So, take out your archaeological gear, and grab your suntan lotion as we prepare to dig into these facts about Ancient Rome. There are more precious gems to this city than Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, and the Pantheon.
The Word “Palace” Has Origins in Rome
Would you believe that Ancient or Classical Rome gave us the word ‘palace’? This ancient city has seven hills: Aventine, Caelian, Capitoline, Quirinal, Viminal, Esquiline, and Palatine. The last of these translates to Palatine Hill from the Latin Mons Palatinus. It was upon this hill that Rome was said to be founded by Romulus.
It became a key and central section of Roman administration. In the ancient days, the hill coined its own name, ‘Palatinus,’ from the ‘Palatium,’ which translates to ‘place of strength and power.’ It is from this word where the word ‘palace’ took its origins from. Interesting.
The Pantheon’s Original Purpose Is Not Known
Following the Battle of Actium – the naval conflict between Octavius and Cleopatra’s fleet teamed up with Mark Antony – the Roman Statesman and war general, Marcus Agrippa began the construction of the Pantheon. This construction is dated around 31 BC.
While the pantheon is believed to be a temple dedicated to the gods, this contradicts what we know about Roman culture. Generally, one temple was dedicated to one god, such as the Garni Temple in Armenia, which is dedicated to Helios – the sun god. While we are not sure what the Pantheon was originally constructed for, it is an awesome building.
The Roman Forum
This site is located in the dip between the Capitoline and Palatine Hills, you will find the Roman Forum. Back in the ancient period, this was a hotspot in the empire. Merchants and traders would bring their wares, so it was integral to the trade and economy of the city.
Interestingly, the word ‘forum’ now means a kind of area where you can bring up different topics,’ but the Latin word ‘foro’ means ‘market.’ We guess that the Roman Forum had two functions: first for market and trade purposes and second, for discussion and conversational exchanges. Election campaigns were held here too.
Though the world is much more populated nowadays than in ancient times, there is not much difference between the current size of Rome’s population and its population size in the ancient period. According to figures from 2017, Rome has roughly 2.8 million inhabitants.
Back in the 1st century, it is estimated that 1 million inhabitants lived in the city. Many individuals flocked to the city during this time because of its prosperity and security owing to its fortified walls. Sadly, the city’s population dwindled over the next centuries after the city was captured and hit by many plagues.
Raphael’s Burial Site
This famous artist was not born in Rome but rather in Urbino – a town that has experienced little change since the Renaissance. Raffaello Sanzo, more commonly known as Raphael, was an Italian Renaissance painter. His most famous works include “The School of Athens” and “Portrait of a Lady with a Unicorn”.
Though Raffello was not Roman, he worked on some great Roman monuments, like the frescos on the roofs of Chigi Chapel and Saint Peter's Basilica. Before his burial, Raphael asked to be buried in the Pantheon – showing his final wish was to be laid to rest in this ancient city.
The Spanish Steps
These iconic steps are an essential monument to the ancient city, and we haven't heard of any tourists in Rome who haven't paid their respects to this incredible site. While they are called the Spanish steps, they are not at all Spanish but purely Roman. They were built between 1723 to 1725 – even before the country of Italy existed – and were dedicated to a Spanish ambassador who lived close to the stairs.
This means the stairs are roughly around 300 years old. These steps have a legacy of their own. They have unsurprisingly featured in the film “Roman Holiday.” People are also not allowed to eat on these stairs, even if there are 135 of them.
Well, unfortunately, we’re not speaking about the romantic kind, but we’re speaking about the kind used to greet friends, family members, children, and close acquaintances. Kissing on the lips was something that was common practice. Yet, with the Christian revolution or movement, this practice was forbidden and slowly disappeared.
Kissing was then strictly reserved for intimate and romantic partners and spouses. So, while we cannot get away with kissing “friends” on the lips these days, in one such time – the Roman Age – people could. Wonder if the ancients had more or fewer issues with jealousy during those times.
The Mythological Founding
Given that the Roman legendary figures Romulus and Remus were raised by a she-wolf, there is not a whole lot of certainty about when and how this ancient city was founded. The legend goes that brothers, Romulus and Remus, were both abandoned or dumped and were then taken under the wing of this wild predator.
In Rome, the statue, Lupa Capitolina, shows a scene of the two boys drinking from the milk of the she-wolf. The brothers wished to establish the city, but a bitter struggle ensued regarding the naming of the city. However, Romulus killed his brother, and in 753 BC, the city was founded.
Natale di Roma
If we believe the legend about Rome’s establishment, then it would mean that on April 21, 2023, Rome turned 2775 years old. That is pretty old and well worth commemorating, and it also means it was probably a great place to be visiting, especially if you are a decoration and party lover.
During the big day, the museums were free, and there were historical reenactments and parades. Thus, there was plenty on show. Furthermore, if you stopped by the Pantheon, you would have seen the sunlight streaming in at noon, making the scene quite a sight to behold. For those who made it, it must have been an experience of a lifetime.
