Many empires have risen and fallen, but none have left a mark like ancient Rome. From humble beginnings, it grew to lead the ancient world and became synonymous with power. Though ancient Rome touched the sun, it still crumbled, and now, only relics of its once unstoppably large empire remain.
With its status in pop culture, many people have seen how life looked during the era of the ancient Roman Empire. However, due to the excess number of films, books, songs, and thought pieces, finding elusive and critical information on the empire’s functioning may prove difficult. Today, we’ll dive into 35 mysterious, weird, and mind-blowing facts about ancient Rome. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.
History of Ancient Rome
1. Though many articles and news sources cite Romulus as Rome’s founder, that seemingly unbreakable fact is wrong and rooted in fiction.
2. The story of Romulus and his brother, Remus, was a classic myth created by the Romans to mystify the creation of the Roman Empire.
In reality, no one knows who founded ancient Rome. Archeological excavations near the region state that early ancient artifacts appeared around 1000 BC, and more advanced structures existed around 800 BC.
3. The Kingdom of Rome began around 753 BC. However, due to poor documentation by historians from the era, there isn’t much knowledge of the actions taken by the young empire.
4. About 250 years after the establishment of the Kingdom of Rome, the first republic started after the dethronement of the last of the seven kings, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus.
5. The new republic saw rapid technological and political advancements, including creating a constitution that separated powers among different arms of the government: the senate, consuls, and popular assemblies.
6. Though Rome was now a massive military force, it faced opposition from rebellious groups like the Gauls, who invaded and pillaged villages.
7. With constant opposition, Rome improved its military and soon became the mightiest force in the Western world.
8. However, excess government control and lack of land reforms that left peasants in abject poverty eventually led to disunity in the empire’s later stages; this led to Rome’s fall.
Culture of Ancient Rome
9. The culture of ancient Rome revolved around a complex patriarchal hierarchy. At the top were powerful men who wielded political power. Below them were wealthy merchants who leased land to farmers and collected the harvest to sell.
10. Below the merchants were the ordinary people, who, under the republic, could vote if they were men. At the bottom of the hierarchy were freedmen and slaves, who couldn’t participate in any electoral process.
11. Life in Rome was somewhat harsh for the common folk, and diseases reduced the average life expectancy to just 25. Though riddled with many issues, the empire still had fun places like taverns, brothels, baths, theaters, the Colosseum, and Trajan’s Forum.
12. Unlike popular belief, ancient Rome was considerably far less promiscuous than portrayed. Moral codes called the mos maiorum laid a framework for how men and women should behave in society; this code included self-control.
13. Though Latin was the primary language of the Roman Empire, many Romans loved and spoke Greek due to their obsession with its culture.
Economy of Ancient Rome
14. Ancient Rome’s economy relied on vital sectors like agriculture, taxation, slavery, and banking.
15. The Roman government funded many public works like road construction with taxes; this boosted the economy as the prevalence of good roads increased trade between merchants and foreigners.
16. Besides taxes, another primary source of income for the government was tributaries from conquered regions. Unlike the Greeks, the Romans assimilated regions they conquered and collected tributaries from them; this increased cultural integration and led to more revenue to fund public projects.
17. Among private individuals, the primary source of income came from agriculture.
18. As ancient Rome was a preindustrial society, most commoners were farmers who worked on the farms of wealthy merchants and politicians. The most precious farm products were grain and wine.
19. Besides farming, another crucial aspect of the Roman economy was slavery. Almost every moderately well-off family had two or even more slaves who saw to the daily upkeep of the home.
Politics
20. Ancient Rome’s government was a complex organization comprising many sub-organizations.
21. After the end of the Roman monarchy, a republic began, and primary power rested in the hands of the imperium, comprising three bodies: the consuls, the popular assembly, and the senate.
22. The consuls were two people appointed by members of the popular assembly. They held a one-year-term office and controlled Rome’s military, senate, and legislation.
23. Next was the popular assembly and the mightiest arm of the government during the republic. They were responsible for making laws and choosing consuls to control the military.
24. At the bottom of the imperium was the senate. It comprised the wealthiest men in Roman society who indirectly influenced foreign policies concerning trade and the military.
25. After the fall of the Roman Republic due to internal political conflicts, a dictatorial empire was established, with Julius Caesar becoming the ruler. Caesar’s new reign was met with resistance from the senate, leading to his assassination.
26. After Julius Caesar’s death, his son and adopted son, Mark Anthony and Octavian, seized power from the men responsible for their father’s death. After winning, they split Rome into two factions. However, the separation didn’t last, as Octavian wielded absolute power after defeating his brother.
27. With his victory, the senate gave Octavian the title of Augustus, and he became the first emperor of Rome.
28. Augustus ruled for 40 years and established a new government that ensured his stepson, Tiberius, became the next emperor after his death; this practice continued for the next 503 years.
29. However, the empire eventually succumbed to a new unstoppable foe, gothic invaders.
Weird Superstitious Beliefs in Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome had many superstitious beliefs rooted in popular culture. Here are some:
30. People believed a groom not carrying his bride on the wedding day brought bad luck. People believed that if a wife tripped and fell, the spirits that were to protect her new home would be angry and abandon her.
31. The Romans had formal city boundaries, pomerium, marked by sacred stones called cippi. Wielding weapons on the land was forbidden.
32. The Romans also had a group of virgin girls called Vestal Virgins. They were responsible for keeping the flames in Vesta’s temple going. The Vesta Virgins symbolized the purity of the Roman Empire, and anyone who hurt or tried to harm them faced execution.
33. Though the Vestal Virgins were protected, they sometimes fell victim to politics. Whenever Vestal Virgins were accused and found guilty of breaking their deal with the gods through premarital sex, they had to cleanse the land with their blood. Because the virgins couldn’t die without their approval, they were buried alive.
34. The Romans also believed the left hand was evil.
35. Another popular myth in ancient Rome was the belief that gladiators’ blood had supernatural qualities that could cure epilepsy and infertility; this led to people buying remedies mixed with gladiators’ blood for exorbitant prices.
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed learning our 35 mind-blowing ancient Rome facts. You can check out our other articles, like the Pyramid of Giza Facts, or search our Facts Database for cool facts. Don’t forget to leave us a comment and share.
