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Roman Empire

The four sides of a dice, as well as the front and back sides of several other game pieces found in western Norway

Cool Finds

Ancient Roman Board Game Found in Norwegian Burial Mound

Researchers unearthed a four-sided dice and 18 circular tokens

Archaeologists found the well-preserved tiles while conducting excavations at a commune near Verona, Italy.

Cool Finds

Ancient Roman Mosaic Floor Unearthed Beneath Italian Vineyard

The intricate, multi-colored tiles likely date to the third century A.D.

The 2,000-year-old subterranean system consists of a courtyard and two rooms.

Cool Finds

Underground Chambers Discovered Near Jerusalem’s Western Wall

Carved into bedrock, the mysterious rooms spent 1,400 years hidden beneath the mosaic floor of a Byzantine building

A Bar Kokhba revolt coin inscribed with the word "Jerusalem" and a picture of a date palm

Cool Finds

This 2,000-Year-Old Coin Commemorates a Jewish Rebellion Against Rome

Of more than 22,000 coins found in Jerusalem to date, just four are from the time of the Bar Kokhba revolt

Found at the Roman fort of Vindolanda, this piece of leather was cut into the shape of a mouse.

Cool Finds

Ancient Leather ‘Mouse’ Highlights the Romans’ Sense of Humor

The nearly 2,000-year-old scrap of leather, found at Vindolanda in northern England, may have been a toy or a practical joke

Officials uncovered seven slabs of travertine that date to between 27 and 25 B.C.

Sinkhole Outside of the Pantheon Reveals Ancient Roman Paving Stones

Due to COVID-19, the Piazza della Rotunda was virtually empty when the cavity opened up on April 27

Tap O' Noth overlooks the Scottish town of Rhynie.

Cool Finds

Ancient Hillfort May Be Largest Known Pictish Settlement in Scotland

The findings upend “the narrative of this whole time period,” says archaeologist Gordon Noble

Volunteers spotted dozens of previously unknown structures between Cornwall and Devon in southwest England.

Cool Finds

Amateur Archaeologists Studying Aerial Maps of the U.K. Spot Dozens of Hidden Historical Structures

The finds include prehistoric and Roman settlements, roads, burial mounds, farms, and quarries

An engraving by Levasseur after Jules-Elie Delaunay depicts the angel of death at the door during the 165 A.D. plague in Rome.

What Rome Learned From the Deadly Antonine Plague of 165 A.D.

The outbreak was far deadlier than COVID-19, but the empire survived

The new Museum Hotel Antakya in Turkey "floats" above ancient ruins.

Virtual Travel

New Hotel in Turkey ‘Floats’ Above Ancient Ruins

Closed due to COVID-19, the Museum Hotel Antakya looks forward to welcoming guests with its blend of luxury and history once restrictions are lifted

Cartoonist Albert Uderzo poses with Asterix (R) and Obelix (L) prior to a press conference at the Monnaie de Paris on March 25, 2015.

Albert Uderzo, Co-Creator of ‘Asterix and Obelix’ Comics, Dies at 92

The pint-sized, mustachioed Gaul immortalized in the French cartoon has spawned films, a theme park and many other spin-offs

The restored dagger and sheath, following nine months of sandblasting and grinding

Cool Finds

Archaeology Intern Unearths Spectacular, 2,000-Year-Old Roman Dagger

After a nine-month restoration, the elaborately decorated blade and its sheath gleam as if brand new

The warrior carved onto the Tulloch Stone wields a spear with a "kite-shaped blade and a doorknob-style butt," according to a new study.

Cool Finds

This Carving Is Helping Archaeologists Unravel the Secrets of Ancient Scottish Warriors

The male figure depicted on the Tulloch Stone has an “elaborate hairstyle,” “robust” torso and “pronounced” buttocks

Most of the graves were lined with stone curbs and closed with slabs.

Cool Finds

High-Status Roman Burials Found in Britain

The discovery provides insight on how Iron Age Britons adopted the Roman lifestyle

The garum factory found near Ashkelon in Israel

Cool Finds

Ancient Roman Fish Sauce Factory Unearthed in Israel

The site produced the incredibly popular fish gut-based condiment garum—a process so stinky it had to take place far from town

The two cracked eggs emitted a "sulfurous aroma" during excavation.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Crack the Case of 1,700-Year-Old Roman Eggs

Two of the eggs broke open during excavation, but one remains intact

Historical texts, pollen samples and mortuary archaeology suggest the Justinianic plague was not as devastating as previously believed.

The Justinianic Plague’s Devastating Impact Was Likely Exaggerated

A new analysis fails to find evidence that the infamous disease reshaped sixth-century Europe

Elizabeth's penmanship deteriorated over time, with the speed and sloppiness of her writing rising in direct correlation with the crown's increasing demands.

Cool Finds

Elizabeth I’s ‘Idiosyncratic’ Handwriting Identifies Her as the Scribe Behind a Long Overlooked Translation

The Tudor queen wrote in an “extremely distinctive, disjointed hand,” says scholar John-Mark Philo

Misidentified Roman ‘Pendants’ Were Actually Women’s Makeup Tools

Known as ‘cosmetic grinders,’ the artifacts would have been used to crush minerals for makeup

Excavation of a Celtic grave at the Kernschulhaus 2017

Cool Finds

This Iron Age Celtic Woman Was Buried in a Hollowed-Out Tree Trunk

The woman performed little physical labor during her lifetime and enjoyed a rich diet of starchy and sweetened foods

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