J. C. McKeown

The Romans were strange people, which is good for us as McKeown relates many a strange Roman tale. "A cabinet of Roman curiosities" is the perfect book to dip into; lots of one liners from one famous Roman directed at another, plus lots of little useful/useless nuggets of information, such as "It was customary for those who survived shipwrecks to shave their heads in token of their gratitude".

Meanwhile, Cato believed that putting a sprig of wormwood in one's rectum prevented blisters on a long journey. A man dreamed that he had a mouth with big teeth in his rectum. He was later exiled for making incautious statements. I think there's a link between the two ...

And, in closing, McKeown notes that Ferdinand I, King of the Two Sicilies, swapped some priceless Herculaneum papyri for some kangaroos.… (more)