On the Italian island of Pantelleria, located between southwestern Sicily and the coast of Tunisia, a team of archaeologists led by Thomas Schäfer from the University of Tübingen has discovered a “tesoretto” of 27 Roman silver coins during a campaign of cleaning, restoration, and excavation coverage in the Acropolis of Santa Teresa and San Marco. […]
Roman Republic
Another Bronze Ram Recovered at a Depth of 80 Meters in the Site of the Battle of the Aegates Islands that ended the First Punic War
The sea, which was the setting for the Battle of the Aegates Islands off the coast of Sicily, continues to reveal its archaeological treasures. During the August research campaign, a new bronze ship ram (rostrum) was recovered from the seabed at a depth of around 80 meters. This valuable find was retrieved by divers from […]
A 3-kilometer wall built by Consul Marcus Licinius Crassus to capture Spartacus and his followers, discovered in Italy
An investigative program carried out by the Superintendence of Archaeology, Fine Arts, and Landscape for the metropolitan city of Reggio Calabria and the province of Vibo Valentia, in collaboration with the Aspromonte National Park, has enabled the rediscovery of a wall structure that spans nearly 3 kilometers through the forests of Dossone della Melia, overcoming […]
The Romans Arrived in the Canary Islands Before Their Colonization by the Berbers
A recent archaeological study has opened a new chapter in the history of the Canary Islands by suggesting that the Romans might have discovered the archipelago before the arrival of the Berber populations between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD. According to Jonathan Santana, historian at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), […]
Surprising Burial of 28 Horses that Died in a Battle of the Gallic Wars Forgotten by History is Found
The excavation of 1.3 hectares, located on the slope of a valley in Villedieu-sur-Indre in the center of France, has revealed a site dated to the late 5th and early 6th centuries. Numerous buildings, pits, ditches, and a high medieval road have been unearthed. In addition to the medieval occupation, nine pits containing horses have […]
The Small North African Elephants, Now Extinct, with Which Hannibal Crossed the Alps
Animals have accompanied humans in warfare practically since the domestication of dogs, serving as combat vehicles of the era, alongside chariots, horses, camels, and elephants. The latter can be considered the tanks of bygone times and are often depicted in illustrations and films, though almost always inaccurately: illustrations typically show them as enormous, the typical […]
The Disastrous Defeat that Led the Romans to Never Again Fight on that Day and to Change the Date of the Start of the Political Year
In the year 181 B.C., Rome undertook the conquest of Celtiberia in a series of wars that lasted for almost half a century, with perhaps the most famous episode being the siege of Numantia. This occurred in a later phase of the conflict, as a result of what the Romans considered a violation of the […]
Secessio Plebis, the Roman Antecedent of the General Strike in Which the People Abandoned the City
Although the right to strike wasn’t regulated until the 20th century, labor strikes occurred for various reasons since ancient times, with the first documented case being that of the workers of Set Maat (now Deir el-Medina, Egypt) during the reign of Ramesses III. We know this thanks to the so-called Strike Papyrus, preserved in Turin […]
Tarpeian Rock, the Place From Where Traitors to Rome Were Thrown Down
Probably Piazza del Campidoglio (Capitoline Square) is one of the most touristy spots in Rome. In this elegant place, designed by Michelangelo at the request of Pope Paul III, who wanted to impress Emperor Charles V during his visit in 1538, you’ll find the Capitoline Museums. These museums, housed in the Conservatori and Nuovo palaces, […]
Spartacus Won his First Victory by Descending on Ropes from the Top of Vesuvius, Surprising a Roman Army
It was the year 73 B.C. when the Roman Republic trembled with news: the escaped gladiators from the ludus of Capua were no longer defeating only the local militias that had carelessly crossed their path but, with their ranks swelled by thousands of slaves joining them, they also defeated an army sent by the Senate […]