Random Roman Facts

9 facts tagged with Roman Facts

Lucky First Metal Detect

In 2012, a British man named Wesley Carrington used a metal detector for the first time and found £100,000 worth of Roman gold within 20 minutes.

20

Salema Porgy Fish: The Roman Hallucinogenic Party Drug

There's a fish, known as Salema porgy, that causes severe hallucinations for up to 36 hours when ingested. During the Roman Empire, it was a party drug.

27

The word 'mile' is derived from the Latin word for 1,000 - the number of paces it took the average Roman!

6

Romans used a plant called Silphium as contraception. They had so much sex that they drove it into extinction.

24

Roman Farting Edict

After hearing of a man who almost died from holding in farts whilst dining, Emperor Claudius is said to have proclaimed an edict that allowed Romans to fart at the dinner table.

37

In 2011, archaeologists discovered the skeletal remains of a Roman couple who have been holding hands for 1,500 years.

81

Scientists are learning from the 1700-year-old Lycurgus Cup, which changes colour thanks to nano particles.

0

Vegetarian Gladiators

Ancient gladiators were mostly vegetarians whose diet consisted mainly of grains, beans, and dried fruit, washed down with a vinegar and plant ash tonic.