Did You Know? Italy

Long before email, text messages, or even the modern postal service, the Romans developed an impressive system for moving messages across their enormous empire.

Under Emperor Augustus, Rome established the cursus publicus (public way), a state-sponsored network of couriers, horses, and stations designed primarily to transport official government messages.

The cursus publicus consisted of a network of relay stations placed along major roads. Riders could travel from one station to another. They could change horses and continue along the way, lodging if they needed to rest, and accessing other essential services. Along Rome’s extensive road network, these couriers could carry important messages across hundreds of miles.

While ordinary Romans didn’t simply drop a letter into a mailbox, the system allowed information to travel across the empire far faster than it otherwise could. The government and elite members of society primarily used the system. Permission from the government was needed for ordinary Romans to use this service.

For an empire stretching across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, communication was essential.

Imagine having to send a message from Rome to another part of the empire. How long do you think it would take?

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Did You Know? Italy

Have you ever wondered why our calendar feels so familiar? You can thank the Romans.

When Romulus founded Rome, he instituted the first calendar. This was designed primarily for farming and military life. It consisted of 10 months and 304 days, starting in March and ending in December. Winter months were excluded because no farming or military campaigns would take place during that period.

Numa Pompilius, Rome’s second king, added January and February to the calendar. He still based the calendar on lunar cycles. This calendar still only had 355 days. Romans considered even numbers unlucky and odd numbers lucky so all the months had either 29 or 31 days, excluding February, which had 28 days except in a leap year. February was considered unlucky and dedicated to the rites of the dead and to purification.

In 46 BC, Julius Caesar introduced the Julian Calendar, replacing older systems with a more accurate solar calendar consisting of 365 days and a leap year every four years. Caesar needed to correct the misalignment between the lunar and solar calendars. 46 BC became known as the “Year of Confusion,” and it is the longest recorded year in history, consisting of 445 days. These extra days allowed for the Julian calendar to sync with the solar year.

The Julian calendar was used for over 1600 years until Pope Gregory III introduced minor adjustments and replaced it with the Gregorian Calendar, but the Roman influence remains. Even the names of many months have Roman origins, including January (Janus), March (Mars), and July, which was renamed to honor Julius Caesar himself.

Every time we check the date, we’re using a system rooted in Ancient Rome.

Did you know our modern calendar traces its roots back to Julius Caesar?

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Did You Know? Italy

In Ancient Rome, the color purple wasn’t simply fashionable—it represented power.

The richest shade, known as Tyrian Purple (Royal purple or Imperial purple), was created from tiny Mediterranean sea snails. Its name comes from the Phoenician city of Tyre where it was manufactured. Producing just a small amount of dye required thousands of shells, making it one of the most expensive substances in the ancient world.

Because of its incredible cost, purple clothing became associated with the elite: the imperial family, senators, and magistrates could wear the toga praetexta, a white toga with a broad purple border. Roman generals, after a triumphant victory, could wear the toga picta, a purple toga with a gold border, on their day of celebration. In some periods of Roman history, only the emperor could wear the toga purpurea, a garment made entirely of this prized color. It is believed Julius Caesar was the first to don an all-purple toga.

The next time you see royal purple, remember that it once symbolized the highest authority in the Roman world.

Question: If you lived in Ancient Rome, what color do you think would represent status today?

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Did You Know? Italy

Busy Romans often grabbed a quick meal instead of cooking at home.

Throughout Ancient Rome, there were thousands of thermopolia, small street-side shops where people could purchase ready-to-eat meals. In Day 21 of Did You Know? Italy, we learned Rome had insulae (apartment buildings). Not all rooms in the insulae were equipped with kitchens or water, so making food at home was not easy. Thermopolia’s were created out of necessity for Romans to grab something to eat. Large clay pots (called dolia) built into stone counters held hot foods, grains, nuts, vegetables, beans, fish, bread, and wine. Some were more elaborate than others because they had a place for you to sit.

Archaeologists have uncovered remarkably preserved thermopolia in Pompeii, complete with painted menus and serving counters.

Long before drive-thrus and takeout, Romans were already enjoying fast, convenient meals while going about their daily lives.

Question: If you could order lunch from an ancient Roman food stall, what would you want to try?

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Did You Know? Italy

Roman soldiers weren’t just expert fighters. They were engineers, builders, craftsmen, and police. The Roman state realized that having a large group of soldiers sitting around was a recipe for disaster. They would keep them busy constructing the infrastructure of the Roman Empire.

Whenever a Roman legion stopped for the night, soldiers constructed a fortified camp complete with defensive walls, roads, gates, and drainage systems. They also built bridges, roads, aqueducts, and forts throughout the empire. This ability to build wherever they traveled allowed Rome to move armies efficiently while establishing permanent settlements that eventually grew into many of Europe’s modern cities.

They would also patrol trade routes, shipping lanes, and roads to combat pirates and bandits. They would collect tolls along borders and crossings. Act as armed escorts for tax collectors, shipments of goods, and important dignitaries.

