This Is What Life In Ancient Rome Was Really Like

Spanning from 625 BCE to 476 CE, the Roman Empire is still one of the most iconic of all time. At their highest, the Romans conquered Britain, Italy, much of the Middle East, the North African coast, Greece, Spain, and, of course, Italy.

From their inventions to their way of life, Ancient Rome was one of the most influential cultures the planet has ever seen. Being the first city to have over 1 million people is just one of the things the time period has to its name, leading many to wonder what life in Rome was really like.

Exploding toilets in communal bathrooms were seemingly common in Roman times

Believe it or not, but the Ancient Romans actually had chamber pots in their rooms. Still, the most famous of their bathroom activities was the fact they often used to use the bathroom in communal restrooms. They were found across Rome and featured lines of toilets one next to each other, with everything being washed into the sewers.

Unfortunately, the sewer system wasn’t the same as it is today. That meant it wasn’t long before dangerous gasses - like methane - built up in the sewers and were known to cause sudden explosions or to cause toilets to burst into flames. While there are no known cases of someone losing their life to a toilet, it was certainly a possibility.

Roman baths included just about everything someone could need

Throughout the years, archeologists have uncovered incredible things that have helped retell the stories of what life was like in Ancient Rome. One of the many discoveries has been Roman baths, but what were they like? It turns out they were more than just a place to have communal baths with the rest of the town.

The baths also had everything someone could need as they spanned over areas the size of small towns, with the Baths of Caracalla being one of the largest. It could house 1,600 bathers and had a gym, library, and two 19-foot fountains. To top it off, the baths had a gentleman’s establishment, marble statues, artwork, and mosaics.

Emperors would show up as celebrities to Roman baths

It might come as little surprise that using the Roman baths was a common place to catch all kinds of illnesses. Still, that didn’t stop emperors from turning up to the baths, where they were treated just like celebrities. Of course, it was also a great chance to get to know the people and become a known face.

While those with little money had to slather themselves in oil and rub their backs on stone walls to exfoliate, the emperors had an entourage of people to do it all for them. These were the ones in charge of carrying their robes, rubbing olive oil over their skin, and scraping it all off with a tool called a strigil.

Chariot racing was easily Rome’s most popular sport

Julius Caesar wasn’t the only one who loved a chariot race. Still, he was the one who expanded Circus Maximus, the chariot racing ring in Rome, to hold 150,000 to 200,000 people during his reign. It turns out chariot racing was easily the most popular sport across Rome, with each race consisting of four teams.

The red, green, blue, and white teams had three racers each, who all raced in chariots pulled by four horses. While they sometimes had two drivers, the most spectacular sight of all was the incredible ten-horse chariot that made periodic appearances. Of course, the best seats were always by the tightest corners that often saw racers flung from their chariots.

Being a chariot racer could earn someone big bucks

Did you know most chariot racers were slaves? That didn’t mean they wanted out of the sport. In fact, it was quite the opposite, as each racer would get a share of the winnings if they were on the triumphant team. That wasn’t all. It turns out that betting on chariot racing was also a hugely popular sport throughout Rome.

The racers would often bet, too, and would supposedly walk away with bug bucks at the end of a race. The twist? The drivers didn’t just stick to one team, as they moved to the most successful throughout their careers. It seems the white and red teams were considered to be the best and could therefore afford the best racers.

Ancient Romans were known to love their dogs like family

It’s no secret that dogs have long been humans’ best friends. However, that doesn’t mean everyone knows just how long the four-legged additions have been a part of our lives. Ancient Romans loved their dogs so much that homes were filled with the Molossus - a huge breed and potential mastiff relative - or imported lap dogs called Melitans.

Dogs even had collars and leashes, with “Beware of the dog” paintings and mosaics a common sight across the city. The most famous collar of them all is the Zoninus collar, which reads, “I have run away,” and someone will “receive a gold coin” it returned to Zoninus, but people are unsure if it belonged to a dog or slave.

People living in Rome believed in magic and witchcraft

It might be no secret that witchcraft has dominated Europe for centuries. It turns out those living in Rome believed in the supernatural, too, with plenty of spells commonly used to affect daily life. One was to keep people quiet and involved putting three pieces of incense at the entrance to a mousehole before tying enchanted thread to dark lead.

