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Ancient Rome

Two gladiators at the end of the fight

This is the scene of the last fresco found in the Regio V section of Pompeii not far from the barracks of the gladiators.

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AD 81 – The Death of the Roman emperor Titus

AD 81 September 13 – On this day Titus Flavius Caesar Vespasianus Augustus died of fever.

Titus was the eldest son of Vespasian, who famously took the principate for himself at the end of the year of four emperors, and elder brother to the infamous Domitian. Titus fought with his father to suppress the Jewish rebellion of AD 66 where he distinguished himself as a successful and capable general. Continue reading “AD 81 – The Death of the Roman emperor Titus”

Romania’s History under threat because of a desire for gold

One of the reasons for the conquest of Dacia by the Romans in 106 AD continues to attract foreign interests to Romania even today, the fabled gold of the Rosia Montana region. I had the good fortune to be able to visit Romania in 2004 as part of my PhD research, and I travelled through the Rosia Montana region which is the home to some amazing archaeological sites.

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New discovery at Pompeii reveals more about the skeleton found under a rock

In a new discovery archaeologists have discovered a leather pouch full of coins when removing the skeleton of a man who had been crushed by a huge rock.

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A new excavation site at Pompeii reveals its first victim

The new excavation site at Pompeii (Regio V) has revealed its first victim who was killed in a most dramatic fashion after apparently surviving the initial phases of the eruption of Vesuvius only to be crushed by a huge stone block while fleeing the doomed city.

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Online Resource: The Latin Josephus Project

Flavius Josephus (c. 37–100 CE) was a historian who wrote the Antiquities, a history of the Jews up to Roman times, and the Jewish War, describing the Jewish rebellion against the Romans in 66–73 CE, as well as the Against Apion.
 

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Roman Metro Works Uncover a Second Century “Commander’s house”

A domus connected to a dormitory and a barracks built at the time of Emperor Trajan and then modified by Hadrian has been uncovered during the ongoing Metro works in Rome.

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Book review: Mortal Wounds, The Human Skeleton as Evidence for Conflict in the Past

The author Martin Smith, is the Principal Academic in Forensic & Biological Anthropology in the Department of Archaeology, Anthropology and Forensic Science at Bournemouth University. Prior to becoming an academic he spent 10 years working as a registered nurse in surgery and accident and emergency departments. He is the author of a number of books and book chapters as well as numerous journal articles focusing primarily on the archaeology of human remains.

Continue reading “Book review: Mortal Wounds, The Human Skeleton as Evidence for Conflict in the Past”

First Evidence for Caesar’s Invasion of Britain Discovered

Archaeologists from the University of Leicester have discovered the first evidence for Julius Caesar’s invasion of Britain in 54BC. Continue reading “First Evidence for Caesar’s Invasion of Britain Discovered”

Roman Shipwrecks Discovered

Dr Mostafa Waziri the head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities has reported that archaeologists have uncovered the remains of three Roman shipwrecks discovered in Abu Qir bay, Alexandria Egypt.

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Romanian police seize over 1,100 artefacts

Romanian police who have been monitoring international and Romanian auction house websites, resulting in the raids of the Artmark auction house and 3 “collectors”.

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Saturnalia – Ancient Roman Festival

On This Day – 17 December

The Ancient Romans celebrated the beginning of the Saturnalia with a festival in honour of Saturnus, the god of seed and sowing.

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Chinese villagers descended from Roman Soldiers?

 

DNA testing has demonstrated that nearly two-thirds of villagers in a remote part of China on the fringes of the Gobi desert have Caucasian origins supporting a theory that these villagers may be descended from a lost Roman legion.

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Lead Sling bullets that whistle

A recent excavation at what is believed to be the site of the first battle of the Roman invasion of Scotland around 140 AD, has uncovered a number of lead slingshot that contained drilled holes. Continue reading “Lead Sling bullets that whistle”

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