601 CE and Earlier

Rare Roman lance found at Caerleon

Submitted by Milica on Tue, 2008-07-29 13:29
Archaeologists working on a Roman site near Caerleon, Wales have discovered an extremely rare legionary's ceremonial lance. "I don't know of any of that type in Britain," said Dr Peter Guest. (video)

Clothing: a great communicator from the past

Submitted by Milica on Sun, 2008-07-27 17:22
Classical Studies professor Kelly Olson believes clothing can help modern people understand what was important to people from the past, and has n almost limitless potential for communication and encapsulated cultural anxieties and values.”

Pompeii declared in a "state of emergency"

Submitted by Milica on Mon, 2008-07-21 07:28
For the next year, the ancient city of Pompeii will exist in a "state of emergency" while Italian experts strive to save the historic ruins which suffer from "lack of investment, mismanagement, litter and looting."

Date of Roman invasion of Britain recalculated

Submitted by Milica on Wed, 2008-07-16 17:47
Professors Donald W. Olson and Russell Doescher of Texas State University, along with some of their students, used subtle astronomical clues to recalculate the date of Caesar's invasion of Britain. Their findings have been published in the August 2008 Sky & Telescope magazine.

6th century presses from "holy wine factory" found near Mount Sinai

Submitted by Milica on Tue, 2008-07-15 13:51
Egyptian archaeologists have discovered two wine presses dating to the 6th century which are believed to be from a factory which produced holy wine for export to Christians. The presses were found near the 6th century St. Catherine's Monastery on the Sinai Peninsula.

Northumberland Iron Age dig one of largest ever in NE England

Submitted by Milica on Tue, 2008-07-15 10:32
Archaeologists working at the Delhi surface mine in Northumberland, England have unearthed the remains of at least 50 Iron Age houses, making the project one of the largest in northeast England's archaeological history.

Route of "lost" Roman road determined

Submitted by Milica on Sat, 2008-07-12 19:06
After 30 years of research, experts in England now believe that they have determined the route of the "lost" Roman road, which stretched between Castleshaw fort near Oldham and Slack fort Outlane, through the Pennines.

Justinian Plague victims found in Italy

Submitted by Milica on Fri, 2008-07-11 06:47
1500 years ago, the Justinian Plague swept through the world killing as many as 100 million people. Recently the remains of hundreds of people, believed to have been victims of the plague, were discovered in Castro dei Volsci, Italy.

Alabaster bust of Cleopatra Discovered in Egyptian Temple

Submitted by Vallawulf on Sat, 2008-07-05 07:40
It's a bit early for SCA, but still interesting: A bust of Cleopatra made from alabaster and a mask that may have belonged to Marc Antony are among the many items discovered in the Taposiris Magna temple, north of Alexandria, Egypt.

Scots find origins in Ireland

Submitted by Milica on Fri, 2008-06-27 08:35
Historians believe that Scotland was colonized by Irish tribes in the 3rd and 4th centuries C.E. Magnus Linklater of the Times Online offers a glimpse of early Scottish history.

Vindolanda dig reveals massive granaries

Submitted by Milica on Mon, 2008-06-23 16:40
Recent excavations at England's Roman fort Vindolanda have revealed impressive structures, exceeding even the officers' quarters, to house the fort's grain supply. The dig also uncovered "a magnificent flagged roadway next to the granaries."

Celts may trace roots to Spain and Portugal

Submitted by Milica on Sat, 2008-06-21 12:17
Professor John Koch believes the Celtic homeland is more likely Spain or Portugal than northern Europe. Koch, who is a professor at the Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies Centre at the University of Wales, has found evidence of Celtic texts in Spain and Portugal that are 500 years earlier than those from northern Europe.

Chichester's Roman baths to become new tourist destination

Submitted by Milica on Tue, 2008-06-17 12:07
First discovered in the 1970s by Chichester archaeologist Alec Down, the British city's Roman baths are scheduled to re-emerge from beneath the car park under which they were buried 17 years ago. The city hopes they will become the centerpiece of a new museum.

Stonehenge should keep its secrets, opines essay

Submitted by Milica on Mon, 2008-06-16 18:14
The recent discovery of graves at Stonehenge has led to a frenzy of speculation and proposed activity regarding the origins of the site. One commentator feels that the ancient structure should keep its secrets.

Copper Age "Stonehenge of Sevilla" could become supermarket

Submitted by Milica on Sun, 2008-06-15 17:32
Castilleja, Spain's mayor Carmelo Cebo does not believe in the value of the 4,500-year-old Copper Age burial site near Sevilla, calling it "just a pile of stones," not worth saving. The site may be destined to be bulldozed to make way for developers.