From there, someone needed to put seven beans in their mouth, sew a fish’s mouth with a bronze needle, and roast it over a fire. Finally, the spellcaster had to eat the fish head and drink an adult beverage to make the spell work. Of course, there were also spells to use against your enemies, with many using magical gemstones.

Temples could also be used as banks for Ancient Romans

Life in Rome was largely about making money and having fun. What was someone supposed to do with all of their wealth? Apparently, they could visit the temple and keep on top of their finances, as temples were also used as banks across Ancient Rome. That’s right; the basements served as vaults and were heavily guarded at all times.

The rich would deposit their money with the priest, who was in charge of tracking how much someone had deposited or loaned out from the bank. Although the money was safe in their hands, it paid to have money deposited in many temples. That’s because fires were common and would mean someone’s money was gone for good.

Men had all the power while women had none in Rome

Want to know what family hierarchy was like within Rome? It seems that men were the ones with all the power - while women had none. Men were the ones in charge of arranging marriages for the family, divorcing their wives if they pleased, and even rejecting newborns if they saw fit or couldn’t afford the addition.

On the other hand, women were expected to marry men and have children, with them being accused of being the problem if they couldn’t. They were also in charge of looking after the household and working as nurses, servers, or as crafters. They didn’t even get a first name and instead used feminine versions of their father’s name.

Being poor in Ancient Rome meant you would live in a high rise

Life in Rome was mainly filled with those on the poorer end of the scale. Of course, being a part of the first city with over 1 million people meant they all needed somewhere to live. The solution? High rises. The apartment buildings were called insula - which means “island” - and stood up to 100 feet tall.

They were packed in together, with the worst apartments being on the top floors. That’s because they were cramped, dark, and meant someone would likely pass away in a fire. Instead, the bottom floors were reserved for those with more money. Still, many rented rooms to several roommates, with no apartment coming with running water or insulation.

It was common for apartment buildings to burn down in Ancient Rome

Of course, those living in Ancient Rome didn’t have access to the same materials we do today. That means their insula were made from wood and mud - and were highly flammable. Even if they didn’t burn down, it was common for the apartment buildings to suddenly crumble down, especially if they had been built cheaply.

Fires had to be contained by knocking down nearby buildings, with firefighters - called Vigiles - working to put out flames with buckets of water. The fires weren’t helped by Romans using hot coals for cooking food inside. In fact, the Great Fire of Rome burned for six days, reignited for another three, and completely destroyed two-thirds of Rome.

Fire insurance - and insurance fraud - has seemingly been around since Roman times

With fires so common across the city of Ancient Rome, it might be little surprise that the Romans started investing in fire insurance. Still, it was a luxury addition that was reserved for those who could afford it. That also meant that Romans might have been some of the first to have insurance fraud as a problem.

People would invest in houses and protect their contents with fire insurance, only for them to mysteriously burn down. A lot of the time, people were given a lot more money for their homes and lost items than they were worth, with people quickly realizing the fire might not have been as innocent as it seemed on the surface.

Losing an apartment meant Ancient Romans were simply out of luck

It seems life in Rome wasn’t all it was cracked up to be for those on the lower end of the pay scale. That’s because banks were predominantly reserved for the wealthy, and fire insurance was a thing that most couldn’t afford. The problem? It meant someone’s entire lives were in their homes and could instantly disappear in a second.

Fires could be enough to destroy everything, with no way to get things back without insurance. The twist? There were no shelters or places to go for those suddenly out on the streets. Instead, their only hope was from relatives or wealthy neighbors who could give them somewhere to stay while they got back on their feet.

Rome was home to funeral clubs that came with plenty of perks

Plenty of us have been members of a club or two in our lives. What about a funeral club? While they might not be an everyday thing nowadays, they were once all the rage in Ancient Rome. They also came with plenty of perks. All someone needed to do was pay an initial fee and a monthly charge going forward.

Then, they had access to monthly meetings and events. Of course, it also meant the club would pay for their funeral when the time came - so long as someone was up to date with their fees. To make matters even more enticing, the funeral club would pay to have someone’s body returned to Rome if they passed away elsewhere.

There’s a good reason Ancient Romans had so many marble heads

Museums across the world are filled with all kinds of marble heads of senators, philosophers, emperors, and other notable names throughout Rome. Still, one thing people might have noticed is they have a lack of bodies. That’s mostly thanks to the time and effort that went into making a marble body and how quickly things changed.

