Discoveries and news in Rome

Ancient Romans designed a fort in Britain with astronomy in mind. All four gates were aligned with the solstices so that the sun rose along with the winter and summer solstices, flush with each pair of gates.

In 2013, an important find in England was the body of a Roman girl, discovered in the English province of Leicestershire. In 2015, scientists revealed the details of the find and, they say, the discovery is so amazing that it is rare to find a child’s grave with preserved remains.

Dark blue plate, taken from the 5th century CE the tomb in the Japanese province of Nara is evidence of the existence of commercial links between Japan and the Roman Empire.

Even when serving in provinces remote from Rome, Roman legionaries took great care of their toilets. This is evidenced by the discoveries of Polish archaeologists from 2015 in the Novae legion camp (currently in Bulgaria), where from 69 CE the 1st Italian Legio was stationed.

Excavation work in 2015 revealed that Julius Caesar was a consummate propagandist of his own cause.

In 2015 in Rome, during the construction of the third metro line, the largest body of water in ancient Rome was discovered, which was located on a farm located closest to the centre of the Eternal City.

Ancient Roman mosaics had, among others, protect against bad luck, evil charm and human envy. The results of the research of a team of over a dozen prof. María Luz Neiry Jiménez from the University of Charles III of Spain in Madrid was recently compiled in a book entitled “Religiosidad, rituales y prácticas mágicas en los mosaicos romanos”.

During the excavations in 2014, in Colchester, under a department store, a wooden box and bags were discovered. They contained: three gold armlets, a silver chain, two silver bracelets, a silver armlet, a small bag of coins, a small box containing two sets of gold earrings, and four gold rings. The finds date back to around 61 CE.

Archaeologists excavating at the Roman fort of Vindoland, northern Britain, in 2015 discovered a 2,000-year-old wooden Roman latrine seat – the only such copy that has survived to our day.

Ruts and potholes are not only the bane of modern drivers. Discovered in 2015, the Roman road in Ipplepen, Britain, reveals that the Romans also had a problem with it.