Emperor Gaius Caligula
This Emperor’s reputation definitely precedes him, and that is not a good thing, especially for the Roman senators who wished they could have removed all traces of Emperor Gaius Caligula from the history books. He was not only known for his extravagance and debauchery but also for ruling the Roman Empire through fear and terror.
It is unsurprising that his reign lasted only four years and that he was eventually assassinated. An assassination plot was devised by Praetorian Guards – elite members of the imperial Roman guard. Look, if your own bodyguards take you out, you must be quite bad.
The City of Fountains
Recently, this title – “The City of Fountains” – might have been claimed by Kansas City, Rome was the previous holder of this title. In total, this city has 2000 fountains. As said, Kansas City recently claimed the title because even though it has 200 fountains, these 200 are in working condition.
Those in Rome are not all working which makes sense considering how old some of them are. They were originally built to transport water outside the city. One of the oldest is The Fountain in Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere which, according to sources, was built during the 8th century.
Extension of the Roman Forum
The Roman Forum served as a key location during the Roman Age. It was a market where traders could exchange goods. In other words, it was the marketplace. However, as the city of Rome expanded, the marketplace became a lively and bustling area. In fact, it was so popular that it became the center of the city.
Soon, it became clear that even if the marketplace itself would have to expand. The Saturn Temple and Senate House were added to the Roman Forum. That is why it is just a short walk from these buildings to the original Roman Forum.
One of the best things about Rome is its plenty of fountains. For sure, not all of them are working but considering that there are about 2000 of these fountains, it means just one thing – plenty of drinking water. Planning a trip to Rome? Make sure to bring a refillable water bottle.
Anyone who has visited Rome will remember heading to the nearest tap, one of many scattered throughout the city, to fill up on the deliciously cool water. The only thing we wish is that there would be as many public toilets as well. Well, you cannot have everything.
While ancient Egypt is famous for its admiration of cats, this tradition spread to the Roman Empire. After the Roman Empire conquered Egypt in the first century, it also adopted some of its customs, including the admiration of cats. It was forbidden to harm cats, and that practice has been maintained.
Since then, the city passed Law 281, which means harming a cat warrants punishment, cats have the freedom to live where they want, cats have a right to eat in a refuge center, and finally, the locals can sterilize female cats. Pretty good to be a cat in Rome.
The Museum of Pasta
Where else in the world would you expect to find a museum of pasta? Definitely Italy! And definitely the country’s most celebrated city – Rome. Called the Museo Nazionale Della Pasta Alimentari (National Museum of Pasta), this museum goes back much further than you think – all the way back to 1824. Now that is impressive.
It is owned by the Agnesi family, who were involved in pasta production. Thus, if you are ever looking to expand on your pasta knowledge or to see the history of something different, why not look up the Pasta Museum next time you are in Rome?
The Seven Hills
Seven seems to be a very special number, especially if you are superstitious about numbers and numerology, plus is a prime number, meaning that it cannot be obtained by multiplying two numbers together. There aren't too many around. Or maybe it's so special (the number) because the city of Rome has been built around seven hills that it has endured for so long and will continue to endure.
What is interesting is that the boundaries of Rome are limited to these seven hills: Aventine, Caelian, Capitoline, Quirinal, Viminal, Esquiline, and Palatine. The city was originally founded on Palatine Hill, but it has since then grown. If you want to know where Rome ends and begins – remember these seven hills.
Who doesn’t love a good secret passage? And it is not at all surprising that there is one in one of the oldest cities, Rome. Well, technically, it is a secret passage from Rome to another country – The Vatican City. Okay, it is not that crazy that it runs to the Vatican, but it is still awesome to find a secret passage in Rome.
The Castel Sant’Angelo was built as a mausoleum to Emperor Hadrian. Extending from there is Passetto del Borgo, a secret passage the monks could use to escape to the Castel Sant’Angelo during dangerous times.
The Great Fire of Rome
During the period of Emperor Nero’s reign, Circus Maximus – the chariot-racing circuit which you can visit the ruins of – caught fire, and for the first six days, the fire blazed in the city of Rome and then for another three days, the city continued to face the wrath of flame and smoke.
No one knows exactly who started the fire, but there have been some fingers pointed at Emperor Nero himself, who casually played a fiddle while Rome blazed, and other fingers have been pointed at a faction of Christians. This iconic fire has inspired much discussion and artistic work.
The Most Famous Roman Emperor
The history of Julius Caesar is famous for two main reasons: his achievements and his death. Julius Caesar was an incredible military tactician. Key characteristics of his military accomplishments include being a decisive leader, having a great relationship with his troops, and fighting in spite of the odds.
As mentioned, Caesar had a great relationship with his troops, so much so that he became a Roman dictator with the backing of his soldiers. This ultimately led to his downfall as close associates such as Brutus had to resort to assassination to set the Roman Empire free to become a republic.
Roman Toilet Paper
Some people love period films and believe if they could live in the past, they’d be much happier. Wouldn't it be wonderful to live in the early 1920s, wearing a beautiful flapper dress? Anyway, period films don’t always show you the really gritty reality of living in the past.