Plenty of emperors had short life spans, so they would come in and out before someone had a chance to finish crafting the entire body. Instead, they would use the same body and merely swap out the marble head on top. In fact, Caligula’s head wasn’t even preserved when he passed and was turned into his uncle’s instead.

Mock battles were a major event for those living in Rome

Caesar always wanted to keep the public on his side, which might be why he created a mock sea battle called the naumachia. The event took place in 46 BCE and featured a human-made lake that drew in people from across Italy. In fact, so many arrived that two senators were crushed in the crowd.

Four thousand oarsmen and 1,000 fighters per side took to the water, with most being sentenced to capital punishment before the fight. Amazingly, they were freed if they survived. Over 100 years later, emperor Claudius recreated the mock sea battle with hundreds of ships and 19,000 fighters, with them once again fighting for their freedom.

Life in Rome meant worshiping several gods

Plenty of people have spent years studying all the gods Romans used to worship. The likes of Apollo, Mars, Mercury, and Jupiter are some of the better-known gods, but they weren’t the only ones they worshiped. It turns out those living in Rome believed that everything had a spirit or was guarded by one, including rivers and trees.

It also meant that Ancient Romans believed their homes were guarded by a spirit, so they would create shrines for them. This was more than just keeping the spirit happy. A lot of people also used this as a way to flaunt their wealth to others in the city, with the bigger shrines meaning someone had money to burn.

Praying in Rome was different from how many worship today

Religion has long been a part of the world, and it was the case for those living in Rome. It’s believed they would often pray to the spirits around them, but with no way to know if they were male or female, they would simply address the spirits as “god or goddess.” Getting the wrong gender could see them ignored.

It turns out many of the spirits needed something more than a simple prayer, with farmers who wanted to plough the land having to sacrifice a pig. This was thought to be a way to make up for disturbing the ground to grow crops, with Romans looking to cover all bases and look for loopholes to ensure spirits were appeased.

The Romans were known to adopt and import gods from others

Romans were known to take over cities as they spread across the world. Still, that didn’t mean they forgot all about the gods that looked after the city before they arrived. Instead, it’s believed the soldiers would pray to the god of a city and ask them to join the party in Rome as soon as they conquered an area.

One of the many gods they adopted was Cybele, who they called “Magna Mater” - aka “great mother.” They brought a black meteor stone back to Rome, where the streets were lined with prayers and incense. From there, the day was marked as a holiday, and games were held in the new goddess’ honor to welcome Cybele in.

The Cult of Cybele allegedly horrified Ancient Romans at first

Cybele is one of the most famous imported goddesses that Ancient Romans welcomed into their collection, but it wasn’t this fact that made her stand out. Instead, it was the Cult of Cybele that followed the goddess. Her followers were known to brandish their weapons and wore feathered headdresses in Cybele’s honor. This was just the start.

The Cult of Cybele was also known to dance, crash symbols, blow whistles, honk horns, and beat drums in the street to celebrate the goddess. The twist? It’s said they even held mock battles and removed the private parts of the priests, known as the Galli, with the Romans left terrified as they had no idea about the cult.

The Day of Blood might have been one of the most horrific aspects of the cult

While the Romans had no idea about the Cult of Cybele when they introduced the goddess to Rome, they quickly learned about the incredible lengths her followers would go to. It’s believed the Day of Blood was the most horrific of them all. It started by blessing and washing a bull and placing them on a plank above a pit.

From there, it’s believed someone wearing white robes would cut the bull’s throat and drain the blood into a pot. As soon as the last drop fell, the pot would be pushed over onto a worshiper standing in the pit below. It’s believed the cult even flicked blood onto altars, with the Galli removing their private parts.

Workdays in Rome were particularly short compared to now

Just because life in Rome wasn’t always filled with pleasantries didn’t mean everything was bad. It seems the workday was more about getting things done and having fun than working too much. They had no clocks, so keeping time was impossible. Instead, the sun would usually wake people around 6 am, and they instantly headed for breakfast.

Once they were fed, workers would get to work until the afternoon before hitting up the local Roman baths. It’s believed the majority of the afternoon was dedicated to leisure, with only a few stores remaining open past a certain time. Instead, it was mostly taverns that stayed open as somewhere to eat and drink.

