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Myth #1: Gladiators fought to the death -

Hollywood dramas have altered people’s understanding of how gladiators fought, and the stereotype is that they dueled to the death. In reality, only one in five of these bloody showdowns ended fatally. Gladiators were valuable investments for lanistas, the managers who trained and owned them, and a dead fighter represented a financial blow.

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Myth #1: Gladiators fought to the death -

But make no mistake: the spectacle of gladiator battles was still brutal, often leaving participants with severe wounds and life-threatening infections. The arena was a place of intense combat, but it paid to keep gladiators alive, ready to fight and draw crowds another day.

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Myth #2: Vomitoriums were used for indulgent purging -

The belief that Romans binge-ate, then rushed to a designated room to vomit and feast anew, is entirely off the mark. Vomitoria were indeed real, but they were actually architectural innovations in theaters and amphitheaters, designed for efficient crowd movement.

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Myth #2: Vomitoriums were used for indulgent purging -

Vomitoria were passages that allowed spectators to flow out of stadiums smoothly, which made them more akin to modern exit ramps than any digestive indulgence. So, despite the term's graphic association, vomitoria were more about managing large crowds than any grotesque eating habits.

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Myth #3: Ancient Roman statues were white -

When people picture ancient Rome, they often imagine white marble statues that are pristinely pale, but this is far from the reality of the time. Roman statues were actually vibrantly painted and were once alive with color, depicting lifelike skin tones, eye-catching garments, and even detailed facial hair.

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Myth #3: Ancient Roman statues were white -

Over the centuries, the paint on Roman statues eroded, leaving behind the plain stone figures we know today. The misconception of their intentional whiteness has persisted, erasing the lively, colorful aesthetics that once brought ancient Roman art to life.

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Myth #4: Nero played the fiddle while Rome burned -

The enduring tale of Emperor Nero heartlessly playing the fiddle (or the harp) as flames engulfed Rome in 64 CE is more legend than fact. This dramatic image is undermined by several historical inaccuracies: not only were the main accounts written long after the event, but fiddles weren’t even invented until the Middle Ages.

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Myth #4: Nero played the fiddle while Rome burned -

Evidence suggests that Nero took the disaster seriously, hurrying back to Rome and organizing emergency relief efforts. Far from being indifferent, Nero’s actions suggest a ruler trying to mitigate chaos, and the myth of his musical callousness is likely an exaggerated storytelling embellishment.

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Myth #5: Roman women were confined to the home -

While Roman society was undeniably patriarchal, women weren’t confined to domestic isolation. Many found ways to exert power and autonomy. Wealthy women (like Julia Felix of Pompeii) owned properties and ran businesses, while elite women in political families influenced decision-making at the highest levels.

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Myth #5: Roman women were confined to the home -

Women also organized public protests, such as the revolt against the restrictive lex Oppia in 195 BCE, which was a law that restricted women’s wealth. Even without the right to vote or hold office, Roman women left a significant mark on public life.

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Myth #6: Everyone looked and spoke the same -

Contrary to the idea of a homogenous empire, Rome was a melting pot of languages, ethnicities, and cultures. The vast empire stretched across three continents, and brought together people from modern-day England to North Africa.

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Myth #6: Everyone looked and spoke the same -

Even emperors were known to have hailed from distant lands, with Trajan coming from Spain and Septimius Severus (pictured) from Libya. The Roman Empire was a vast, interconnected world where diversity thrived, both in its people and their customs.

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Myth #7: Christian martyrs were only slain in the Colosseum -

The Colosseum, iconic as it is, wasn’t the primary site for the brutal martyrdoms that early Christians endured. While tales of mass executions there became popular in the 5th century, there’s no solid evidence to back them up.

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Myth #7: Christian martyrs were only slain in the Colosseum -

Other venues, like the Circus Maximus or provincial arenas, were more commonly used for such punishments. By the time these stories took root, Christianity had already been embraced as the official religion of the empire, and the Catholic Church had sanctified the Colosseum as a holy site.

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Myth #8: Rome fell in 476 CE -

The traditional story of Rome collapsing in 476 CE (when the barbarian Odoacer dethroned Romulus Augustulus) oversimplifies a complex history. By then, the Roman Empire had already split into western and eastern halves, and the Eastern Empire (based in Constantinople) continued for another thousand years as the Byzantine Empire.

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Myth #8: Rome fell in 476 CE -

Historians have suggested that life in Italy hardly felt disrupted by the supposed fall, as Roman customs persisted. The Western Empire’s collapse marked a transition rather than an abrupt end, and echoes of Roman civilization still shape the world today, from architecture to language and law.

