Latest news with #RomanEra
Miami Herald
6 days ago
- General
- Miami Herald
Sprawling Roman-era mosaic — for goddess of luck — found under home, photos show
A sprawling, centuries-old mosaic was recently unearthed in Syria, shedding light onto life under Roman rule. The ancient artwork was found beneath a home in Maryamin, a village in western Syria — located about 40 miles from the Mediterranean Sea — according to a news release from the Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums. It was uncovered by sheer happenstance. While digging a well inside the home, workers stumbled upon the intact mosaic about eight feet underground. Measuring about 14 feet long and six feet wide, the piece is composed of colorful stone cubes. Photos show archaeologists carefully excavating the rectangular work, with parts of it covered under layers of dirt. The mosaic depicts Tyche, the Greek goddess of luck, who was later co-opted and renamed Fortuna by the Romans. The deity was likely associated with prosperity and also fertility, according to Britannica. Next to the goddess — framed in an octagon wreathed in braids — is a brief Greek inscription, which translates to 'good luck.' She is surrounded by eight squares filled with geometric shapes. The mosaic dates to the Roman Era, which began in 64 A.D. — about 2,000 years ago — when the Roman general Pompey conquered the region, according to Dumbarton Oaks, a Harvard University research center. The province, which spans parts of modern-day Syria, Turkey, Israel, Lebanon and Palestine, became among the most important and wealthy in the entire empire. Under Roman rule, Syria was a bustling commercial hub 'overflowing with grain, wine and oil,' with its grapes rated 'second to none in sweetness,' according to an American Philological Association research article. But, several centuries later, the province was taken over by the Byzantine Empire. Numerous other mosaics have been unearthed in the Maryamin area, including one depicting female musicians, currently on display at a regional museum, the release said. And in 2018, a massive, 65-foot Roman Era mosaic was discovered in Rastan, about 125 miles north of Damascus, McClatchy News previously reported. Google Translate was used to translate a news release from Syria's Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums.
Fox News
19-05-2025
- Fox News
Ancient Roman military fortifications found in 'strategic location' in Egypt
Ancient military fortifications dating back to the Ptolemaic and Roman eras of Egyptian history were recently uncovered by archaeologists. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the discovery in a Facebook post, which was translated from Arabic to English, on May 3. Officials said that a recent excavation at the Tell Abu Sefeh site led to the uncovering of an expansive military complex. The Tell Abu Sefeh site is located in North Sinai, near the Egyptian city of Ismailia and the Suez Canal. Described as one of Egypt's "important strategic locations," Tell Abu Sefeh emerged as a prominent location in antiquity. The ministry of tourism and antiquities said the site played a "pivotal role in protecting Egypt's eastern borders." There, archaeologists "uncovered remains of military fortifications, soldiers' residential units, and a trench indicating the possibility of another fortress in the area," according to the ministry. Aerial pictures show the sophisticated ancient military fortifications, along with artifacts such as basins and pots. Experts also believe that trees once lined a road to the fortress. "[M]ore than 500 clay circles were uncovered on both sides of the stone road, likely used for planting trees that adorned the entrance of the fortress during the Ptolemaic era," the release noted. Egyptian officials added that the soldiers' residences "provide a clear picture of the daily life of cavalry stationed at the Roman fortress during the reigns of Emperor Diocletian and Emperor Maximian." "[T]he discovery of four large kilns used for producing quicklime [also indicate] the site's transformation into an industrial center at the end of the Roman era, leading to the destruction of all stone structures at the site," the statement added. Archaeologists also discovered a road that was over 330 feet long and 36 feet wide. It was "paved with limestone slabs, extending from outside the eastern gate of the Roman fortress to the heart of the site." "[This] road is built over an older road from the Ptolemaic era, constructed from limestone slabs," the statement said. Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy said in a statement that the discovery "sheds light on the secrets of Egypt's eastern military fortifications during the Ptolemaic and Roman eras." "[It also] highlights the significance of Tell Abu Sefeh as a military and industrial center throughout the ages," the official added. Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Mohamed Ismail Khaled echoed Fathy's sentiment. The excavation "contributes to a more accurate depiction of the map of Egypt's defenses on its eastern borders, reaffirming that Sinai has always been Egypt's eastern gateway and first fortress," he added. It was "paved with limestone slabs, extending from outside the eastern gate of the Roman fortress to the heart of the site." "[The mission also] managed to uncover a distinctive architectural design for the eastern gates of the previously discovered Ptolemaic and Roman fortresses at the site, aiding in re-imagining the shape of defensive entrances at that time, along with a massive defensive trench over two meters deep at the entrance of the Ptolemaic fortress, believed to be part of a defensive system that could be disabled when threatened," Khaled added. The announcement comes weeks after the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the unusual discovery of a false door at an ancient Egyptian tomb. Before that, the ministry reported another rare find: a 3,000-year-old mining complex, complete with remnants of millennia-old baths, workshops and homes.
The Independent
06-05-2025
- Science
- The Independent
‘Very rare' horse cemetery from Roman times unearthed in Germany
Archaeologists have unearthed a 'very rare' Roman -era horse cemetery in Germany containing the skeletons of over a hundred horses and that of a strange man buried in a prone position. The 'sensational find' in Stuttgart sheds unique insights into the use of horses by the Roman army, according to the German State Office for Monument Preservation (LAD). These buried horses were part of a second-century AD Roman cavalry unit known as Ala, which was larger than normal legions with over 5,400 or 5,100 men active in what is now southwest Germany. During its heyday, the region was one of the most important Roman military sites, likely home to a population of over 700 horses, researchers say. Excavation in this part of Stuttgart's borough of Bad Cannstatt has been ongoing since July 2024, bringing to light more than 100 horse skeletons. Radiocarbon dating of the bones suggests the horses likely lived during the 2nd century. "Due to the archaeological and historical knowledge of the Roman Bad Cannstatt, the horses of the equestrian unit – a so-called 'Ala' – can be assigned, which was stationed on the Hallschlag from about 100 to 150 AD,' archaeologist Sarah Roth from LAD said in a translated statement. 'The troop with almost 500 riders probably had a total horseback of at least 700 animals and losses had to be constantly replaced,' Dr Roth said. Whenever a horse part of the cavalry died, it would be buried about 400m away from the equestrian castle and at a distance of 200m from the civil settlement, researchers say. The horse carcasses were moved on sledges individually into shallow pits and buried lying on their sides with outstretched or bent legs. Despite the cemetery having a partly dense occupation, there seemed to be only a few overlaps of the pit, indicating the pits were likely marked above ground. "The horses do not all seem to have died at the same time in a major event such as a battle or epidemic,' Dr Roth said. Instead, there's evidence of the animals either dying during the presence of the cavalry due to isolated cases of illness, injury, or other reasons, researchers say. Most animals seem to have been disposed of rather than buried, however, with some exceptions. One of the horses was found buried with two jugs and a small oil lamp placed in the corner of its pit. "Here we see a particularly close connection of the owner to his horse. Even after about 1800 years, the grief over the death of this one animal is still apparent,' Dr Roth said. The exact size of the entire cemetery remains unclear, researchers say. Archaeologists also uncovered the skeleton of a Roman-era man in the cemetery, buried on his stomach and without grave goods, suggesting he was likely an outsider who wasn't held in high esteem.