The Romans were known to write their own joke books

It seems that Romans also liked to keep themselves entertained, with Ancient Romans working on their very own joke book. The novel was called Philogelos, which means “The Laughter Love,” and is thought to have been penned somewhere around the 3rd or 4th century CE. This means it was born around the fall of the Roman Empire.

In a time that many needed some laughter, plenty in the modern day have questioned their sense of humor. With jokes about someone being intimate with another man’s wife, someone with bad breath, and how one person was unable to put on pants because they were too tight, they’re not quite the standard many expect today.

Rome created a mountain of trash made from olive oil jars

If there’s one thing that kept Rome fed, it is olive oil. In fact, Ancient Romans consumed so much of the stuff that they were soon overrun with empty pots. They imported it from across the world and used oil at the baths, in perfumes, as medicine, and to fuel their lamps. All of it arrived in large terracotta jars.

The leftover oil would turn rancid, meaning the jars couldn’t be reused. So what were they supposed to do with five-foot-tall jars? Put them in a pile. Monte Testaccio - meaning “broken pot mountain” - still stands today and is 45 feet underground, 150-foot tall, and filled with 25 to 80 million shards of broken pots from centuries ago.

People living in Rome told tales of a mythical sewer octopus

Urban legends aren’t a modern creation. Instead, they have been around for thousands of years, such as the ones that once kept Ancient Rome on its toes. A writer named Aelian was the first to talk of a giant octopus who dominated Pozzuoli. Apparently, the creature grew bored of the food available in the sea.

On a mission for something good to eat, it’s said the octopus crawled up the sewer pipes in Rome and made its way to a merchant’s shop, where it ate all the pickled fish it could find. Apparently, being so large meant the octopus was too much for one person and had to be taken down by a large group.

Doctors in Rome were untrained, and there were no hospitals

If you needed medical treatment in Rome, you were out of luck. That’s right; the only things that mildly looked like hospitals were tents on the battlefield, where wounded soldiers would be taken to rest. That meant those living in Rome had to rely on people who called themselves doctors - which anyone could do if they wanted.

Still, most avoided it as doctors were highly looked down on by other Romans. The only training most doctors received was by following other people who called themselves doctors to learn. Being successful merely meant you didn’t end your patient’s life. Plus, Romans didn’t allow autopsies, meaning they had no idea about the inside of a body.

Healthcare workers had unusual ways of curing bruises in Rome

Let’s face it; most of us likely have a bruise or two throughout our lives. Still, they were more common for many in Ancient Rome, thanks to the bar fights and constantly battling your way through overcrowded streets. The solution? To use an unusual method that was popular among doctors across Rome - and involved wild boar.

It’s said they would use dried droppings from the animal and instruct people to smear them over the bruise. Sometimes, this would be soaked in vinegar for even more of a sting. On the other hand, fresh droppings were usually on the menu for chariot racers, who were most likely cut and bleeding when they needed medical attention.

Inflation meant wages were low and prices were constantly high

One thing many of us have learned is that prices tend to increase while wages remain the same. Many now believe that was the case for people living in Rome, as a pair of boots could set someone back 120 denarii. While the currency changed throughout the Roman Empire, emperor Diocletian knew inflation was out of control.

He put a maximum price on goods to stop things getting out of hand, but it didn’t necessarily help. Workers like farmers and mule drivers could earn as little as 25 denarii a day, while wall painters made up to 75 denarii. While they included meals, it meant some people would need to work five days just to afford boots.

A law once meant no one in Rome was allowed to wear pants

Have you found yourself wondering why so many statues in Rome feature people wearing no pants? It seems it might have all come from the empire's hatred for other cultures, such as Persians and Gauls. They were known to wear pants, and the Romans wanted nothing to do with their enemies. Things took a new turn in 399 CE.

People in Rome were wearing pants more and more until a law was passed that meant they were banned entirely. Anyone found wearing pants would be exiled from the nation, but it didn't last long. Rome was already declining, and it wasn't long before the Visigoths took over and brought pants back once and for all.

Life in Rome was filled with imported goods from around the world

Rome grew unlike any other city at the time, and it wasn’t long before there were more people than they could look after. That’s why the city started to import nearly everything it could, including wood, salt, pigs, ivory, glass, ceramics, drinks, grains, jewels, spices, metals, food, and olive oil. Every Mediterranean country offered Rome something new.

