guy

A rare 4th-century Roman helmet has been found in Hedensted, Denmark (on the map below), far north of the Roman borders. Could this have been booty captured by a barbarian attack? The helmet was found at a burial site that included many weapons and chainmail. https://arkeonews.net/a-first-in-denmark-rare-4th-century-roman-helmet-and-chainmail-found/

Here is the academic article on the find: https://tyche.univie.ac.at/index.php/tyche/article/view/9224/9369

A Roman sanctuary has been discovered in a cave at Cova de les Dones in Valencia, Spain. Along with fifteen Roman inscriptions, a coin of Emperor Claudius was found on the ceiling (pictured below). This suggests the site may have been used for ritual purposes by the Romans during the first century AD. The cave was utilized before the Romans, but these findings confirm its later use by the Romans. https://arkeonews.net/a-roman-sanctuary-with-inscriptions-discovered-in-cova-de-les-dones-one-of-the-largest-rock-art-sites-in-the-iberian-peninsula/

Claudius’s disabilities were manifest since earliest childhood. Cerebral palsy would be most likely. It has been suggested he may have also suffered from Tourette’s syndrome: https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.neuropsych.13070163 And throw in a dysfunctional thyroid ….

I don't like many Emperors on the list, especially the Emperors from the last half of the third century. Claudius Gothicus, for example, should be considered a success (not a failure). During his short two-year reign, he defeated the Goths and Alemanni, helped to reform the military, and was important in the reconquest of Gaul. Probus defeated the Alemanni, the Goths, the Franks, the Longiones, and the Burgundians—hardly a failure. Gallienus witnessed the Empire splinter but defeated several usurpers, including Macrianus Major, Lucius Aemilianus, and Aureolus. Domitian is frequently on these lists of "Worst Emperors." He did rule for 15 years and was crucial in many building projects in the forum and the construction of the Arch of Titus. He strengthened the borders along the Rhine and Danube. I think much of his bad reputation came from the harsh treatment by the Senate.

Although first discovered in the 1950s in the Judean Desert, this Greek papyrus has finally been translated. It is a memorandum for a judicial hearing before a Roman official in the province of Judea right before the outbreak of the Bar Kokhba Revolt in AD 132. “The papyrus details a case involving forgery, tax evasion, and the fraudulent sale and manumission of slaves in the Roman provinces of Judea and Arabia.” https://www.sci.news/archaeology/papyrus-cotton-13616.html#:~:text=The papyrus details a case,stand accused of corrupt dealings.

Taylor Swift appears to be fascinated by Ancient Rome now. She's wearing ancient Roman coins, which suggests she is going for the "gladiator vibe." Taylor Swift's current boyfriend is Travis Kelce, a professional American football player who plays tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, who are going to the Super Bowl. He was recently featured in a cringe-worthy Pepsi gladiator-themed commercial. https://pagesix.com/2025/01/28/style/taylor-swift-keeps-wearing-ancient-coin-jewelry-and-it-could-be-an-easter-egg/?utm_campaign=iphone_nyp&utm_source=message_app

Interesting question. The reverse of that Claudius aureus has been described as a praetorian camp. Here is some information I found:

Thank you for reading my post. Some people believe the swelling depicted in Claudius’ neck was indicative of his having a goiter. https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=26074.0&srsltid=AfmBOopzs5D_su_nC993MbXUWT5BQHFP7enx_Fbxdmhsbvsp4mefTjoc A goiter is caused by an iodine deficiency. The thyroid requires iodine for normal function so it enlarges if there is an iodine deficiency to capture all the iodine it can. Below is a picture of someone with a goiter Compare the picture above with this other coin of Claudius (from Wildwinds.com) Of course, no one knows for sure, but it is an interesting observation. Addendum: It’s interesting to see the progression of neck swelling of Nero as he grew older (and fatter).

A large hoard of Roman-era coins (404 gold and silver) was discovered near Utrecht in the Netherlands. The latest Roman coin of Claudius dates from AD 46-47, but the hoard also includes forty-four British gold coins from the reign of King Cunobelin (AD 9-40). Coin of Juba I, King of Numidia (60-46 BCE) found in the hoard: It is unclear why this unusual hoard of coins from Britain, Rome, and Africa, discovered in the fall of 2023, was buried in the Netherlands. They will be on permanent exhibit at the Rijksmuseum van Oudhaden (The Dutch National Museum of Antiquities) in Leiden, Netherlands. This collection illustrates the complex relationship between Rome and the indigenous populations of Britain. Unique Hoard Of Roman-British Coins Found Near Utrecht, The Netherlands - Ancient Pages Over 400 gold and silver Roman-era coins unearthed in the Netherlands depict rulers from Rome, Britain and Africa | Live Science Major hoard of Roman-British coins found near Utrecht (the Netherlands) – Popular Archeology

Here's a video on the investigation:

Dr. Garrett Roman maps the burial location of every Roman (and Byzantine) Emperor:

A large ingot of Egyptian blue pigment weighing 2.4 kg (over 5.2 lbs) was discovered in Nero’s Golden Palace in Rome, known as the Domus Aurea. Egyptian blue pigment is regarded as the world’s first synthetic pigment. (See Wikipedia entry below). https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_blue Egyptian blue was a pigment used to decorate tombs, wall paintings, furnishings, and statues. Its use diminished in the fourth century AD, and the method for its production was not rediscovered until modern times. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_blue Videos on Egyptian Blue: https://youtu.be/lfxu2MhgRKY?si=m9xqCJMm4Fd2BZnt

Here’s another article on these curse tablets: https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=68131

