Roman Empire owes its territory and power to the army that conquered the entire Mediterranean coast and part of Africa. The size of the army increased every year, as the inhabitants of the conquered territories became the new warriors of Rome. By the beginning of our era, the strength of the Roman army was 25,000 trained warriors.

The legion in ancient Rome was the organizational unit of the army, which included 4,500 people. In each legion, maniples of 450 people stood out, in turn divided into centuries, which included 100 people each. Later, a new division appeared - cohorts. These are special detachments, which included residents of the conquered lands.

A standing army in the Roman Empire did not appear immediately. Initially, warriors were gathered only during external danger or to conquer new lands. The rich were obliged to provide "equipped" warriors with armor and weapons, the average population provided warriors with weapons, and the poor were not involved in hostilities.

But already in the 4th century BC, the situation changed dramatically and the army in Rome appeared on a permanent basis. The secret of the army's success lay in the passage of preliminary training before military campaigns, which made it possible to win victories over a less prepared enemy. According to the rules established in ancient Rome, a warrior spent 25 years in military service. After they received a lifetime pension and part of the conquered territory. Warriors who especially distinguished themselves in battle received all these privileges during their service.

The progressive army of the Roman Empire was rightfully considered invincible and for centuries held a leading position in the world.

Modern Rome as the capital of Italy. Description and interesting facts

If we talk about modern Rome, then this is the largest tourist center in both Italy and the whole world. But the city is developed not only in the tourist direction. Being the capital, it is of great economic and political importance for the country.

According to official sources, there are 3 million people in the city, but those who come from all over the world to work are not taken into account.

On the territory of Rome, in the Vatican, is the largest church in the world - St. Peter's Basilica.

The authorities of Rome are strongly interested in changing the image of the Colosseum, which is associated among the inhabitants of the city and tourists with the cruelest bloody spectacles of antiquity. Therefore, with the beginning of the new millennium, the Colosseum at Night program was launched in Rome. As soon as it gets dark, the building acquires a standard white backlight, but if on that day an execution or death sentence was canceled in the world, the backlight of the Colosseum turns gold.

There is a church in Rome, some rooms of which are decorated with the bones of monks, in other rooms there are skeletons in cloaks. This is the church of the Capuchins, who expressed their attitude to life and death in such an original way.

In Rome, there is an operating restaurant "Swearing", in which the waiters do not pick up words, referring to visitors and being rude to them at the first opportunity. In response, the waiters also receive a portion of rudeness from the guests of the restaurant. The place is popular due to its color and originality.