While it meant a lot of to and fro to get their hands on everything, life in Rome was filled with exotic wonders from across the world that they would have otherwise missed out on. Of course, this didn’t mean everyone could access everything, as people still needed the funds to pay for the privilege of imported goods.

Ancient Romans had unusual ways of washing their clothes

Even though public bathrooms were large and a fairly social affair, they weren’t found everywhere across the city. It meant people needed alternatives to use in between heading to the public offerings. That’s where chamber pots came in to collect certain passings. They also used it when heading to the laundry store as a laundry detergent.

Here, the chamber pot collection would be mixed with water before people dropped in their clothes and stomped on them with their bare feet. Once all the dirt was out, clothes were washed with water and left to dry. Amazingly, the passing contains ammonia, meaning Romans enjoyed whiter togas as a result of their unusual laundry detergent.

Roman enslaved people had some power but not always

Many forget that Romans utilized slaves, but that didn’t mean everyone had the worst life. Instead, the word “familia” - which means family - actually includes slaves, and it was common for them to be buried alongside the family they served. It seems that many of them also had a portion of power, such as emperor Caligula’s slave.

It’s said he carried two giant scrolls labeled “sword” and “dagger.” On them was a list of names that Caligula had ended and how they all lost their lives. Still, not every enslaved person had power, with many abusing, assaulting, and torturing their slaves. They could also end their lives if they decided to without any warning.

It was common for Roman slaves to face unthinkable punishments

Being an enslaved person in Rome certainly fell on a scale, depending on who owned them. Those working for landowners would spend hours doing back-breaking tasks, while those owned by the city were in charge of constructing public buildings. Then came the fact all slaves were to be tortured before they were questioned, with things getting worse.

If a master passed away, all the slaves would be tortured. If one was found guilty of the crime, all of them would have their lives ended. Emperor Augustus particularly liked throwing them into a pool of eels as a way to end their lives. It wasn’t until Hadrian outlawed ending slaves’ lives or selling their bodies that things changed.

Slaves could earn their freedom or be released by their masters

It turns out that things might not have been entirely bad for enslaved people living in Ancient Rome. That's because they could earn their freedom or be released by their masters if they were lucky. Once they were freed, the formerly enslaved people were also considered to be full Roman citizens with all the rights of anyone else.

Some were even known to invest in slaves in other countries before bringing them home and releasing them as citizens of Rome. One story tells the tale of someone investing in a slave, releasing her, and making her his wife. Amazingly, if they received enough money as gifts, enslaved people could buy their own freedom.

Branding items was a common part of life in Rome

Nowadays, it’s common for people to put their names or mark on something they’ve made. It seems it’s not a new idea, as people in Rome would also brand items before they were sold. The most commonly branded thing was actually bread, as each loaf needed to be the precise weight it was advertised as, or bakers would be punished.

Other things, such as pottery and glass, were also branded. Umbricius Scaurus was one of the most famous branders of them all. He lived in Pompeii and, at one point, could have controlled one-third of the world’s fish sauce market. Perhaps that’s why he branded every bottle he created before it was sold across the planet?

Early Rome saw people paid in grain all at once

One of the biggest pulls to being a full Roman citizen was the pay that came in the form of grain. It’s believed that 200,000 Romans received somewhere between 75 and 90 pounds of grain each month which was enough to make enough bread to feed two people every month. The problem? It was paid all at once.

Of course, this meant citizens had to find a way to store, mill, and bake their grain into bread which wasn’t an easy thing to do across the city. Each shipment of grain most likely arrived in Ostia, where it was sent to distribution centers. However, the lack of ovens in Roman homes meant they had to rely on bakers.

Being a baker was a big paying role in Ancient Rome

Having so much grain come into the city each month meant Romans needed a way to bake the grain into bread if they stood a chance of using it all. Not having ovens saw them turn to bakers, which is why being a bread baker was a big deal throughout Ancient Rome. Plus, they could make a hefty income.

Eurysaces was one of the most famous bakers from Roman times and earned enough money that he actually built a lavish tomb for himself for when the time came. Amazingly, that’s not the most unusual part. It turns out Eurysaces was once a slave before he was freed and made a new career for himself as a baker.

