More interesting facts about Rome! You will learn all the secrets of this amazing city. Rome may surprise you. This city should be included in the list of must-sees. If you are traveling to Rome with children, you might think that it will be difficult for them to be interested in the wonders of ancient Rome. But sometimes the ancient Romans did strange things that might interest your children. The “Eternal City” is connected with the history of antiquity, with the Sistine Chapel. Rome is one of the most popular tourist cities due to its history, art, architecture and beauty. 
Facts about Rome
1. The twin brothers were named Romulus and Remus, and they were abandoned shortly after birth. They were found on the banks of the Tiber by a wolf who took them in and fed them. When Rem mocked his brother and jumped over the furrow that marked the border of the future city, he killed him, saying the words: “Let everyone who dares to pass through my walls perish!” (lat. Sic deinde, quicumque alius transiliet moenia mea!)
2. With almost 3,000 years of rich history, Rome is often referred to as the “eternal city”. Although Rome was founded in 753 BC, the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world is still believed to be Babylon in modern day Lebanon dating back to 5000 BC.
3. The first shopping center in history was built by Emperor Trajan in Rome. It consisted of multiple levels and over 150 shops selling everything from food and spices to clothing. The Romans were better shopaholics than the Kardashians.
4. The ancient Romans used a sponge on a stick to clean themselves after a bowel movement. In public buildings, there was a long marble bench with holes at the top and front. There were no doors or partitions. You sat next to others and did what you had to do. After you’ve done your part, you’ve left the sponge for another person to use.
5. The ancient Romans classified any religion that had special rites or secrets that were revealed only to members of the “secret cult.” Christians had the rite of baptism required for “initiation into worship” and participation in the Eucharist. There were many mysterious cults in Rome, such as the Dionysian mysteries and the Mithraic mysteries. Many of these cults shared customs, including cleansing from sin and the concept of death and rebirth. Interestingly, the Eucharist – the sacrament of the blood of Christ – led many Romans to believe that Christians practiced cannibalism.
6. Most Romans avoided cruel treatment of slaves. Like modern employers, they used bonuses to improve performance.
7. The wars between the Romans and the Persians lasted about 721 years. This is the longest conflict in human history. 8. The ancient Romans celebrated a holiday called “Saturnalia” when slaves and their owners changed places. Slaves were treated at the banquet just like their masters.
9. The inhabitants of Ancient Rome had a sewer goddess, a toilet god, and a god of excrement. Feces were considered food for the dead. 10. If the Colosseum of Ancient Rome were built today, it would cost about $380 million.
11. The Statue of Liberty was inspired by the Roman pagan goddess Libertas.
12. After the fall of the Roman Empire, concrete production technology was lost for 1000 years. Surprisingly, ancient Roman concrete lasts 2000 years, which is longer than modern concrete structures.
13. Ancient Roman women rubbed the sweat of gladiators to enhance their beauty and complexion. The Romans also drank the blood of gladiators because they believed that the blood of these strong and ferocious creatures had the power to cure epilepsy.
14. Urine was used in ancient Rome to wash clothes. The Romans also used it to whiten their teeth. Later, the Romans began using bees to clean their teeth.
15. Rome is older than Italy. In ancient times, the Italian peninsula was home to many cultures. The Roman Empire absorbed many of these settlements, but after its collapse, the peninsula was again divided into several city-states, most of which were often at war with at least one neighbor. Despite several attempts, Italy did not become a unified nation until the late 19th century, and Rome was annexed in 1870 after a relatively short siege. The generally accepted date for the founding of Rome is 753 BC, which makes the city over 2,500 years older than the country of which it is the capital.
16. Rome has a sovereign state located within the city, the Vatican City State, which is also the smallest state in the world.
17. The Romans will object to the statement that “all roads lead to Rome.” The Romans built a system of roads, primarily to facilitate the movement of troops and ensure the free flow of supplies. Roman roads were also favorable for trade. However, in the eyes of the Romans, all roads lead from Rome – from the golden Milliarium Aureum.