While toilet paper had been invented by the Roman Age, it wasn’t the done thing. Instead, the Romans preferred to use wet sponges or simply water for this type of cleaning. Okay, the latter of these is not all that disgusting. But thinking about wet sponges as an alternative to toilet paper is not at all romantic, so we could skip returning to the past.
Sometimes, you see people pampering their pets in such an extravagant manner that you think it is something only modern people do. Well, this kind of behavior is not limited to modern people. In fact, modern people have nothing on Caligula. Emperor Gaius Caligula’s horse, Incitatus, is probably the most spoiled horse in all of history.
The horse’s stable was made of marble and bedecked with jewels. Of course, the horse had his own servants who looked after him, and him alone. Often Caligula would criticize his advisors and senators, saying Incitatus would have done better in their roles.
We often complain about there not being enough hours in a day. However, we might start to appreciate the fact that we have 24 hours, considering that the Romans only had 12-hour days. In fact, if you walk through the city, you might spot a sundial marking out 12 hours per day in ancient Rome.
For example, the Solarium Augusti is a sundial in the form of an obelisk near Meridiana Di Augusto used for telling time in this city. Perhaps, life was not as stressful, and they didn’t need 24 hours. Next time you’re in Rome, visit Solarium Augusti.
The First McDonalds
Close to the Spanish Steps located in the Piazza di Spagna (meaning "Square of Spain"), you will find a McDonald's restaurant neatly tucked into the row of street stores and shops. This McDonald's happens to be the first of the franchises built in the country of Italy.
It officially opened its doors in 1968, but there had been much resistance to its construction. Personally, if we are in Italy, we prefer to stick to local pizza and pasta, but if you find yourself close to the Spanish Steps and want a bit of familiarity or just a familiar old treat, why not visit the first McDonald's in Italy?
It is well-known that the Roman Empire did not mess around when it came to its military. Some of the best military tacticians were Roman generals, including Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus – aka Pompey the Great – Marcus Antonius – on whom Shakespeare based his “Anthony and Cleopatra” – and the most famous of them all, Julius Caesar.
It was not only the might of Rome's generals, but the Romans constructed roads allowing their troops easy access during wartimes. For instance, Roman soldiers could cover 50km in one day thanks to their network of roads. Walking the streets of Rome today easily takes you back in time.
Romans Were Landlords
One of the more progressive features of Roman society and law was that owning property was open to all Roman citizens. Since the property was neither controlled by a religious nor political institution, it meant that it became more and more important for individual Romans to own their own. And many of them did.
A lot of the Roman citizens were landlords, even if it was only a small piece of property. Interestingly, we had to go through a whole Feudal Age to revert back to what the Romans had done almost 2,000 years ago. So a lot has changed, however, plenty has remained the same.
Rome Was Not Built in a Day
Everyone has probably heard this expression once in a lifetime. When someone tries to give you words of encouragement, they might use this proverb, “Rome Wasn’t Built in A Day.” Since Rome was originally founded in 753 BC, century after century saw the addition of monuments to this eternal city.
Additions include the Pantheon, Saint Peter’s Basilica, the Spanish Steps, and the Victor Emmanuel II monument. How many days exactly has it taken for Rome to be built? The answer is about 1,010,450 days. That is an incredible amount. No wonder Rome is a dream destination for so many, and no wonder it took more than a day.
The City of Obelisks
When you think of obelisks, you think of Egypt, and more specifically, you think of ancient Egypt. Well, you wouldn’t be wrong for thinking so. The only thing is that obelisks are more common in Rome than in ancient Egypt. There are a little over 20 obelisks worldwide.
Five of them are in Egypt, and 13 are in Rome. We can say that the Romans were inspired by the Egyptian pharaohs, except their inspiration took the form of snatching them up and shipping them back home. Not building new ones. There is also an obelisk in Paris, New York, and London.
Loss of Life
With the deadliness and violence of the games hosted in the Colosseum, there was a great waste of life. Even though these fights were not for the faint-hearted, we can’t say the ancients were all that faint-hearted to begin with. The gladiator fights were extremely popular, drawing audiences of 65,000 people on average.
And it seems very much the case that these people enjoyed the brutality of these fights. It is estimated that half a million people lost their lives in the Colosseum arena, making it definitely one of the bloodiest sports in history. Rome is known for its dark days in history, and the gladiator days are a major part of them.
Cappuccinos in Rome
Italy is almost synonymous with coffee and coffee lovers. While there is an ongoing debate about who makes the best cup of coffee, there is no shortage of coffee appreciation in the city of Rome. However, there is a limited appreciation of cappuccinos. We love the stuff, however, things are different in its homeland.
This is not to say that the locals do not like cappuccinos, it is just limited – meaning you must order one before 11 a.m. So, if you are a coffee fan, Rome is the place to be (as well as most of Italy), but if you want a cappuccino, just remember the cappuccino curfew.
Even if you haven’t visited Rome, you are probably aware of one of its most iconic landscapes – the Colosseum, this circular amphitheater located just east of the Roman Forum. This amphitheater’s reputation precedes it as most people know gladiator fights took place within its circular frame.