Food was a little different for those living in Rome

Even though Rome is a part of Italy, it’s not all sunshine and hot weather across the country. Nowadays, the area is known for its incredible ski runs, and it’s this snow that was once used to help wealthy Romans. It turns out they would bring snow down from the mountaintops and use it to keep their drinks cool.

As if that wasn’t enough, there was little difference between sweet and savory food across Rome, with most meats being mixed with fruit. Eggs were one of the most common foods used across the city, with poorer people eating sheep’s lips, grain, leaks, and beans and the wealthier enjoying delicacies such as peacock and pig’s udders.

Private Roman banquets were a lavish affair

The wealthy living across Ancient Rome loved to do one thing: show off their wealth to everyone and anyone. One of the ways this was done was by throwing lavish banquets and inviting their wealthy friends. It was a place for business as well as gorging on food, drinking, and being entertained by various additions.

It turns out there were usually at least three couches that were crafted from gold and ivory that were positioned in a U-shape around the dining table. The table was also set with luxury cutlery and drinking vessels made from expensive metals - such as bronze, silver, and gold - or luxury Roman glass. Everything was supposed to be lavish.

Ancient Roman banquets often followed the same structure

Of course, throwing a dinner banquet wasn’t enough for the wealthy folk living across Rome. Instead, they became entire events that usually followed similar structures. Most of the time, they had at least three meals that consisted of the most expensive and delicious food money could buy at the time. Guests even ate in a certain way.

It’s believed everyone was reclined while they ate and had bowls of water by the table for dipping their hands in between bites. The entertainment? That was down to gladiators, acrobats, and musical performances. Amazingly, even the chefs would sing songs as they dished out the food, with live bears and lions often making appearances at the grand events.

Roman emperors were known to keep bears and lions as pets

Eccentric emperors were a common sight across Roman history. They were the ones who loved to flaunt their wealth and put all kinds of unusual laws into place. They’re also the ones who liked to have an exotic pet or two by their side. Two of the most common - and unusual - were none other than bears and lions.

Emperor Elagabalus was one of the more eccentric rulers. He was 14 years old and often gathered the city’s ladies of the night for his parties. After instructing his guests to do as they pleased with his additions, it’s said that Elagabalus loved nothing more than releasing his dozens of tame lions and bears into the party.

Saturnalia saw the tables turn for slaves and their masters for a time

Throwing parties wasn’t something entirely reserved for wealthy people. In fact, plenty across Ancient Rome loved nothing more than letting their hair down, with Saturnalia being one of the biggest events on the calendar. The day was held on December 17 and lasted several days as stores and businesses closed to allow everyone to enjoy the free public banquets.

Amazingly, Saturnalia also meant that slaves and their enslavers got to swap places. Owners would offer their enslaved people gifts and would speak and gamble freely with one another. It turns out that masters would also serve their people meals and drinks, but things would go back to normal once Saturnalia was through for the year.

Bars were a common site for those living in Rome

Pompeii has revealed a lot about what life in Rome was really like, as it was a city that was preserved in time after the devastating volcanic eruption. It’s here that archeologists have discovered at least 120 bars - and they’re not alone. Roman bars were known to be open to the streets for food and drink to go.

Many of the drinks were a lot stronger than the ones on offer today, meaning they had to be watered down. Heating it up was also a favorite among Romans. Whatever the case, enjoying food and drink at a bar was a lot more pleasant than trying to cram people into the high rises that so many people lived in.

Creating the best Roman Games was a balancing act that could see crowds turn

If there was one thing emperors wanted to do, it was keep the crowd on their side. After all, upsetting people across Rome could be enough to see someone have their life ended. The Roman Games were a major event, with people who organized them being called editors. Great general Pompey was one who might have gotten things wrong.

The editor decided to bring 17 or 20 elephants to the games, only to have them brought out one by one. The problem? The elephants could see what was happening from behind the bars and grew more and more upset. They were heard wailing, with the crowd turning on Pompey after his Roman Games went so wrong.

The gladiator games were filled with theatrics to wow the crowd

Everything about the Roman Games was designed to keep the crowd entertained. That’s why they all followed the same structure, such as starting the day with animal fights. This could be animals vs. other animals or with some people involved. Whatever the case, it came before people publicly lost their lives at midday. The event was closed with gladiatorial fights.

