Ancient Rome

Can you see it? Some of the Etruscan letters found on a sandstone slab in the Mugello Valley

2,500-Year-Old Monument Could Help Crack the Mysterious Etruscan Language

Researchers found the inscribed slab near Florence and believe it might hold secrets behind the language of Italy's pre-Roman culture

Ruins of the temple of Baalshamin destroyed by ISIS militants in Palmyra, taken after government forces retook the city.

Syrian Troops Find Palmyra's Ancient Ruins In Better Shape Than Expected

The “Jewel of the Desert” is out of the hands of people who would see its wonders demolished

A charred fragment of one of the Herculaneum Scrolls.

Metallic Ink Discovered in Ancient Scrolls Buried by Mount Vesuvius

New discovery may help researchers read ancient scrolls

A fresco uncovered in a tavern in Pompeii shows patrons playing a game. Similar scenes probably took place in a Roman tavern recently unearthed in Lattara, an ancient port city in southern France

2,100-Year-Old Roman Tavern Unearthed, Empty Cups and All

The proposed ancient bar and grill in southern France could shed light on the spread of Roman culture

Happy Leap Day! Brought to You by Julius Caesar

The leap year has a long history, stretching all the way back to 46 B.C.E.

This fresco would have been the height of fashion among residents of Roman London.

Archaeologists Discovered a Roman Fresco Beneath the Streets of London

This ornate, hand-painted wall was once considered to be the height of fashion in Londinium

Inside the one of the newly restored houses of Pompeii

Ancient Pompeii Is Alive Again as Italian Officials Unveil Six Restored Ruins

The “Grand Pompeii Project” helps to preserve the dwellings

The branching routes to Rome, as visualized by a design team

The Many Roads That Lead to Rome, Visualized

Caveat: not all cities named Rome are in Italy

Centurions drink from a fountain near Rome's Coliseum during a heat wave in summer 2014. A recent announcement that centurion reenactors will be banned from the Coliseum during 2016 has led to protests and public outcry.

Rome Just Banned Centurions

Officials stir up controversy by kicking impersonators out of the Colosseum

A victorious commander rides in a chariot during a triumphal procession in ancient Rome.

What You Don’t Know About Ancient Rome Could Fill a Book. Mary Beard Wrote That Book

The British historian reveals some surprises about the ancient Roman people and their customs

ISIS Demolished Yet Another Priceless Syrian Monument

The 1,800-year-old Arch of Triumph was destroyed on Sunday

Construction Workers Found, and Then Tried to Hide an Ancient Sarcophagus

It turns out the now-damaged coffin is actually quite a find

Five of the World's Most Fascinating Topiary Gardens

Whimsical gardens in surprising shapes decorate homes, churches and cemeteries around the world. We’ve rounded up five of the most extraordinary

Pasquino in Rome

Have Something Rude to Say? Put it on This 2300-Year Old Statue in Rome

A cardinal started the tradition of decorating this statue with snarky poems and insults

A wolf enters the Colosseum via the lift in the hypogeum.

A New Recreation Shows How Ancient Romans Lifted Wild Animals Into the Colosseum

An elaborate system of elevators and trap doors lifted ferocious beasts onto the Colosseum floor

How Much Water Did Rome’s Aqueducts Really Carry?

Not as much as previously thought

The sewer museum in Paris.

Urine for a Treat With a Tour of These Five Sewer Systems

Tunnels, drains and other wastewater structures to explore, from ancient Rome to present-day New York

Illustration of a Greek vase shows Dionysus leading three revelers toward likely hangovers

Recently Translated Papyrus Details 1,900-Year-Old Hangover Cure

Those disappointed by the effectiveness of this 1,900-year old remedy can instead peruse the eye surgery techniques in other ancient texts

In an eerie green hue, this upside-down Medusa head threatens to turn onlookers to stone. The color seems to come partly from a slick covering of algae.

Two Eerie Medusa Heads Watch Over Turkey’s Waterways

Why the Greek monster stares out from an ancient cistern in Istanbul

This detail from Rome's Trajan's Column hints at what the Roman soldiers who built the fort recently discovered near Trieste may have looked like.

The Oldest Known Ancient Roman Fort Has Been Discovered in Italy

Researchers use laser scanners to identify a Roman military camp that may have initiated the settlement of the modern Italian city of Trieste

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