A person with a metal detector discovered a 1800-year-old copper Roman brooch with a palindrome (the phrase sounding the same from left to right and from right to left) engraved on it – “RMA”. The discovery was made on the Isle of Wight, an island belonging to Great Britain.
The find dates back to the times when the Romans ruled in Britain. Brooch is such an interesting find that the inscription engraved on it can be read from left to right (“ROMA” – referring to Rome and the worship of Dea Roma); and from right to left – then we get “AMOR” – the Roman equivalent of the god of love Eros, who was a respected deity in the ancient period.
Scientists suspect that the brooch was worn along with another one, which could be engraved with the inscription “MARS” – the god of war. The combination of both inscriptions would give “Rome (Roma), [city] of Mars”, or “Roma, beloved of Mars”.
The find was discovered by a hobbyist using a metal detector in December 2015. The finder then transferred the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) to the government’s UK program, which aims to record discoveries made by individuals.
In ancient Rome, the brooch was probably attached to a tunic or coat. The item could be worn by a Roman legionary or veteran. Similar brooches were found in Roman camps in southern Germany and Eastern Europe.