What people don’t know is that it is considered one of the wonders of the modern world, along with the Great Wall of China and Christ the Redeemer. While the building is old, it is not as ancient as it was built in 80CE, meaning it still makes the cut for this list of wonders.
The City With the Most Churches
While Rwanda steals the limelight as the country with the most churches per capita, Vatican City actually has the most churches per country. It is unsurprisingly that its next-door neighbor, Rome, is the city with the most churches. And what is more, is that the Romans offer us churches of excellent and exquisite design.
Baroque masters such as Bernini and Borromini are some of the ravishing architects who were the creators behind fabulous churches, such as Sant'Andrea al Quirinale, Santa Maria Della Vittoria, and Sant'Ivo Alla Sapienza. If you have been to Rome, you’ve probably seen these amazing constructions, and if you haven't, it is a must.
Rome’s Hidden Gallery
First, you will have to find Piazza Santi Apostoli, and if you are a tourist, that might be much harder to do. But in the courtyard of this square, you will find a hidden gallery. And like any treasure that is hidden and discovered, the Galleria Sciarra is like coming upon treasure.
It is a treasure made up of Art Nouveau frescos. The courtyard was originally built in the 19th century, and the artist of these numerous frescos was Giuseppe Cellini. There is a theme to most of these masterpieces showing women and representing themes such as virtue and modesty.
Certainly, the invention of the printing press occurred much later – in Medieval China, to be specific – but in their own way, the ancient Romans had their own way of spreading the news. Plant materials were circulated to spread information about the military status quo, announcements of weddings and deaths, and any news that would have been noteworthy to a local Roman.
These were called Acta Diurna, meaning Daily Acts. Thus, even though it was not as advanced as a newspaper is now, the Romans did make use of a kind of ancient system of distributing local news. Like many other things, they were the first with the press too.
Countries and cities that are located in precarious zones that are vulnerable to natural disasters know that the things at a higher chance of being damaged in these times are buildings – especially high-rise buildings. Even back in the Roman Age, this was an issue. “Insulae” were apartment blocks in which much of the city’s population lived.
During Emperor Augustus’ time, these “insulae” could not be higher than 70ft. Though Nero was not the most well-loved emperor, he restricted the height of these apartment blocks even further to 60ft. This is because these buildings often simply collapsed or were washed away by a flood.
Pizza Was Not a Roman Invention
Pizza is almost synonymous with Italy. When you think of Italy, you think of pizza and pasta. But actually, this meal does not hail from the country’s most iconic city, but actually from a city further south, Naples. Or as the Italians call it – Napoli.
In fact, the Italians have to thank the Spanish conquest of South America because, on the return trip, they brought tomatoes. And soon, the city of Naples was making its own unique meal, the Napoletana Pizza. And honestly, the history doesn’t get any juicier than that, and it tastes nothing like what we get back home.
The Inauguration of the Colosseum
Almost 2000 years after it was established, one of the first stops tourists make in Rome is to flock to the Colosseum. Still, the elliptical amphitheater draws crowds. However, can you imagine the attention it received when it was first opened?
It is certainly like nothing we would experience these days. In 81CE, Titus – the son of Roman Emperor Vespasian – opened the Colosseum, and it was a wild celebration. There were 100 days devoted to the inauguration of the Colosseum, including gladiator fights. And when we said ‘wild’, we weren’t joking. Plenty of wild animals were used during the gladiator combats.
Rome Contains Its Own Country
Okay, Vatican City may not be the biggest country, but it is rather spectacular that the city of Rome contains its own country. And Vatican City is definitely its own country. This state within a state has its own laws – abiding by the Canon of the Catholic Church.
This means that it is certainly its own nation and has its own inhabitants, and it's a must-visit site. Speaking of inhabitants, the total population of Vatican City was 825, according to the figures from 2019. While it is an incredibly small state, it is still amazing that Rome contains its own country.
Citizenship & Desertion
A positive characteristic of the Roman Empire and its ancient capital, Rome, was that it was pretty open to immigration. If you trained and fought long enough in the army, you would be rewarded with citizenship – which was a fair deal, considering that Rome was the place to be at the beginning of the ancient millennium and most surrounding countries could not offer people what Rome did.
The only problem was if you decided to desert the army. Desertion was punished severely. If serving in the army meant gaining citizenship, it is only expected that deserting the army would entail your citizenship being revoked.
Bocca Della Verità
Standing to the left of the portico of the Santa Maria in Cosmedin church at the Piazza Della Bocca Della Verità, you will see a marble statue of a mask called Bocca Della Verità. If you translate this name — Bocca Della Verità – directly, it means “Mouth of Truth.”
The legend behind this statue is that if a man put his hand in this statue and it was bitten off, then the person was not telling the truth. We’re not sure how effective it was, but this marble mask is proof that the concept of lie detecting is positively ancient. So we have Italian Pinocchio, with his growing nose, and now we have this. The Italians don't seem to trust people, apparently.
Not for the Faint of Heart
British director, Ridley Scott, brought to life a popular form of Roman entertainment – gladiator fights. Hosted in the Colosseum and watched by thousands, gladiator fights were not only extremely popular but extremely brutal. Gladiators were generally slaves who were owned by Roman slaveowners.