Early medieval jewelry found in Bridgewater

Submitted by Milica on Fri, 2008-06-13 10:33
Strike up another point for British metal detectorists! A rare early medieval (400 to 500 C.E.) silver pinhead was found in 2006 by Timothy Phillips in a plowed field near Brigewater, England. The 2 cm decoration would originally been attached to a pin, much like a hatpin. (photo)

Remains of 3,000-Year-Old Fortress Discovered in Egypt

Submitted by Vallawulf on Sat, 2008-06-07 17:47
In Egypt, authorities have uncovered the remains of a giant fortress called Tjaru (or Tharu/Tharo) discovered in July 2007 near the Suez Canal.

Roman ritual plate found in Bulgaria

Submitted by Milica on Thu, 2008-06-05 15:18
A beautifully-designed Roman marble plate, inscribed in Greek, has been found in the Bulgarian spa town of Hissar, known in Roman times as Diocletianopolis. The piece has been dated to the 3rd century C.E. (photo)

Study finds Stonehenge may have been royal burial ground

Submitted by Justin on Wed, 2008-06-04 14:39
Researchers from the University of Sheffield, England, say that radiocarbon dating of remains from Stonehenge suggest that the site was a burial ground for Britain's first royal dynasty, as early as 500 years before the stones were erected.

Wigan, England once Roman Coccium?

Submitted by Milica on Sun, 2008-05-25 08:20
Children from the Ince CE Primary School in Wigan, England are helping archaeologists from the Wigan Archaeological Society to investigate the remains of a Roman road in their town which once linked the village to Manchester.

The evolution of Roman garb

Submitted by Milica on Tue, 2008-05-20 18:21
The textile and fashion website Fibre2fashion takes a look at the progression of Roman garb in a lengthy article. The piece analyzes the history of Roman clothing and textiles and discusses how it has influenced modern fashion. Includes references.

Japan's Gosashi tomb opened to scholars

Submitted by Milica on Fri, 2008-05-16 09:39
A 5th century royal Japanese tomb has been made accessible to scholars for research and study for the first time. Koji Takahashi, a Toyama University archaeologist, was one of the experts allowed into the Gosashi tomb, which "is revered as the resting place of Empress Jingu, the semi-legendary wife of the country's 14th emperor."

From banker to warrior: the transformation of Sergio Iacomoni

Submitted by Milica on Wed, 2008-05-14 16:49
What makes an Italian banker decide to gird his lions and become a Roman gladiator? "One day, we were talking. We had played enough tennis, worked out with enough sports. So we decided: OK, now we'll be gladiators," said Sergio Iacomoni, who now calls himself Nerone.

Did smallpox kill Gloucester Romans?

Submitted by Milica on Wed, 2008-05-14 12:11
Experts working on the recently-discovered mass Roman grave in Gloucester, England will be using DNA tests to determine what killed over 90 individuals. A first look at the remains points to a 2nd century smallpox outbreak that swept across Britain.

Germanic society in England may not have been as brutal as once believed

Submitted by Milica on Thu, 2008-05-08 10:51
Recent scientific studies have suggested that the Germanic invaders of England may have imposed an apartheid-like system on the native peoples, but an article by John Pattison of the University of South Australia in Adelaide disagrees. "The evidence is compatible with the idea of a much more integrated society," he says.

Nero's gate discovered in Cologne

Submitted by Milica on Fri, 2008-05-02 13:43
Constructions workers at the site of Cologne, Germany's new metro line have discovered a Roman gate believed to have been built by the Emperor Nero and dating from the 1st century C.E.

New dig may explain Stonehenge

Submitted by Ursula on Wed, 2008-04-23 23:44
Just a few weeks after beginning, the excavators now working at Stonehenge have had what they describe as a "breakthrough." Clues towards the original placement of the bluestones, the site's oldest elements, may reveal why Stonehenge was built.

Roman statues receive makeover at Bath

Submitted by Milica on Wed, 2008-04-16 10:30
A collection of statues that ring the Roman baths in Bath, England have received a facelift to remove years of grime. The renovation project is just part of a plan to "create an unforgettable experience for all our daytime and evening visitors."

3rd century amulet places Jews in Austria

Submitted by Milica on Mon, 2008-04-14 19:52
A gold amulet dating to the 3rd century CE inscribed with a Jewish prayer has been discovered in the grave of a Roman child in Halbturn, Austria proving that people of the Jewish faith inhabited the country at the time.

Ancient Colchester South Gate discovered

Submitted by Milica on Tue, 2008-04-08 12:05
Archaeologists believe that they have discovered part of the South gate of the Roman wall at Colchester, Britain's oldest Roman town. The wall was destroyed in 1818.