18. There were many memorable moments in Nero’s 18th reign, including the murder of Agrippina’s mother and Octavia’s wife. When he died, he said: “What an artist is dying! (“Qualis artifex pereo!”)
19. Nearly 700,000 Ruro coins are thrown into the Trevi Fountain in Rome every year. The proceeds are transferred to Caritas.
20. Hollywood has repeatedly confused the importance of thumbs up. This gesture meant death. If the loser had time to live, Caesar would give a thumbs down sign, which meant the winner was about to put the gun down.
21. Gladiator fights were not the most popular entertainment. It was chariot racing.
22. According to modern archaeologists, the Colosseum could accommodate 50,000 people.
23. Many consider spaghetti to be the highlight of an Italian dish. However, the dish is believed to have originated in the United States at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries among Italian immigrants. Guests of Rome are often surprised that it is extremely difficult to find this dish in a restaurant menu.
24. There are an estimated 300,000 cats living in Rome and they are generally free to roam the grounds. Roman law states that if at least five cats live together, they must not be removed. Essentially, this gives them access to most places in the city, including many ancient ruins.
25. Women in ancient Rome dyed their hair with goat fat and ash. The most popular colors are red and blond.
26. There are more Christian churches in Rome than in any other city. There are cities in the world that have more churches when they have mosques, temples and other houses of worship. However, there are over 900 Christian churches in Rome.
27. About 90% of the ancient city has not been excavated and may never be excavated. Most of the remains are about 10 meters below the current level of the city. The area was continuously inhabited approximately 2,800 years ago. Old buildings have either been destroyed by the passage of time and nature, or have been demolished to make way for new buildings.
28. Some religious sources state that Nero was the Antichrist and will return as the Antichrist. Some scholars say that the number 666 in the biblical book of Revelation is the code for Nero.
29. Rome’s first university in Rome, La Sapienza, founded in 1303, is the largest in Europe and the second largest in the world.
30. There is a museum in Rome dedicated to pasta.
31. The President of Cote d’Ivoire, Felix Houphouet-Boigny, built the Basilica of Our Lady of the Queen of Peace in Yamoussoukra in 1989. It has 30 thousand m2 of area and st. St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican has a total area of 25,000 square meters. St. However, Peter can accommodate more people – 60 thousand. compared to 18 thousand for the Basilica of Our Lady of the Queen of Peace in Yamoussoukra. Because Christians make up only a third of the Ivory Coast’s population, services at the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Yamoussoukra are rarely attended by more than a few hundred people.
32. Cappuccino is named after the Roman order of Capuchin monks.
33. The crypt of the Capuchins in Rome consists of five chapels and a corridor 60 meters long and is decorated with the bones of 4,000 dead monks.
34. The first pizza was more associated with bread, and the ancient Greeks added cheese, herbs and garlic to bread long before the Romans. Tomato-based sauces were not used, tomatoes were not introduced to Europe until explorers reached the New World, and for many years they were considered poisonous. Although the Romans didn’t invent pizza, the Italians definitely improved it.
35. There are about 2,500 public fountains in Rome.
36. Rome was the largest European city until London finally overtook it in the 19th century.
37. Despite numerous videos of early Christians being thrown to lions, there is no evidence that this ever happened. Although Christians were persecuted for several years, despite the fact that there were battles and hunts for wild animals in the Colosseum and frequent executions of criminals, there is simply no evidence that Christians faced wild lions as punishment for their faith.
38. The current Pantheon fell around 126 BC. it is 2000 years old and has been in continuous use ever since. Over the centuries, minor changes have been made to the Pantheon, but the basic structure has not changed. The dome is unique to the building and even after nearly two millennia remains the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world.
39. Rome – a city of echoes, a city of illusions and longing – Giotto di Bondone
40. The serpent was a cute image in Roman art and jewelry.
41. Violet, the most expensive paint in murex shells, was saved for the clothes of imperial senators.
42. Sometimes Roman physicians use blood gladiators as a means of conceiving.