Each of these was spiced up with things such as lifts and underground trap doors that would raise exotic animals into the stadium to make it look as though they had come from nowhere. Oftentimes, someone would cause a distraction while the animal was put in position. All in all, the Roman Games were all about entertainment for the masses.

Rome was filled with giant adverts for the gladiator games

It’s common to see millions of dollars spent on adverts for the biggest movies and TV shows set to hit our screens. Still, what might come as a surprise to many was how much the Roman Games were advertised across Rome. If an editor or emperor really wanted to make an impact, they would paint huge murals on walls.

There were also handouts distributed across the city to draw people into the games. Believe it or not, but emperor Augustus once allegedly used live crocodiles and handlers in a special enclosure to advertise the upcoming games. To top it off, the night before was filled with a grand feast for the gladiators and the public.

Gladiator armor used in the games was mostly for show

Did you know there were several different types of gladiators? That’s right; it’s estimated there were around two dozen, who all had their own armor and weapons they would use in the stadium. Still, that didn’t mean they were based on actual armor used on the battlefield. Instead, gladiators largely wore stage armor that was only used in the games.

It’s believed the armor was designed to encourage gladiators to fight while keeping things fair - and to make it more entertaining for the audience. Of course, it wasn’t just for show. The bronze and leather did help to protect gladiators to a certain extent; it just wasn’t as strong as the armor worn by the Roman Army.

Gladiators were trained in how to lose their lives during Roman games

Being a gladiator was all about keeping crowds entertained and walking away victorious. While they didn’t always lose their lives, there were times it did happen. It turns out part of gladiator school was learning how to deal the final blow as well as how to take it, especially if the editor decided a gladiator was too injured to continue.

It’s believed that gladiators would tense their faces and not move as they waited for the weapon to pierce their hearts. Amazingly, it’s believed that only around 19 gladiators in 1,000 fights would lose their lives to start. Still, this number went up to approximately 25% of people fighting by the time the 2nd and 3rd centuries rolled around.

Serious crimes could see someone thrown into the arena in Rome

Part of the Roman Games was the midday procession of people losing their lives. Of course, this meant that they needed a steady supply of people to keep this part of the day thriving. Thankfully for them, Ancient Rome was filled with people breaking the rules, but the worst of the worst weren’t a part of the event.

Instead, they were sometimes reserved for Damnatio ad bestias, aka losing your life to a wild beast. Still, it was expensive. Instead, most people in this part of the day - who had often ended other people’s lives - were thrown into the arena to fight fully-trained gladiators. Here, they were usually unarmed and earned freedom if they somehow survived.

Gladiators were forced to give up their freedom to fight

Being a gladiator usually meant that someone was one of the most famous faces in Rome. They also had poems and stories written about them if they were lucky enough, and sometimes became part of murals. The problem? Being a gladiator meant that someone was a slave to the Ianista - the person in charge of buying gladiators.

This also meant gladiators gave up all their freedom and were instead told what to do, where to be, and what to eat, alongside their grueling training regimes. A lot of the time, gladiators were social outcasts or former slaves. Amazingly, many also refused their pay to help keep their dignity and earn back some social status.

Most people didn’t want to be a gladiator during Ancient Roman times

Gladiators are one of the most famous aspects of Ancient Roman times that are still talked about as legends today. Still, most people would do anything they could to not be one, thanks to the lack of freedom and grueling schedules they were forced to endure. In fact, it led many gladiators to try and escape.

Plenty tried to take their own lives or run away, which led to gladiators being guarded at all times - apart from the bathroom. Apparently, it’s here that one tried to end his own life. It’s said he took the communal toilet sponge and shoved it into his throat until he passed away, with many praising the gladiator’s bravery.

Female gladiators weren’t entirely unheard of in Rome

Being a gladiator was something predominantly done by men in Ancient Rome. Still, that didn’t mean that female gladiators were entirely out of the question, with there being records of some throughout history. In fact, one of emperor Caesar’s games apparently featured a woman ending the life of a lion during one of the Roman Games.

Emperor Domitian also allegedly had female gladiators, with the editor ordering some of the women to fight one another by the light of torches as a part of his display. That all changed from 193 CE to 211 CE, as emperor Septimus Severus ruled that no female gladiators were allowed to step foot inside the arena.