These gladiators were primarily used for entertainment purposes. That part of the movie didn’t get wrong. It didn’t help that there were initially no rules, meaning fights could get out of hand. In fact, these fights were so brutal that in the beginning, gladiators who lost the fights were sentenced to death – so not for the faint-hearted.
The Largest Amphitheater
The ancient Greeks and Romans were certainly keen on amphitheaters, so that is why when you visit Athens, you will see the Odeon of Herodes Atticus and Nîmes you can take a tour of the Amphitheatre of Nîmes. However, the most impressive amphitheater would have to be the Colosseum.
The iconic landmark is about 1943 years old and could hold about 50,000 to 80,000 spectators. On average, the amphitheater held about 65,000 spectators. Its main purpose was to hold gladiatorial events but also public performances such as theater productions. These days, an average of six million people visit the site every year.
Both Greek and Roman mythology have captured the public’s imagination even after the fall of both civilizations. Several movies such as “Clash of the Titans” and “The Immortals” as well as games such as “God of War” have been based on Greek mythology – from which a lot of Roman mythology took inspiration.
However, for the Romans, this belief in gods and goddesses was not just interesting and incredible stories. The Romans built several temples in honor of their gods, like the Garni Temple, which was dedicated to Helios (the sun god) in modern-day Armenia. So, who influenced who, we ask.
Tossing a Coin Into Trevi Fountain
If you have ever visited Rome, then you have probably tossed a coin or two into the iconic Trevi Fountain. There is a legend about the famous fountain that if you toss a coin into its waters, you will visit Rome one day again.
Heck, we will toss a whole purse of coins into the waters if we can go back to Rome. It is little wonder that coins amounting to between 5,000 and 8,000 Euros are thrown into the fountain every day. The coins are collected and sent to a Catholic charity which uses them to support local families in need.
The Colosseum saw much violence and death, but it was not only human life that was wasted in this ring, animal life was taken too. In some cases, wild animals served as companions to gladiators, so if the gladiator lost the fight, rules dictated that both lost their lives.
In other cases, hungry animals were forced to stand off against other hungry animals, so naturally, one animal did not survive. Wild animals that made regular appearances include tigers, bears, elephants, and giraffes. It is estimated that 1,000,000 animals were killed in these brutal games. Thankfully, the world has progressed, and the rules have changed.
Today the Italians are known for their unbeaten cuisine, however, in ancient days, they were known for other things. One thing was their superb engineering and their advanced plumbing. The quintessential Roman construction is the Roman aqueduct, with its distinct design of arches, something easy to spot all over Europe, especially Spain, where plenty are distributed.
When taking a train from Fiumicino to the Main Terminus, you get your first view of the city of Rome and encounter your first Roman aqueduct. Now, if that is not a great introduction to the city, to Roman engineering, and to Roman efficiency of water transportation, then we don’t know what is.
Rome Is Older Than Italy
If we trust the legend and mythological story of Rome’s founding, then that puts the establishment of the city in the year 753 BC – meaning that the city is about 2800 years old. What is incredible is that this ancient city – like many Italian cities – actually predates the country of Italy.
The country of Italy was only unified in the 19th century, over a period of over 20 years (officially 1871). While we are skeptical of the exact founding of Rome – as it is mythological – we know that this ancient city is definitely much older than the country of Italy.
The Roman Empire
For the past several hundred years, the Roman Empire has captured the imaginations of both historians and archaeologists. No surprise there. It was a massive empire that controlled much of the Mediterranean and spread as far northwards to England as well as eastwards to Eastern Europe and Turkey.
Since the empire took its name from the great city of Rome, the Empire has become synonymous with this great city, and this great city is synonymous with the mighty Roman Empire. Thus, many people travel to Rome to learn about the culture and everyday life during the period of the Roman Empire.
Walking in the streets of Rome, you are offered not only an abundance of ancient monuments but because Rome is so packed with historical artifacts, walking the streets is like being transported back to those ancient days. It may not contend with the Colosseum, but Circus Maximus (Circo Massimo), which literally means ‘big circuit’, is an ancient chariot-racing venue.
Visiting the site gives you insight into what the Romans did for entertainment, which between the Colosseum and Circo Massimo means gladiator fights and chariot-racing. These monuments all give us an idea of the scale on which these events were enjoyed.
As the Roman Empire expanded, it conquered many foreign lands, including those in the Mediterranean and North Africa, Eastern Europe, and what is now the British Islands (or England, if you insist). In contact with several different people, the Romans became curious about different hair colors.
And thus, a trend emerged among Roman women to dye their hair different shades of color. Interestingly, there was a law passed saying that... let's call them 'ladies of the night', were made to dye their hair blonde. That really adds an interesting dimension to the idea of the blonde bombshell. Alternatively, women with a different line of work generally dyed their hair black and red.
The City’s Nicknames
Of course, with a history spanning millennia, it is hard not to believe that the city goes by so many different nicknames, including The Eternal City, The City of Seven Hills, and The Caput Mundi. It is called The Eternal City because the ancient Romans believed that the city would go on no matter how many civilizations rose and decayed.