The Roman army conquered with both the sword and the shovel.

Question: Which Roman achievement impresses you more—their military skill or their engineering?

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Did You Know? Italy

Think apartment buildings are a modern invention? Think again!

As Rome’s population exploded to more than one million people during the height of the Empire, housing became a challenge. The solution was the insula, a multi-story apartment building that housed the majority of Rome’s citizens.

The wealthiest Romans lived in spacious homes called domus, while ordinary families rented apartments that ranged from comfortable lower floors to cramped upper stories. Some insulae rose as high as six or seven stories, making Ancient Rome home to some of the world’s first urban apartment complexes.

Insulae varied in design, but all had similar features. Usually, the bottom level was used for the tabernae, shops that sold goods and services. A narrow passageway led from the street to the interior, where staircases led to the upper levels. Lower floors had more features and were more desirable. Construction was sturdier and came with more amenities, making them more expensive. The higher up you went, the smaller and cheaper the apartments became. Unfortunately, it made them riskier, as you did not have much time to escape during fires. Water had to be carried in from local sources as insulae did not have a connection to the aqueducts.

Although many were built of brick, concrete, and timber, fires and collapses were common, prompting Roman emperors to create some of history’s earliest building regulations. Augustus implemented a height restriction of 21 meters (approximately 70 feet). Trajan implemented even more restrictions following the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD. Even with restrictions, Ancient Rome still faced many of the same problems that plague modern-day cities: corruption and lack of law enforcement.

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Did You Know? Italy

Although no one speaks Latin as an everyday language anymore, it’s far from extinct.

It is one of the official languages of the Holy See. It is used in papal documents, official communications, and liturgical ceremonies. You can find over a million books and manuscripts in Latin at the Vatican Library.

Italian, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Romanian all evolved directly from Latin. Even English contains thousands of Latin-derived words, especially in science, law, medicine, and government.

Walk through Rome today and you’ll still see Latin inscriptions carved into churches, monuments, and public buildings—silent reminders of an empire whose language helped shape the modern world.

In many ways, every time we use words like video, animal, or formula, we’re speaking a little Latin.

Question: Can you think of a Latin word or phrase that you still hear today?

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Did You Know? Italy

Even though they were created over 2,000 years ago, Roman numerals are still all around us.

You’ll find them on clocks, in book chapters, in movie sequels, at sporting events like the Super Bowl, on monuments, and in official documents. The system uses letters such as I (one), V (five), X (ten), L (fifty), C (one hundred), D (five hundred), and M (one thousand) to represent numbers. The year 2026 would be MMXXVI. If you place a smaller Roman numeral in front of a larger one, you would subtract it. The number nine in Roman numerals would be IX. If you place a smaller Roman numeral after a larger one, you would add it. The number six in Roman numerals would be XI.

Although modern mathematics relies on Arabic numerals, Roman numerals continue to symbolize tradition, prestige, and timeless design.

It’s another reminder that the influence of Ancient Rome is woven into our everyday lives.

Question: Where was the last place you noticed Roman numerals?

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Did You Know? Italy

Day 18 – Ancient Romans Loved Their Food

Think Italians are passionate about food today? That tradition stretches back thousands of years.

Ancient Romans enjoyed bread, olives, cheese, seafood, fruits, vegetables, and plenty of wine. Wealthy families hosted elaborate banquets featuring exotic dishes from across the empire, while ordinary citizens often enjoyed simple but hearty meals made from fresh local ingredients.

The first meal of the day was called ientaculum. The main meal was during the early afternoon, called cena. A light supper at night was called vesperna.

One of Rome’s most famous seasonings was garum, a fermented fish sauce used much like modern Italians use olive oil or grated cheese. While it may sound unusual today, it was considered an essential ingredient in countless Roman recipes.

Food has always been at the heart of Italian life.

Would you be brave enough to try ancient Roman garum?

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Did You Know? Italy

Although Julius Caesar is one of history’s most famous Romans, it was his adopted son Augustus who transformed Rome forever.

After years of civil war, Augustus became Rome’s first emperor in 27 BC. He did not rule with fear, as he once said: “The greatest ruler is one who is obeyed without being feared.” He ushered in two centuries of peace known as the Pax Romana. He did not rule as a dictator; instead, he transitioned to the Principate system. He created the first public firefighting and police force. Formed an elite army known as the Praetorian Guard, used to protect the head of state and key installations. He built and restored temples, expanded roads, and constructed the Forum of Augustus and the Altar of Peace. Augustus boasted, “found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble.”

Under Augustus, Rome grew into one of the world’s greatest cities, and his leadership laid the foundation for an empire that would influence civilization for centuries.

Many historians consider Augustus to be the greatest leader Rome ever produced.

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Join us every day as we explore a fascinating fact, untold story, or remarkable piece of Italy’s history and culture. Whether your family came from Italy, you’ve traveled there, or you dream of visiting one day, this year-long journey is your daily passport to the heart of Italy. You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram or X (formerly Twitter). You can subscribe for free by filling out the form below to get it sent to your email.