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Ancient Rome

The silver amulet contained a thin foil scroll.

New Research

Archaeologists Say This Tiny Amulet Is the Oldest Evidence of Christianity Found North of the Alps

Discovered in central Germany, the 1,800-year-old silver artifact held a tiny scroll, which researchers have now deciphered using high-resolution scans

The bronze head of the Roman emperor Septimius Severus on display at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek museum in Copenhagen

An Ancient Statue of a Roman Emperor Will Finally Be Reunited With Its Head

The torso of the bronze sculpture depicting Septimius Severus was repatriated last year, and a Copenhagen museum has now agreed to return the head

Artist Jean Charles Blais and his contractor discovered the engraving behind a layer of plaster on his studio wall.

Cool Finds

An Artist Noticed a Leak in His Studio. The Repairs Revealed a Mysterious Ancient Engraving Hidden Inside the Walls

Jean Charles Blais had no idea that his studio in southern France was hiding a Roman funerary inscription dating to the first or second century C.E.

This gold aureus featuring an image of Brutus was minted shortly after Caesar's death.

A Rare Coin Depicting Brutus, Caesar’s Infamous Assassin, Sells for $2 Million

Following the murder in 44 B.C.E., Brutus minted the gold aureus to promote his own image and celebrate his military victories

Thessaloniki's Venizelou subway station contains the ruins of a Roman-era thoroughfare.

Cool Finds

A New Subway System in Greece Is Decorated With the Artifacts Unearthed During Its Construction

An ancient marble thoroughfare and shards of classical pottery are on display in the city of Thessaloniki’s new underground “archaeo-stations”

The coin features the bust of Honorius on one side. The other side depicts a person holding a banner or flag with a cross on it.

Cool Finds

This Mysterious Gold Pendant Featuring a Misspelled Inscription Is an Early Medieval Imitation of a Roman Coin

A metal detectorist in England discovered the unusual piece of jewelry, which was likely made in the late fifth or early sixth century C.E.

The amulet contains an image of King Solomon and a Greek inscription that reads, "Our Lord defeated evil."

Cool Finds

Rare 1,600-Year-Old Pendant Discovered in Turkey Depicts King Solomon Defeating the Devil

The fifth-century artifact was found in the ruins of a structure that may have been connected to the military. Historians think it was used as a protective amulet

Italian authorities have recovered several Etruscan antiquities stolen by tomb raiders from a burial site in central Italy.

Italian Police Arrest ‘Clumsy’ Tomb Raiders Who Allegedly Posted Stolen Etruscan Artifacts on Facebook

The items include artistic urns, a bone comb and an ancient sarcophagus with a full skeleton inside

Next May, Airbnb will host two nights of immersive, three-hour gladiator experiences.

Airbnb Plans to Host an Immersive ‘Gladiator’ Experience in the Colosseum, and Politicians in Rome Are Furious

The short-term rental giant will help pay for the Colosseum Archaeological Park’s educational programs in exchange for use of the monument

Paul Mescal as Lucius Verus in Gladiator II, which tells a heavily fictionalized story of the joint reign of brothers Geta and Caracalla

Based on a True Story

The Real History Behind Ridley Scott’s ‘Gladiator II’ and Life as a Fighter in the Ancient Roman Arena

The “Gladiator” sequel centers on Lucius Verus, the secret son of Russell Crowe’s character from the 2000 film. Both men achieve fame as enslaved fighters driven by their desire for revenge

This tiny Roman gladiator figurine used to be the handle on a folding knife.

Cool Finds

Ancient Roman Gladiators Were Huge Celebrities Who Even Had Their Own Merch

A tiny gladiator figurine was used as a handle on a 2,000-year-old copper folding knife found in an English river, suggesting that popular fascination with the ancient fighters reached the edges of the empire

A crowd of tourists gathers on the main street at Pompeii.

Pompeii Introduces New Limits on Daily Visitors to Protect the Ancient City From Overtourism

A maximum of 20,000 people will be allowed to enter each day in an effort to protect the historic site in Italy, where misbehaving tourists are becoming a persistent problem

Four plaster casts from the House of the Golden Bracelet were made in 1974.

New Research

DNA Evidence Is Rewriting the Stories of Victims Who Perished in Pompeii Nearly 2,000 Years Ago

A new study has shattered historians’ long-held assumptions about some of the people who died in Mount Vesuvius’ eruption in 79 C.E.

In a version of the iconic "Pillars of Creation" image, the James Webb Space Telescope turned its powerful near-infrared-light cameras on the Eagle Nebula in 2022.

This Stunning New Atlas Explores Humanity’s Ancient Relationship With Space and the Universe

Written by the former chief historian of NASA, the book examines the evolution of our cosmic understanding—from early civilizations to the present day

The gold votive plaque features a Greek inscription dedicated to Jupiter Dolichenus.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Discover Engraved Gold Offering to Jupiter Dolichenu, a War God Revered by Roman Soldiers

The votive plaque was found amid the ruins of an ancient Roman fortress. Researchers think a temple dedicated to the mysterious deity may have stood nearby

Users of the Sortes Astrampsychi chose a specific question from a list of 92. Then, they randomly picked a number between one and ten, which, when added to the number of the chosen question, directed them to one of 1,030 possible answers.

To Divine the Future, the Ancients Relied on These Chance-Based Fortune-Telling Tools

Texts like the “Sortes Astrampsychi” promised insights on clients’ love lives, career prospects, financial woes and families

One fresco depicts a satyr and a nymph embracing.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Discover Breathtaking Wall Paintings Frozen in Time Inside a Modest Home in Ancient Pompeii

Despite its unusually small size, the newly unearthed House of Phaedra is covered in elaborate frescos depicting mythological scenes

This digital reconstruction of the Armenian church's now-degraded walls shows its original shape.

Cool Finds

This Newly Discovered, Octagonal Building in Armenia Is One of the World’s Oldest Christian Churches

The structure—also the earliest of its kind in the Asian country—dates to around 350 C.E.

The seven-foot-tall Apollo Belvedere is thought to be a Roman copy of a Greek statue.

See the Vatican’s Magnificent Marble Statue of the Greek God Apollo Restored to Its Former Glory

Experts added a carbon fiber pole to help anchor the “Apollo Belvedere,” which had developed cracks along the legs and knees. Now, the looming Roman sculpture is finally back on display

Archaeologists digging in ancient Fregellae uncovered the region’s oldest known villa

The Roman Republic Quashed a Rebellion So Completely That This City Became a Landfill

Researchers studying the ancient site of Fregellae reveal the consequences of challenging the Roman army

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