Roman Empire

One of the marble capitals found by swimmer Gideon Harris

Cool Finds

Swimmer Stumbles Upon 1,800-Year-Old Marble Columns From Shipwreck Off Israel’s Coast

The artifacts help settle an unanswered question about ancient architectural materials

Bone fractures suggest that structural damage killed the two Pompeii residents.

These Two Ancient Pompeii Victims Died in an Earthquake—Not a Volcanic Eruption

Archaeologists have found the bodies of two men who perished in the days before Mount Vesuvius erupted

Examples of classical influences include Heracles' assimilation with Vajrapani, one of the Buddha's most faithful attendants, and illuminated manuscripts created in the Byzantine style by Christian monks in Ethiopia.

The Myth of the 'Dark Ages' Ignores How Classical Traditions Flourished Around the World

The author of a sweeping re-examination of Western history reveals the global reach of Greek and Roman antiquity

Archaeologists have discovered what appear to be the outlines of three temporary Roman military camps in the Jordanian desert.

Archaeologists Discover Roman Camps in Jordan That May Indicate a Secret Military Invasion

The camps suggest the Roman takeover of the Nabataean kingdom may not have been as peaceful as previously thought

Researchers uncovered 50 burials dated to roughly the second century C.E.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Discover Ancient Necropolis Near Parisian Train Station

Residents of Lutetia buried their dead at Saint-Jacques between the first and fourth centuries C.E.

An artist's recreation of what the recently discovered fortlet might have looked like

Archaeologists Discover Lost Roman Fort in Scotland

The new find marks the tenth such fort found in the area, once the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire

Archaeologists are uncovering a Roman mosaic located in front of a vape shop at a shopping mall in southeast England.

Roman Mosaic Revealed at Shopping Mall in England

First discovered in the 1980s—then covered back up—the mosaic will now be displayed under a layer of glass for all patrons to see

The wine cellar, treading floor and presses found at an ancient Roman winery

Cool Finds

Fountains of Wine Once Flowed in This Ancient Roman Winery

Archaeologists think the elaborately decorated site was built to be a spectacle

One of the 12 antiquities that U.S. authorities returned to Turkey last month

U.S. Returns $33 Million of Looted Antiquities to Turkey

The collection of 12 items included a headless bronze statue dating to 225 C.E.

One of the scrolls carbonized by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius

You Could Win $1 Million by Deciphering These Ancient Roman Scrolls

The Herculaneum scrolls have remained unreadable since their discovery in 1750, but researchers hope to change that

The sphinx has a "slight smile," according to archaeologist Mamdouh Al-Damati.

Cool Finds

Smiling Sphinx Statue Unearthed in Egypt

Researchers suspect the Roman-era limestone figure may depict the emperor Claudius

First discovered in 1992, the phallus is 6.3 inches long and made of ash wood.

Is This Wooden Artifact an Ancient Roman Phallus?

Thirty years ago, researchers thought that the 2,000-year-old object was a darning tool

Instead of transitioning between Latin and English, spoken Latin keeps the cognition all in one language.

Spoken Latin Is Making a Comeback

Proponents of the teaching method argue that it encourages engagement with the language and the ancient past

Construction workers in Rome were surprised when they discovered an ancient marble statue.

Cool Finds

Ancient Statue of Emperor Dressed as Hercules Discovered During Roman Sewer Repairs

The life-size statue was likely buried along the Appian Way in the early 20th century

The damaged castle following the earthquakes on February 6

Earthquakes Damage 2,000-Year-Old Castle in Turkey

The 7.8-magnitude quake also harmed other historic structures throughout Turkey and Syria

An intact Roman dodecahedron at the Gallo-Roman Museum

Cool Finds

Metal Detectorist Finds Mysterious Roman Object Possibly Used for Magic

Patrick Schuermans discovered a fragment of a 1,600-year-old dodecahedron in Belgium

Two of the gemstones discovered at a Roman bathhouse in Carlisle, England

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Find 2,000-Year-Old Gemstones in Drain Beneath a Roman Bathhouse

The stones, known as intaglios, likely fell from the rings of wealthy bathers

A mosaic decorates a floor in the Baths of Diocletian.

Where to Find Ruins of the Roman Empire’s Last Years

A visit to Ravenna and Rome can take you back to the fifth century, when everything seemed to be in chaos

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The Misunderstood Roman Empress Who Willed Her Way to the Top

A fresh view of Galla Placidia, who married a barbarian and ruled when the world power fell into chaos

Researchers used satellite imagery to help narrow down the location to start digging.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Unearth First-of-Its-Kind Roman Watchtower in Morocco

The military fortification was discovered near the ancient city of Volubilis

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