The thumbs-down part of the games might have been real after all

The epic historical drama movie ‘Gladiator’ saw Roman times brought back to life for the big screen, with the film becoming an instant classic. One of the most famous parts of it all comes when the emperor orders a thumbs up or thumbs down to decide the fate of the gladiators in the stadium. The question is: was it real?

It’s long been debated, and now, people think it really was a part of the games. It’s believed that gladiators would raise their finger if they begged mercy, with the three referees stopping the game while they decided. The crowd would then cheer for the outcome, with two fingers meaning someone was spared and a thumbs down meaning the opposite.

Running the Roman games was hugely expensive for emperors

Emperor Caesar is one of the most famous of them all, and it appears that it might have been his time hosting the Roman Games that has seen him go down in history. It’s said the ruler would turn up at rallies and excite the crowd with his promise of big things to come from the games.

Of course, he had to deliver. One game saw 320 gladiators in silver armor fight all at once. Another expensive aspect came from importing all the exotic animals - often from Africa - for the games. Spending so much on the games in his race to become emperor meant that Caesar was millions of dollars in debt by the time he ruled.

Walking the streets in Rome was a pretty dangerous affair

Having so many apartment buildings packed into a small city meant it wasn’t long before the streets became smaller and smaller throughout Rome. People had to ensure they kept an eye on everything around them - and what could be falling from above. Falling roof tiles were common and could easily end someone’s life if they were unlucky.

Emptying chamber pots was another thing people had to avoid if they didn’t want to walk around with an unusual stench until wash day again. To make matters worse, having so many crowds meant it was often common for people to be crushed among the people. Whatever the case, walking through Rome was a dangerous affair.

Emperor Nero didn’t help make Roman streets any safer

It turns out the crowds and chamber pots weren’t the only things to avoid on Ancient Roman streets. Another was emperor Nero. Many avoided heading out at night as the unlit streets meant it was prime time for thieves. Still, Nero would allegedly disguise himself and break into shops before selling everything he stole from his own home.

Nero would also supposedly fight anyone who crossed his path before throwing their bodies into the local sewers. Still, his reign of terror came to an end after Nero crossed paths with a senator. It’s said that Nero grabbed his wife, with the senator putting the disguised emperor in his place once and for all.

Firefighters had to double up as night watchmen to replace the lack of police

The reason there was often so much crime for those living in Rome was all to do with the lack of police. Instead, they merely relied on people to keep mobs in their place and a relative peace across the city. The only people who had any kind of policing presence were the firefighters, aka the Vigiles.

It turns out they also doubled up as night watchmen but having so few of them across Rome meant there was practically no one enforcing the law. That didn’t mean everyone did as they pleased. Instead, it’s believed that Romans were a social bunch who learned how to get along with each other with no issues for the most part.

It was common for vigilantes to take matters into their own hands

If someone ended someone else’s life in Roman times, it was up to the family of the victim to take matters into their own hands and find the person responsible. Most of the time, it meant ending their life - which was totally acceptable - unless they were of higher social standing. No one could get away with hurting someone more important.

That was until the late Roman era when a court system was introduced. Although people could accuse those more powerful than them of the crimes, they needed to hire a lawyer. Most of the time, the wealthier of the two would simply hire a better lawyer or would pay off the judge and walk away a free person.

Punishments were mainly kept for the poor across Ancient Rome

Not having police didn’t mean life in Rome was filled with people doing as they pleased. Instead, there was a strict set of rules that everyone needed to follow, but they were mainly aimed at the poorer people in the city. Most of the time, those higher up got lesser punishments as they were deemed to do more for society.

Those lower down? They were typically sent to work in the mines, which essentially meant they would lose their lives regardless. Although crucifixion was used in Roman times, it normally wasn’t given to citizens. This was usually for people outside the Roman Empire, such as the people who once captured Julius Caesar before he was emperor.

“Punishment of the sack” might have been the worst punishment of them all

Crucifixion was called the ultimate punishment across Rome. Still, there was one that might have been worse. That came in the form of poena cullei, better known as “punishment of the sack.” This was reserved for the most serious offenders and was a terrible way to go - and it all started with someone having their hands and feet bound.

From there, people were pushed into a leather sack before a snake, monkey, rooster, and dog were all added to the bag. Finally, the sack was sealed before being thrown into a body of water. Of course, the fighting animals would usually do it before someone drowned, with the punishment mostly reserved for people who ended their relatives’ lives.