- 12/28/2023
How often do you think about these Roman Empire mysteries? Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at intriguing mysteries from the world of the Ancient Romans.
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00:00 By the end of the day, perhaps as many as 2,000 legionaries had perished.
00:04 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at intriguing mysteries from the world of the ancient Romans.
00:10 At an image of Mithras slaying a bull, an officer officiated.
00:16 These 12-sided shapes made from copper alloy have been discovered in various locations across the Roman Empire.
00:27 So far, archaeologists have unearthed 120 in total, mostly in Gaul and Roman Germany.
00:34 Each dodecahedron has a hole in each side, and circular knobs on each corner.
00:39 These metal objects would have been expensive to make, but their purpose is still unknown.
00:44 As many were found in coin hauls, we can assume that they were considered valuable.
00:48 Or perhaps they were used in connection with money?
00:51 Other theories vary wildly.
00:53 Could they be a measuring tool for the battlefield?
00:56 A candle clock?
00:57 Knitting gloves?
00:58 Or a form of dice?
00:59 Maybe one day we'll find out.
01:01 9. What happened to the man with the stone tongue?
01:05 In 2017, the examination of a Romano-British skeleton raised more questions than it answered.
01:10 The man was believed to have been in his 30s at the time of death.
01:14 He was buried face down, with a stone in his mouth in place of a tongue.
01:18 But why?
01:19 For a small farming community in Roman Britain, this kind of mutilation was not usual practice.
01:25 However, archaeologists believe that to be interred face down suggests that this person was a strange or dangerous individual.
01:32 He may have been buried this way to ensure that he didn't rise from the grave and continue to wreak havoc.
01:37 Perhaps the tongue was severed as a punishment, or was it lost through other means?
01:42 8. How dramatized was the Catalanarian conspiracy?
01:46 This infamous coup took place in 63 BCE.
01:49 Catiline was a Roman politician who attempted to take control of the consulate by force after failing to be elected three times.
01:56 The story of his rebellion has become sensationalized over the years,
02:00 and scholars agree that accounts from the time are extremely biased.
02:04 After all, history is written by the victors.
02:07 Marcus Tullius Cicero was Catiline's political rival and the man who uncovered the conspiracy.
02:12 Cicero is believed to have exaggerated the scale of the threat to further his career.
02:17 In a series of famous speeches, Cicero denounced Catiline's madness.
02:22 So, was Catiline's conspiracy a serious insurrection that shook Rome at the roots?
02:27 Or was it an unimportant footnote in history, mythologized by a politician seeking to make himself look more impressive?
02:34 "Laws are silent in a time of war," wrote Cicero.
02:38 7. What do the frescoes in the Villa of Mysteries represent?
02:42 On the outskirts of Pompeii sits the Villa of Mysteries,
02:45 named for the elaborate frescoes painted on the walls of one room.
02:49 The inhabitants of the house met their deaths when Vesuvius erupted,
02:52 but the frescoes are astonishingly well-preserved.
02:55 "There's been a lot of debate about what these figures depict.
02:58 These are large-scale figures painted on three walls."
03:03 So, who are the people in the paintings and what story do these images tell?
03:06 Experts think that the figures may depict real women who lived in the villa.
03:11 They appear to be participating in a marriage rite associated with Bacchus,
03:14 the god of wine and festivities.
03:16 The Greco-Roman mystery cult dedicated to Bacchus has a scandalous reputation,
03:21 thanks to Roman writers such as Livy.
03:23 But the secrets of the cult remain as mysterious as the frescoes themselves.
03:28 "The meanings of the paintings mystified their discoverers and continue to be debated today."
03:34 6. Who is the inhabitant of the lead sarcophagus?
03:38 In the ancient city of Gabi, just over 10 miles from Rome,
03:42 a major archaeological dig took place back in 2010.
03:45 The most intriguing discovery was a sarcophagus made of lead,
03:48 folded like a burrito and buried right in the middle of what was once a city block.
03:53 As lead was pretty expensive back in the 4th or 5th century,
03:56 it's likely that the coffin contains a person of importance.
04:00 The location is also significant,
04:02 as Romans would not normally bury their dead inside city limits.
04:06 We have yet to learn the identity of the body and the reasons behind this unusual burial.