So far, so good. It is also called The Caput Mundi, translating from Latin to The World Capital (when you think of it, there was a time when Rome was the center of the world), as during the height of the Roman Empire, the city had a massive population and incredible wealth.
The Capital Moves East
Given its name the Roman Empire, the empire has become inextricably linked to this city. For many years, rulers administered the empire from this city. That does not mean that other cities did not have any kind of administrative power. During the 7th century, Constantinople (now known as Istanbul) grew as a prosperous port owing to its strong geographical location.
In 330 AD, Constantine I established Constantinople as “New Rome,” meaning that the empire now had two capitals. This continued until the Western Roman Empire collapsed, but for a period of time, there were two capitals: one Rome and one Constantinople.
You might have seen this abbreviation before. Possibly, you have even spotted it during your time in Rome. SPQR is the abbreviation for the “Senatus Populusque Romanus.” If you translate it directly, it means “The Senate and People of Rome.” That doesn’t sound like anything important, but it does refer to the recognition of the dual sovereignty of the Roman senate and the people.
For instance, the people are both individuals and Romans, as the senators are both senators and Romans. Despite Rome belonging to Italy, this principle is more or less maintained in the city nowadays. So there is being Roman, and there is being Italian, and do not mix between the two.
Victor Emmanuel II National Monument
One of the grandest and most striking monuments in Rome is, with no doubt, the Victor Emmanuel II National Monument. It is also known as Altare Della Patria (Altar of the Fatherland). And while the monument is not ancient, it is now part of the Roman landscape.
Did we mention it was grand? The monument reaches 266ft (81m) in length. It is also a striking white. It was originally constructed to pay homage to the first king, Victor Emmanuel II, of a united Italy. It is true it is not ancient, but no list about Rome could leave this monument out.
Just the Tip of the Iceberg
If you had to roam the streets of Rome – excuse the pun (actually, we're not sorry) – you would feel like you were living half in the modern world and half in the ancient world. That is just the tip of the iceberg. Most of ancient Rome has not been excavated as more than 90% of the ruins are found underground – about 30ft underground.
Since the city’s history spans more than 2800 years, this means there are plenty of layers of history. Furthermore, archaeologists and historians cannot exactly indulge in cordoning off digging sites because Rome still functions as a city.
The City of Cats
In Taiwan, cats have their own village. In Japan, cats have their own island (and they are also a huge concept at coffee shops). And in Rome, cats have their own city. So, if you are a cat looking for a destination, you have some options.
While Istanbul may claim the title, ‘city of cats.’ Rome is not far behind. There are approximately 300,000 cats living in Rome. 180,000 live with families, while 120,000 are feral cats. With the relaxed laws around feral cats, it is little wonder that so many of them make this ancient city their home.
Italy may be a producer of some great car brands such as Lamborghini, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, and, of course, Ferrari, however, in Rome, it is the Vespa that wins as a popular transport choice. When visiting the city, you will see plenty of the locals whizzing around on scooters.
Some of the major motivations for the locals to favor mopeds are the narrow roads, traffic congestion, and gasoline prices. Certainly, the last factor makes even more sense now, as gasoline bills are enough to make someone feel dizzy. Doing as the Romans do in Rome will save you a bit.
It’s Not All Just Togas and Stolas
If you planned an ancient costume party, most of your guests would show up wearing togas and stolas. The men would be drabbed in togas and the women in stolas. However, these clothing choices were limited to Roman citizens and non-slaves. Not everyone could enter the Colosseum dressed in traditional Roman clothing.
In order to dress appropriately for the time, if you were a non-Roman citizen, you couldn’t just put any old Toga or Stola on. And the same applies if you were a slave. Forget about gearing up in a stola or Toga. No, it’s just a standard tunic for you.
The Capital of Italy
While Rome, Florence, Genoa, Siena, and Naples are historic cities – their origins going back to medieval or even ancient times – Italy is a relatively young country, and it took some time to piece all these principalities and kingdoms together to form modern-day Italy.
Finally, in 1871, Italy was unified. When the process of unification was complete, the capital of Italy moved from Florence to Rome. It was during this time that Napoleon invaded Italy. After the remaining troops of Napoleon were finally defeated and Italy was no longer in the hands of the French, Rome became the capital of Italy.
The Roman Calendar
It is true the Roman Empire did not have one calendar, but several different kinds of calendars were created throughout its existence. Interestingly, the word ‘calendar’ takes its origins not from Italian, but from the Greek word, ‘καλειν,’ which means ‘to announce.’
The reason behind the creation of the event was that the emperor needed a way to mark festivities, military ceremonies, and commemorations, so the calendar was created. There were several adaptions made to the calendar, including adding January and February and later changing the name of July and August. Also, we can blame February for having only 28 days on the Romans.
While there are plenty of things to admire about Roman culture, it did have some downsides – major downsides, one of which was allowing slavery. In fact, in the ancient world, slavery was common practice. However, when you walk down the streets of the famous city and admire the amazing constructions – and how impressive they are – remember slaves were used for their construction.