A Roman boundary stone from the Tetrarchic period of the late third century AD has been found in Northern Israel. Centuries later, it was used as a burial stone on a Mamluk grave (AD 1250-1517). The stone mentions a previously unknown imperial surveyor (censitor) and two previously unknown towns. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00310328.2024.2435218#abstract

Approximately 2000 pieces of bronze statues have been discovered at a site in Izmir, Turkey. These are believed to be remnants of Hellenistic and Roman-era statues, possibly resulting from religious intolerance during late antiquity. https://arkeonews.net/2000-bronze-statue-fragments-found-in-ancient-scrap-yard/

The role of women in Celtic society may have been greater than thought. (Pictured above is Boudicca leading a Celtic revolt.) They may have played a greater role in both military and civic matters than originally thought. The women may have had multiple husbands and the society could have been matrilocal. One burial site on the Island of Bryher, located in the Isles of Scilly off the Cornish coast, left researchers puzzled. Discovered in 1999, the site contained both a sword, typically associated with male burials, and a mirror (pictured below), which is usually linked to female burials. A chromosomal study of the tooth enamel, however, conducted in 2023, revealed that the remains belonged to a female. https://www.euronews.com/culture/2025/01/18/who-run-the-world-celtic-girls-new-dna-study-reveals-overlooked-power-of-women-in-british- DNA suggests women were at the heart of social networks in Celtic society in Britain | AP News

A lavish private bath complex has been revealed in Pompeii at Regio IX section. The site could accommodate about 30 people and was attached to a banqueting hall. https://www.tovima.com/culture/lavish-private-bath-complex-unearthed-in-pompeii/ https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/72199

Here’s an article discussing various mental and physical health metrics across different regions of Germany. It notes that the southern areas, influenced by Roman rule, score higher. The Legacy of the Roman Empire in Germany: A Surprising Study Reveals How It Influences the Current Well-Being of Regions Roma Eterna? Roman Rule Explains Regional Well-Being Divides in Germany - ScienceDirect

Numerous ancient Roman coin molds have been discovered in Castleford, West Yorkshire, England (see the map below). It remains unclear whether these molds were intended for producing illegal forgeries or, less likely, authorized emergency replicas. Sanctioned replicas may have been used to pay troops stationed at the Empire's outer reaches, later being replaced once the authentic currency arrived. (The video below describes ancient coin molds.) https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14294449/I-Fraudius-Roman-coin-conmen-discovered-nearly-1-700-years-committed-crime-punishable-crucifixion.html

Twenty-one curse tablets have been discovered in a Roman-era cemetery located south of Paris. These tablets, which were buried with many bodies discovered during the excavation of a hospital, date from the first to third century AD. One of the studied tablets was written in Latin and a poorly documented Gaulish language. https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/curse-tablet-found-in-roman-era-grave-in-france-targets-enemies-by-invoking-mars-the-god-of-war#:~:text=Excavation of a Roman-era,inscribed in Latin and Gaulish.&text=Archaeologists in France have discovered,written in an extinct language. https://greekreporter.com/2025/01/15/ancient-curse-tablets-roman-grave-france/ Here is a previous post on an obscene curse tablet found in Greece. Background information about curse tablets

A collection of 141 Roman gold coins, known as solidi, has been discovered in the village of Holzthum in Northern Luxembourg. This remarkable find occurred during several years of excavation at the site, where the coins were unearthed near the foundations of a small, tower-like Roman fort. These solidi, which portrayed nine emperors, were struck between AD 364 and 408. Three of these solidi portrayed the usurper Eugenius, who reigned AD 392-394 (pictured above). https://archaeologymag.com/2025/01/roman-gold-coins-in-luxembourg Eugenius was defeated by Theodosius (with the aid of the Bora winds) at the Battle of Frigidus in AD 394:

Arsinoë IV was the sister of Cleopatra and claimed the throne alongside her brother, Ptolemy XIII, in opposition to Cleopatra. She was captured during a conflict with Julius Caesar and subsequently exiled to the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus. Later, at the request of Cleopatra VII, she was executed by orders from Mark Antony in 41 BCE. An octagonal tomb dating between 50 and 20 BCE was discovered in Ephesus. In 1926, the skeleton of a young person, estimated to be between 15 and 18 years old, was found at the site. The skull, however, was lost until 2022. This unusual octagonal tomb is believed to represent the Pharos Lighthouse in Alexandria, and it was previously hypothesized that the remains belonged to Arsinoë. Recent studies have revealed that the skull actually belonged to a male. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-83870-x https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arsinoe_IV

The beautiful Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles California is threatened by the latest fires (see video below). Although its grounds are on fire, the priceless ancient Roman and Greek artifacts are undamaged (so far). The Villa is a reconstruction of the Villa dei Papiri found in Pompeii, Italy. Picture of the Getty Villa before the fires https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getty_Villa

Roman mosaics dating from the third century AD were found in Western Turkey in Heraclea at Latmo. A Roman-era bath floor was decorated with mosaics depicting crocodiles, eels, dolphins, and flamingos. Crocodiles were found among the depictions on the mosaics. Interestingly, these animals are not found in the area so it’s assumed that the artist who made the mosaic had some exposure to crocodiles before working in the area. https://www.finestresullarte.info/en/archaeology/turkey-mosaics-with-crocodiles-and-flamingos-discovered-at-heraclea-al-latmo#:~:text=Important archaeological discoveries in Turkey,Mugla province%2C Milas district). https://arkeonews.net/roman-bath-and-magnificent-mosaics-used-as-stables-by-the-villagers-for-many-years/#google_vignette