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Myth #9: Romans always wore togas -

Despite being a cultural symbol of ancient Rome, togas were not everyday attire. Originally worn by both genders for practical purposes, togas became reserved for men and evolved into a formal garment symbolizing status.

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Myth #9: Romans always wore togas -

By the 2nd century BCE, only male citizens wore togas for special occasions, while tunics served as more common attire. Togas were costly and cumbersome, made of expensive wool, and so many Romans avoided them unless necessary. By the 4th century CE, the toga had largely been replaced by simpler cloaks.

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Myth #10: Julius Caesar’s last words were “Et tu, Brute?” -

On March 15 in the year 44 BCE, Julius Caesar was brutally murdered by a group of conspirators, one of whom was Marcus Junius Brutus, the son of Caesar’s mistress. Many believe that the dictator uttered the phrase “Et tu, Brute?” (“And you, Brutus?”) but this is a common misconception.

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Myth #10: Julius Caesar’s last words were “Et tu, Brute?” -

The phrase was actually immortalized by William Shakespeare. Historical records suggest he either said “Kai su, teknon?” (“You too, child?”) in Greek or remained completely silent as he was stabbed. The true details of his final moments remain unclear, and have been overshadowed by Shakespeare’s dramatic version.

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Myth #11: All gladiators were slaves, prisoners, and men -

While many gladiators were enslaved or condemned prisoners, there were some freeborn men (and even women) who chose this life, drawn by the promise of fame and fortune. Successful gladiators enjoyed celebrity status, with some amassing wealth through prize money.

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Myth #11: All gladiators were slaves, prisoners, and men -

Roman society eventually restricted freeborn citizens from joining gladiator troupes and banned upper-class women from participating in the games by 19 CE. Emperor Septimius Severus later enforced a male-only policy in 200 CE.

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Myth #12: Slaves rowed Roman war vessels -

The dramatic film sequence in ‘Ben-Hur’ (1959) that features a group of slaves forced to row a Roman galley ship would never have actually happened in real life. Roman galleys were not manned by slaves but by skilled, paid freemen. These rowers were well-trained professionals, chosen for their reliability and expertise, which was crucial during naval warfare.

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Myth #12: Slaves rowed Roman war vessels -

Using slaves would have been a tactical mistake, as they might have revolted or sided with enemies if captured. The reality was more pragmatic and efficient, as Rome relied on loyal and disciplined freemen to operate its warships, ensuring that the oarsmen had a vested interest in the success of their missions.

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Myth #13: Caligula’s horse was a government official -

The story of Emperor Caligula appointing his horse, Incitatus, as a Roman consul is more myth than fact. Suetonius, a Roman historian, wrote sensational stories about Caligula’s excesses, including claims of extravagant treatment for his horse, such as a marble stable and servants.

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Myth #13: Caligula’s horse was a government official -

Although Suetonius mentioned Caligula’s intention to make Incitatus a consul, the appointment never happened. Some historians argue that this act was meant to mock the Roman Senate, and was not evidence of Caligula’s supposed insanity.

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Myth #14: Roman gods were just Greek imports -

Conventionally, people believe that Rome adopted the Greek gods and simply gave them new names. Roman religion was a blend of native beliefs and Greek influence, but it wasn’t a simple case of rebranding Greek gods. As Romans encountered Greek culture, they began to equate their deities with Greek ones, reshaping myths and merging traditions.

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Myth #14: Roman gods were just Greek imports -

Jupiter, Rome’s supreme god, was initially distinct, but gradually adopted traits of Zeus. Differences persisted, however, in roles and symbolism. Roman gods were less human-like and more tied to civic and state functions, while Greek gods were depicted with vivid, human-like characteristics.

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Myth #15: The “Nazi salute” was invented in Rome -

The so-called "Roman salute," famously adopted by Nazi Germany and Italian Fascists, was likely never used in ancient Rome. Contrary to the widespread myth that ties the gesture to Roman tradition, there is no historical evidence to support this connection.

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Myth #15: The “Nazi salute” was invented in Rome -

The origin of the gesture appears to trace back to an 18th-century painting, ‘Oath of the Horatii’ by Jacques-Louis David, which depicted Roman figures raising their right arms. This imagery inspired later artists and playwrights, and the gesture was eventually appropriated by Mussolini and Hitler.

Sources: (National Geographic) (Mental Floss) (Britannica)

See also: What if the Roman Empire never fell?

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