For example, the Baths of Caracalla – the second largest public baths – used approximately 6,000 slaves who worked 12 hours every day for six years. The Baths of Caracalla were finally completed in 216CE. Nearly every public construction involved slave labor.
In some ways, it is hard to believe how advanced the ancient Romans and the Roman Empire really were. When it comes to engineering, massive constructions, and water management, the Romans were truly advanced. In fact, after a kind of archaeological resurgence in the last millennium, discoveries about Roman plumbing were made.
In an ancient city like Rome, there were many fountains, a network of bridges transporting water, and many public toilets and baths. That means that roughly 2,000 years ago, the Romans were excelling in not only building public infrastructure but in creating a network to support a city.
A lot of us fantasize about returning to the past, and one time many of us would like to return to in history is the Roman Age. Except, of course, when you learn that the Romans used animal urine as mouthwash. Sounds odd (and revolting), however, who are we to argue?
While we are guessing that it killed the germs, animal urine is probably the last thing we will put into our mouths. So, all that fantasizing about living a life as a Roman stops early in the morning when you have to rinse your mouth. The worst part was that sometimes human urine was used as well.
Naval Battles at the Colosseum?
Yep, that’s right – naval battles in the Colosseum. Considering that the nearest beach is almost 30km from the Colosseum, we weren't so sure about this one. But it’s true, there were naval battles hosted in this arena. The ancient Romans used to flood this amphitheater so that they could host the greatest spectacle of all the “naumachia” – the naval battles.
We have seen that the Romans were excellent with plumbing and water transportation, so we don’t doubt that they could have flooded the Colosseum. However, there are plenty of archaeologists and historians who remain skeptical of the “naumachia” taking place.
The First Shopping Mall
Believe it or not, the first shopping mall was built during the Roman Age between 100 and 150 CE. It is not that hard to believe, considering that the Colosseum was built only 30 to 50 years earlier. It is impressive that the first shopping mall, Trajan’s Market, had about 150 stores.
Now a visit to the structure shows numerous windows for all the stores. This means that even in the Roman Age, there was plenty of choice. The ruins of this first shopping mall can be found on Via Dei Fori Imperiali, in quite close proximity to the Colosseum.
The Roman Empire has no shortage of interesting emperors. With a history stretching more than 400 years, it is unsurprising that there have been a few bad eggs. And in the case of Emperor Nero, he was a rather rotten one.
It is difficult to know with complete accuracy whether Nero really committed as many murders as he has been accused of, but he has claimed to have killed his brother and mother. Apparently, his mother hatched a plan for the two of them to kill Nero’s brother, Britannicus. When he refused to be her puppet, he killed her too.
If you had to get a tour of the private lives of Romans during the ancient age, you would notice something unique about their houses or living quarters – they had no kitchens, bathrooms, or toilets. Yes, that’s right. When people experienced the call of nature, they went to public restrooms for those purposes as well as for bathing.
Privacy was not a word commonly used, and things were rather different for the everyday Roman. However, we don’t think any modern person would like to truly do as the Romans did in Rome. No, we will keep doing as modern people.
All Roads Lead to Rome
This expression has taken on a new meaning which is that the same goal can be achieved by various means. The origins of this expression go back to the 12th century to the French philosopher and theologian Alain de Lille. In the 12th century, the expression literally meant what it said, “All roads lead to Rome.”
You will find in numerous cities such as Siena, Florence, and Milan gates called Porta Romagna – meaning if you exit here, you will eventually end up in Rome. Apparently, the vision behind this was to prevent uprisings against Rome – a kind of divide-and-conquer mentality.
Ground-floor and Lower-floor Apartments
One thing that has certainly changed from the Roman Age is that nowadays, penthouses are the most sought-after and expensive part of an apartment block. That was not the case with Roman apartments, which were called “insulae.” Translating to “islands,” “insulae” was the name for Roman apartment blocks, and the closer you lived to the ground, the more you paid.
These bottom-level apartments were called “cenacula”. Amenities like public bathhouses were situated outside of the home, so it was more convenient to live at ground level. It would not be so convenient if you had to walk up 200 stairs. To sum this up, the more money you had, the lower you lived.
The Empire of Milestones
The Roman Empire is literally the empire of milestones. The term ‘milestones’ actually takes its origins from civil engineering, unsurprisingly, marking a distance of one mile. Considering that the Roman Empire had 50,000 miles of roads, that means there are 50,000 milestones out there.
Okay, they are probably not still out there, but they once were, and we are here to tell you all about it. Another impressive fact about Roman civil engineering and road construction was that there was a road stretching from Egypt to London. We’re pretty sure it did not go underwater, but we wouldn’t put it past the Roman engineers.
The Color of Royalty
The color purple actually has an interesting history – and, depending on the individual, a pretty gruesome history. Now called Tyrian purple, it was first extracted from the mucus of sea snails, making it a very rare commodity. As it is so rare in nature, it was extremely valuable. It soon became a dye or color used for royalty.
