- The first-ever shopping mall was built by the Emperor Trajan in Rome. It consisted of several levels and more than 150 outlets that sold everything ranging from food and spices to clothes.
- Togas were unique to Rome and were worn by free-born Roman men as a mark of distinction. Ironically, the only women who wore togas were prostitutes because they were not allowed to wear stolas, the traditional garment of Roman women.
- After the death of an emperor, an eagle (symbol of the god Jupiter) was released to bear his soul to heaven.
- In response to a 73 B.C. revolt against Rome by Spartacus the gladiator, 6,000 slaves were crucified.
- The Romans were the first civilization to use concrete and the arch with any notable skill.
- By the early fourth century, the Romans had built a road network of 53,000 miles throughout the empire. Each Roman mile was about 1,000 paces (about 4,800 feet) and was marked by a milestone.
- Ancient Romans believed that seeing an owl was a bad omen, sniffing cyclamen flowers would prevent baldness, and ringing bells eased the pain of childbirth. The presence of bees, which were considered sacred messengers of the gods, were seen as a sign of good luck.
- n ancient Rome, an infant was placed at the father’s feet shortly after birth. If the father took the child into his arms, it showed he accepted responsibility for its upbringing. If the baby was not accepted, it was be abandoned and left to die.
- While abortion and contraception were almost certainly limited to the rich, all classes, particularly the poor, resorted to “exposure.” Some people found it profitable to look for exposed infants in the town dumps and raise them as slaves or for sale. In legal documents, slaves are frequently designated as being “from the dump."
- Wealthy Roman women would smear lead paste on their faces to look fashionably pale. They might also use ass’ milk or crushed snails as a facial moisturizer. Crushed ant eggs were often used to highlight women’s eyebrows.
- Wealthy Romans might enjoy exotic foods such as stuffed flamingo. Fish sauce called liquamen or garum made from fish intestines was also popular.
- Roman divorce was quick and easy. Either party merely uttered to the other the Latin phrase “Tuas res tibi habeto.” (“Keep what’s yours for yourself.”) If there were any children, they remained with the father, though the dowry was returned to the woman provided she had not committed adultery.
- Romans thought that not owning slaves was a sign of extreme poverty. Many people would take three slaves with them just to go to the baths.
- In battle, Romans sometimes grouped together and held their shields all around them in a move called “the tortoise.”
- After the fall of Rome, the Colosseum became overgrown with exotic plants—seeds had inadvertently been transported with the wild animals that were used for fighting. During the Middle Ages it became a fortress for the city's two warrior families
