Google Unveils AI Tool to Decode Ancient Roman Inscriptions

TECHx

25-07-2025

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Google DeepMind has revealed a new artificial intelligence tool called Aeneas, developed to help historians study ancient Roman inscriptions, The Guardian reported.
The tool is designed to analyze and restore Latin texts that are often damaged or incomplete. It identifies the origin and estimated date of the inscriptions and can suggest missing words.
According to DeepMind, Aeneas was created in collaboration with historians, including Dr. Thea Sommerschield from the University of Nottingham.
The AI was trained on a dataset of nearly 200,000 Latin inscriptions, covering more than 16 million characters. These inscriptions, found on monuments, tombs, and everyday objects, offer key insights into life in ancient Rome.
However, many inscriptions are partially destroyed or worn. Aeneas uses linguistic and historical patterns to compare the damaged texts with similar examples from the 7th century BC to the 8th century AD. The tool can determine the Roman province of origin.
It estimates the date of the inscription within a 13-year range.
DeepMind reported that Aeneas can also propose likely words for missing text segments. It has been tested on inscriptions where the original wording is already known, delivering accurate results.
The AI successfully interpreted famous examples like the Res Gestae Divi Augusti and linked similar texts across regions of the Roman Empire.
Historians described the tool as 'transformative.' In a trial involving 23 researchers, 90% found Aeneas useful in their analysis.