It was only really the royal members and nobility that could afford to wear purple vestments. Thus, if you saw someone casually strolling down the streets in purple, you’d know their social worth. To this day, purple remains a color with regal meanings.
While the Romans had created an extensive city during the ancient period, it did come with its problems. Like many cities, housing can be a nightmare. And back in the ancient age, housing was also a nightmare, if not a greater nightmare. Much of the population lived in “insulae,” meaning “islands.” These were like apartment blocks.
As Rome was a popular city, many people flocked to the city, meaning these “insulae” became overcrowded. There were rules in place to make sure that the “insulae” were not overcrowded and that tenants had enough living space, but these were not always followed.
The Original Name
Everyone is most familiar with the Colosseum – or Colosseo (as the locals call it) – in Rome. Its reputation precedes it. What is interesting is that it probably would not have so much undue popularity if it was called by the name Flavian Amphitheater. And that was almost its name – or that that was its official name.
Only the name didn’t catch on because outside the building was a colossus-sized statue of the emperor Nero. Locals started referring to the building by this name instead, so thank Nero for his oversized statue, or else the Colosseum would have been called the Flavian Amphitheatre.
Rome Is Key to Italian Tourism
With its monuments and mementos spanning several thousand years of history, it is little wonder that Rome is a major feature of Italian tourism. According to World Population Review, Italy is the 5th most visited country in the world. Honestly, this fact is not very surprising. It's almost mythical.
Within Italy, Rome is the most visited city as approximately 10 million tourists travel there every year. Second in the Italian peninsula is Milan, followed by Venice in third place. That means the ancient city of Rome has some pretty stiff competition, but as mentioned, Rome has plenty on offer for its tourists.
You may not have heard of Emperor Domitian, but he was an extremely influential ruler during the 1st century CE. This Emperor spent much time bolstering the Roman economy, investing in the empire’s defenses, and undertaking a major restoration of the city of Rome. However, like most emperors, Domitian had his quirks.
Domitian introduced females into the gladiator arena, making them fight against other female gladiators. Of course, there had been these types of fights in the past, but they were very rare. Female gladiators were called gladiatrixes. Interestingly, these gladiatrixes also were made to fight dwarves, amongst others.
Concrete Is Pretty Old
There are some inventions, such as nails and even nail clippers, believe it or not, that are pretty old. For instance, the creation of nails dates back to approximately 3500 BCE, and nail clippers back to the 8th century (yeah, it was that long ago!). And the massive, dome-shaped Pantheon is proof that cement is almost 2000 years old.
Considering that the construction of this giant structure goes back to 31 BC, it is definite proof that cement is rather old. While this invention might be everywhere, we should not overlook that it was a gift from the Romans to us.
Saturnalia – The Festival of Masters and Slaves
Now, here is an interesting one we bet you never knew. Yes, much of Rome was built by those who were enslaved. With a city and empire dependent on this kind of labor, it is estimated that as much as 30% of the population was made up of those enslaved.
However, for one day in the year – before Christmas – the slaves had a turn to be the masters and the masters a turn to be the slaves. And believe it or not, it was quite a popular celebration. So popular was it, that they extended the festival from one day to a week.
All Roads Lead Out of Rome
The Romans took civil infrastructure and city planning seriously – very seriously. So seriously did this civilization take city planning that they made sure that all roads led out of the city, meaning that troops could easily rally outside the walls to defend the city from invasion.
And it must have been an effective method for the Roman Empire to be known for its military dominance. "All roads" is not just a cliche. It is sophisticated methods such as these which gave the Empire the upper hand. Roads like Milliarium Aureum or the Roman Forum (Foro Romano) were specifically constructed to allow soldiers easy exit.
The Largest European University
European Universities have a lot going for them. Not only are they some of the oldest universities in Europe (the one in Bologna, Italy, being the oldest), but they are also some of the prestigious, including Oxford University, the Sorbonne, and Cambridge University.
In Italy, more specifically, Rome, there is La Sapienza University which was formally known as Università Degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza." This university was originally opened in 1303, making it ancient, and this public research university is the largest in Europe. It is also considered one of the best universities in Italy and has students from all over the world.
Rome Sets a Record
There is one standout feature that distinguishes Rome – as well as the Roman Empire – from any other ancient city. In 133 BCE, it became the first city to have a population numbering 1,000,000. Holy smokes! No other city in Europe would be able to reproduce what Rome achieved until the 19th century.
That is almost two millennia later! As said, the city was thriving at the time thanks to inventions such as efficient plumbing, the population grew to this figure. Rome was quite open to immigrants, so serving in the army long enough meant you could get citizenship.
Roman Eating Customs
Food was a serious business in ancient Rome and among the Romans. As many know, the noble class and royal members would overindulge in food – several courses of food – vomit to relieve themselves and continue eating. Now, if that is not unbridled extravagance, we don’t know what is.
The Romans also preferred to eat with their hands over using a spoon. Finally, these ancients also had a taste for exotic foods. One exotic ingredient that was popular among the Romans was the flamingo. Roasted parrot was another delicacy. We can safely say eating habits have changed since the Roman Age.