Roman Empire

The 2,000-year-old civic building is set to open to the public following an extensive restoration project.

Enormous Roman Basilica Dated to King Herod's Reign Revealed in Israel

At its height, the public building boasted opulent marble columns and sculptures

Researchers rarely discover physical evidence of slavery in the Roman Empire.

Shackled Skeleton Reflects Brutal Reality of Slavery in Roman Britain

An enslaved man buried in England between 226 and 427 A.D. was interred with heavy iron fetters and a padlock around his ankles

View of the remarkably well-preserved wall of a Roman-era bath complex—one of many remarkable discoveries recently announced by the University of Cádiz in southeastern Spain

Sand Dunes Preserved These Roman Baths in Spain for Thousands of Years

Archaeologists found a bathing complex, an intact tomb, medieval pottery and more at sites along the country's southern shore

Ongoing excavations at the Haydarpaşa Railway Station (pictured here) in Istanbul revealed traces of a third- or fourth-century B.C. monument or mausoleum.

Ruins of Millennia-Old Monument Unearthed in Turkish 'City of the Blind'

Archaeologists conducting excavations at an Istanbul train station found traces of an ancient apse, or semicircular recess

“I am not setting out here to rehabilitate Nero as a blameless man,” curator Thorsten Opper says. “But I have come to the conclusion that almost every single thing we think we know about him is wrong.”

Was Emperor Nero Really as Monstrous as History Suggests?

A new exhibition at the British Museum introduces visitors to the man behind the mythical Roman ruler

Though the intaglio dates to the days of Roman Britain (43 to 410 A.D.), the silver seal that holds it was likely made in the 13th or 14th century.

Silver Medieval Seal Featuring Engraved Roman Gem Unearthed in England

The rare artifact depicts war god Mars and Victoria, the mythological personification of victory

One of the six recovered frescoes depicts a dancing cherub.

Six Stolen Frescoes Returned to Pompeii

Between the 1970s and 2012, looters stole elegant artworks from two villas neighboring the famed ancient settlement

This 1822 painting by John Martin envisions the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. New research suggests a skeleton found in Herculaneum, a seaside town neighboring Pompeii, belonged to a Roman soldier sent to rescue victims from the volcano.

Vesuvius Victim Identified as Elite Roman Soldier Sent on Failed Rescue Mission

The man may have been a Praetorian Guard dispatched by Pliny the Elder to save Herculaneum's residents from the volcanic eruption

The gold bracteates served as a status symbol for sixth-century Scandinavian elites.

Ancient Norse Elites Buried These Gold Pendants as Sacrifices to the Gods

The 1,500-year-old bracteates—found in a field in southeastern Norway—depict animal and human figures

The oddly shaped oil lamp is the first of its kind found in Jerusalem.

This Grotesquely Shaped Lamp Brought Luck to Jerusalem's Ancient Residents

The 2,000-year-old artifact, which resembles a face cut in half, was buried in the foundations of a Roman building

A view of the marble head discovered last week in Isernia, a town in south-central Italy

Archaeologists in Italy Unearth Marble Bust of Rome's First Emperor, Augustus

Researchers identified the sculpture based on the ancient ruler's signature hairstyle and facial features

Curators reattached the sculpture's missing digit using a "non-invasive, reversible and invisible system."

Colossal Bronze Statue of Roman Emperor Reunited With Its Long-Lost Finger

Curators at the Louvre had mistakenly categorized the missing digit as a toe. An eagle-eyed researcher noticed the mistake in 2018

Archaeologists say the mosaic was probably part of a grand Byzantine-era home.

Colorful, 1,600-Year-Old Mosaic Adorned With Geometric Patterns Found in Israel

The fourth- or fifth-century artwork was probably part of a large mansion near an industrial zone

The ancient amphitheater dates to around 200 A.D., when the Severan dynasty ruled the Roman Empire.

In Ancient Turkey, Gladiators Fought at This Colosseum-Like Amphitheater

The 1,800-year-old arena housed up to 20,000 spectators eager to bet on the bloody battles

The villa's unique layout includes a central circular room and a bathhouse.

Archaeologists Unearth Sprawling Roman Ruins Unlike Any Found in the U.K.

An ancient complex in Yorkshire may have been a luxury villa, a religious sanctuary or a mixture of both

Archaeologists say the skeletons are in an "average state" of preservation.

Why Were These Ancient Adults Buried in Jars on the Island of Corsica?

Researchers are unsure of the unusual funerary practice's purpose but point out that such burials were typically reserved for children

A virtual reconstruction featured in Baalbek Reborn

Virtual Tour Restores Baalbek's Stunning Roman Temples to Their Former Glory

The free online experience allows users to toggle between views of the ancient Lebanese city today and as it appeared in 215 A.D.

The team speculates that ancient Romans used the vehicle for festivals, parades, weddings and other ceremonial events.

'Miraculously' Well-Preserved Ceremonial Chariot Found at Villa Outside of Pompeii

The carriage's intricate decorations include metal medallions depicting satyrs, nymphs and cupids

The newly restored artworks highlight predator-prey conflicts in the natural world.

Newly Restored Pompeiian Frescoes Capture Hunting Scenes in Vivid Detail

Researchers used a laser to clean the ancient artworks before retouching their faded sections

Snow-covered outline of the Roman villa's foundations

Remnants of Iron Age Settlement, Roman Villa Found in England

Excavations in Oxfordshire revealed traces of at least 15 ancient roundhouses and a dwelling dated to the third or fourth century A.D.

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