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Roman Empire

Researchers spent three months excavating the site.

Cool Finds

Treasure Trove of 800 ‘Exceptional’ Iron Age Artifacts Discovered in England

The collection, which dates to the first century C.E., includes items ranging from elaborately decorated horse harnesses to ornate cauldrons

The aqueduct was found on the grounds of the Rusovce Mansion.

Cool Finds

The First Roman Aqueduct Ever Found in Slovakia Sports an Ancient Manufacturer’s Stamp and a Paw Print

Researchers found the channel on historic grounds near the country’s capital, Bratislava

Text from ancient Greek and Roman writers describes how statues of deities—including Artemis, the Greek goddess of wild animals—were anointed with perfumes.

Ancient Greek and Roman Statues Were Not Only Beautiful, but Smelled Nice, Too

New research suggests that sculptures were perfumed with sweet-smelling fragrances such as rose and beeswax

The mosaics date to the third century B.C.E.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Discover Mosaics of Two Fighting Cupids and a Mysterious Inscription at an Ancient Greek City Hall

New research is shedding light on the bouleuterion building that once stood in the ancient city of Teos, located in present-day Turkey

A relief of the harbor at Portus dating to the second or third century C.E.

A Stunning Collection of Rarely Seen Ancient Roman Sculptures Is Coming to North America for the First Time

The marbles in the Torlonia Collection have been inaccessible to the public for decades. Now, some of them will be exhibited in Chicago, Fort Worth and Montreal

The tomb’s centerpiece carving depicts a reclining man.

Cool Finds

Ancient Tomb Decorated With Stunning Reliefs and a Mysterious Inscription Discovered Beneath a Courtyard in Turkey

Found in the province of Şanlıurfa, the rock tomb features depictions of a reclining man and two winged women alongside an illegible inscription

A Hun-period “Eastern-type” burial unearthed in Budapest, Hungary

New Research

Who Were the Huns Who Invaded Rome? A New Study Has Revealed Surprising Genetic Diversity

Researchers found that the group led by Attila the Hun contained a mixture of diverse ancestries, with at least a few related to elites of the Xiongnu Empire

The frescoes in Pompeii's House of Thiasus

Cool Finds

See the Stunning Frescoes of a Mysterious Dionysian Cult Discovered in Ancient Pompeii

Created more than a century before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 C.E., the wall paintings provide rare insights into secret rituals conducted in the Roman city

The double-edged sword was deliberately broken into three pieces.

Cool Finds

Metal Detectorists Stumble Upon a Rare 2,000-Year-Old Roman Sword in Poland

Researchers think the weapon, which had been deliberately broken and burned, was once part of a funerary ritual for a local warrior

Some argue that the statue depicts an unnamed philosopher, rather than Marcus Aurelius.

A Looted Bronze Statue That May Depict Marcus Aurelius Is Returning to Turkey

The repatriation comes after years of legal disputes over the true identity and provenance of the 6-foot-4 artwork, which has been housed at the Cleveland Museum of Art

A section of the basilica's wall

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Unearth the Ruins of a 2,000-Year-Old Roman Basilica Beneath an Office Building in London

The remarkably well-preserved basilica was part of a public meeting place where citizens and politicians could socialize, shop and hear speeches in the growing city

A selection of artifacts unearthed at the Hezingen site

Cool Finds

Elite Germanic Pagans Buried ‘Devil’s Money’ as Offerings for Their Gods at This Ancient Cult Site

Researchers excavated the deposits of coins and jewelry in the Netherlands, near the German border

X-ray images of the neck and cheek guards from a Roman helmet discovered at Løsning Søndermark

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Discover a Stash of 1,500-Year-Old Weapons—Including the Only Known Roman Helmet Ever Found in Denmark

The cache included swords, spears, lances and chainmail. Researchers think these items may have been buried as part of a ceremony or sacrifice

The hunk weighs a whopping five pounds and measures more than six inches long.

Cool Finds

A Five-Pound Hunk of the World’s Oldest Known Synthesized Pigment Was Found in Nero’s Palace

The discovery might illuminate the link between the blue pigment’s ancient Egyptian roots and its rediscovery by Renaissance artists centuries later

The papyrus dates back to between 129 and 132 C.E.

Researchers Have Deciphered a Nearly 2,000-Year-Old True Crime Papyrus

The Greek document details a court case in ancient Palestine involving tax fraud and provides insight into trial preparations in the Roman Empire

The 404 coins discovered in a muddy field near Bunnik, a village in the Netherlands, in 2023 and 2024

Cool Finds

Two Metal Detectorists in the Netherlands Stumbled Onto Hundreds of Looted Coins From the Roman Conquest of Britain

The 404 coins, including 44 from Britain, are believed to be a mix of military pay and the spoils of war, stashed by a Roman soldier after he returned to the European continent

The coins are marked with the faces of nine Roman emperors.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Discover 141 Ancient Gold Coins Depicting Nine Roman Emperors in Luxembourg

Three of the coins are particularly rare: They portray Eugenius, an illegitimate emperor who reigned for just two years in the late fourth century C.E.

The tokens are roughly the size of a half-dollar coin and feature markings etched into their surfaces.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Discover Ancient Tokens That Roman Soldiers Used to Play Strategy Games

The lentil-shaped objects were unearthed in Hadrianopolis, an ancient city in modern-day Turkey, that once hosted a Roman fortress

The helmet was made in the Corinthian style, though historians don't know whether the style actually originated in Corinth.

You Can Buy a 2,500-Year-Old Corinthian Helmet Worn by a Warrior in Ancient Greece

Experts think the well-preserved bronze artifact was made between 500 and 450 B.C.E. It will be sold at auction on January 25

The mosaic depicts Alexander the Great fighting in the Battle of Issus.

New Research

Experts Are Unraveling the Mysteries of This Breathtaking 2,000-Year-Old Mosaic Depicting Alexander the Great in Battle

The ancient artwork was uncovered during excavations at Pompeii in the 19th century. Now, researchers are conducting a long, intensive analysis

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