04:10 However, other lead sarcophagi have been found to hold the bodies of women of rank,
04:15 soldiers, Christian leaders and female gladiators.
04:18 5. What was written in Livy's lost history?
04:22 Titus Livius, better known as Livy, was a famous ancient chronicler of Roman history.
04:27 His notable work, "From the Founding of the City,"
04:29 details the early days of Rome and the legends surrounding it.
04:33 In its original form, it had 142 books, taking us from 386 BCE to 9 CE.
04:40 Frustratingly, books 11 to 20 and 46 to 142 have been lost to the ages.
04:46 Some of the later volumes may have been considered too controversial
04:49 to be widely published while the reigning emperor was still alive.
04:53 However, part of their content is known from summaries, speeches and scrolls,
04:57 dating from the 1st century CE and later.
05:00 4. Why were the Baiae Tunnels built?
05:03 The town of Baiae, which overlooks the Bay of Naples,
05:06 was a favored holiday destination of ancient Rome's wealthy citizens.
05:10 Due to its reputation for hedonism,
05:12 some historians have even dubbed the town the "Las Vegas of the Ancient World."
05:16 "Written accounts from the time called it a resort of vice,
05:19 full of wild parties and the odd murder."
05:23 Much of the one-time resort is now underwater, but it still makes a fascinating study.
05:27 Baiae's biggest curiosity is its underground tunnel network, leading from a hidden chamber.
05:33 A sulfurous stream runs through the caves, with a landing stage at one end.
05:37 At the other is a staircase leading to a secret sanctuary.
05:40 We don't know when or why the tunnels were built.
05:43 However, many believe they were intended to replicate the journey to the underworld.
05:47 3. What was so special about Silphium?
05:51 Back in ancient Roman times, one particular plant was considered worth its weight in Denarii.
05:57 This was Silphium, a plant with black roots and yellow flowers,
06:00 thought to be part of the fennel family.
06:02 It was probably harvested to extinction,
06:05 but we know what it looks like because the people of ancient Cyrene immortalized it on their coins.
06:10 So why was Silphium so highly praised?
06:13 The Romans used it as both a contraceptive and an aphrodisiac, as well as in their cooking.
06:18 It was said to treat a range of ailments, from a sore throat to indigestion.
06:22 It's mentioned in poems and songs, and some called it a gift from the gods.
06:27 But was it really all it's cracked up to be?
06:29 2. How did the Romans worship Mithras?
06:32 Originally an Iranian deity, Mithras was a god of war, justice, and the sun.
06:37 In the 2nd and 3rd centuries,
06:39 worship of Mithras was permitted and even considered a sign of loyalty to the Roman emperor.
06:43 However, when Emperor Constantine embraced Christianity,
06:50 the old religion went underground.
06:52 Almost no written texts survive from the Mithran mystery cult,
06:56 which was wiped out by the end of the 4th century.
06:59 When Rome adopted the Christian faith,
07:01 gods like Mithras were soon driven out.
07:05 However, many of their cavern-like temples survive.
07:09 Most of what we understand about Mithraism comes from ancient sculptures and graffiti.
07:14 But for the most part, the mysteries of Mithras remain a mystery.
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07:31 Immortalized in Rosemary Sutcliffe's classic novel,
07:39 "The Eagle of the Ninth" and its adaptations,
07:42 the Lost Legion of the Ninth has fascinated historians for centuries.
07:46 This Roman fighting force was stationed in Britain as late as 108 CE.
07:57 Later evidence of the Ninth has also been found at a legionary base in the Netherlands,
08:01 although this may suggest a small detachment of men rather than a whole legion.
08:05 After 120 CE, the Ninth Hispania disappears entirely from the records.
08:10 "It's the last time the Ninth Legion is ever mentioned in history. Ever. That's it.
08:16 It's never again mentioned in history."
08:17 But how did 6,000 men simply drop off the face of the earth?
08:22 Were they disbanded or amalgamated with another legion?
08:24 Or did they go down fighting, in Europe or beyond Hadrian's Wall?
08:28 We can guess, but we may never know the truth.
08:31 "The possibility of them being lost somewhere on the Rhine, or just a disbandment."
08:36 So what are your theories? And how often do you think about the Roman Empire?
08:41 Be sure to let us know in the comments.
08:42 "Ready? Open the gates!"
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08:56 [music]
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