Are you curious to learn some weird and wonderful facts about Rome?
If so, excellent! You are in exactly the right place my friend…
It’s time to chat about Rome facts.
Let’s dive right in…
Facts About Rome
1 – Rome is the capital of Italy and was founded on April 21st 753 BC. According to tradition, Romulus and his twin brother, Remus, found Rome on the site where they were suckled by a she-wolf as orphaned infants.
2 – The population of Rome in 2021 was 4.2 million people.
3 – It has an area of 1,285 square miles.
4 – The word “Rome” comes from the Latin word “ruma,” which means “river.”
5 – Romans were very clever builders – they used a technique called opus reticulatum to make their buildings sturdy and long-lasting.
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6 – The Colosseum is an ancient Roman amphitheater that’s still standing today! It can seat 50,000 people and it was originally built for public games like chariot racing and animal hunts (although these days it’s mainly used for concerts).
The Colosseum was built to be used as an arena where gladiators would fight each other to death before crowds of spectators who paid money to watch them die
7 – It takes about an hour and 15 minutes to get from Rome to Naples by train
8 – It is believed that Nero fiddled while it burned – according to legend he played his lyre and sang about “the fall of Troy” while watching it burn from a palace on the Palatine Hill
9 – In ancient times, there were seven hills on which Rome was built and each one had its own god or goddess associated with it including Quirinus on Quirinal Hill; Mars on Capitoline Hill; Cybele (a mother goddess) on Palatine Hill; Saturnius (god of agriculture) on Aventino Hill; Ops (goddess of crops and fertility) on Collis Hortulorum; Juno Moneta (“warrior queen”) at Esquiline Hill.
There are seven hills of Rome and they are Monti Pincio, Monte Mario, Palatino, Campidoglio, Esquilino, Viminale and Quirinale.
10 – Romans didn’t wear underwear under their togas until after about 200 AD when they became more.
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11 – Rome is divided into 21 districts called Municipio. Rome’s entire neighborhood has a sum total of 18 districts.
12 – Romans typically eat their main meal at lunchtime (around 1pm).
13 – Romans invented concrete, which they used for building roads, bridges, and homes.
14 – Ancient Romans built aqueducts to supply water to their citizens. In ancient times, Romans used lead pipes to carry water from aqueducts into their homes for drinking and bathing purposes.
15 – Julius Caesar was assassinated on March 15th 44 BC by a group of Roman senators led by Brutus.
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16 – The Colosseum was completed in 80 AD after 10 years’ worth of construction.
17 – In ancient Rome, it was customary for slaves to greet their masters with “Dominus” (meaning “master”) and the masters would reply with “Servus” (meaning servant).
18 – There are 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the city. In addition to Rome’s historic center and its three historic churches, other Vatican palaces have been added to the World Heritage List.
They are: the Cancelleria, Palazzo dei Propilei, Palazzo Maffei, Palazzo San Callisto and Palazzo di Propaganda Fide.
19 – The Pantheon is an ancient Roman temple that still stands today.
20 – In ancient times, there were many public baths that people could visit to clean themselves before going into temples or other buildings where they would have to keep their feet clean.
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21 – Ancient Romans had two forms of currency – bronze coins for everyday use and silver coins for special occasions like weddings or funerals.
22 – The Roman Empire reached its peak in 117 AD with the rule of Emperor Trajan.
23 – There are many ruins in Rome that date back to when it was first established as a city. The Pantheon is one of the largest buildings ever constructed in ancient Rome, it is also a temple dedicated to all gods.
24 – The oldest man-made structure in Rome is the Palatine Hill.
25 – Ancient Roman roads were made from stones that were cut with a chisel or hammer.
Bonus Facts
Ancient Rome had a Senate that consisted of about 300 members who were wealthy landowners or descendants from previous Senators.
