Romans
![A copy of a Roman helmet in Rome, Italy.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DCmJaQoaNQFR42P9tp7kyG-320-80.jpg)
The ancient city of Rome became the heart of a sprawling empire that lasted for hundreds of years, and we're still unearthing ship-loads of Roman artifacts, mystifying treasures and even forts around 2,000 years later.
At Live Science, our expert writers and editors follow the work of historians and archeologists to bring you the most compelling discoveries and facts about the Romans. From their unusual superstitions to the rise and fall of the once-mighty empire, check out the latest news, features and articles about the Romans.
Latest about Romans
![An digital reconstruction of ancient Rome.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ATkBcNKTVoomdt57NYNWT9-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ATkBcNKTVoomdt57NYNWT9-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ATkBcNKTVoomdt57NYNWT9-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ATkBcNKTVoomdt57NYNWT9-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ATkBcNKTVoomdt57NYNWT9-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ATkBcNKTVoomdt57NYNWT9-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ATkBcNKTVoomdt57NYNWT9-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ATkBcNKTVoomdt57NYNWT9-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Soar over ancient Rome's temples, brothels and baths in epic new 3D reconstruction
By Jennifer Nalewicki published
A newly-launched 3D model of ancient Rome lets viewers experience the city as it was in its heyday in the fourth century.
![This rare gold coin was minted in the time between Julius Caesar's unsuccessful invasions and Roman emperor Claudius' successful invasion of Britain.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JjtdktbPHq6hcBSpGLda5C-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JjtdktbPHq6hcBSpGLda5C-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JjtdktbPHq6hcBSpGLda5C-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JjtdktbPHq6hcBSpGLda5C-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JjtdktbPHq6hcBSpGLda5C-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JjtdktbPHq6hcBSpGLda5C-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JjtdktbPHq6hcBSpGLda5C-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JjtdktbPHq6hcBSpGLda5C-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Rare 2,100-year-old gold coin bears name of obscure ruler from pre-Roman Britain
By Owen Jarus published
A rare gold coin found by a metal detectorist and recently auctioned off was minted by a little-known ruler in pre-Roman Britain.
![Four back-and-white aerial images showing roman forts captured in satellite photos by the U.S. military.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SC6FcHETLNBXCrrgWG2zbR-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SC6FcHETLNBXCrrgWG2zbR-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SC6FcHETLNBXCrrgWG2zbR-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SC6FcHETLNBXCrrgWG2zbR-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SC6FcHETLNBXCrrgWG2zbR-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SC6FcHETLNBXCrrgWG2zbR-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SC6FcHETLNBXCrrgWG2zbR-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SC6FcHETLNBXCrrgWG2zbR-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Cold War satellite images reveal nearly 400 Roman forts in the Middle East
By Ben Turner published
The photos, taken in the 1960s and 1970s by the first spy satellites, reveal that the eastern border of the Roman Empire was a place of vibrant trade.
![A Roman sandal buried in mud](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/k5S7y9t8fVPwL8SyitQ6aa-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/k5S7y9t8fVPwL8SyitQ6aa-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/k5S7y9t8fVPwL8SyitQ6aa-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/k5S7y9t8fVPwL8SyitQ6aa-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/k5S7y9t8fVPwL8SyitQ6aa-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/k5S7y9t8fVPwL8SyitQ6aa-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/k5S7y9t8fVPwL8SyitQ6aa-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/k5S7y9t8fVPwL8SyitQ6aa-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
2,000-year-old decorated Roman sandal unearthed in Spain
By Jennifer Nalewicki published
Archaeologists in Spain used a pulley system to reach the bottom of a well, where they found a 2,000-year-old Roman sandal and other artifacts.
![Herculaneum scroll with red laser lines being scanned at Institut de France by Brent Seales and his team.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HtXRip27FenHxNUP4cv3ef-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HtXRip27FenHxNUP4cv3ef-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HtXRip27FenHxNUP4cv3ef-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HtXRip27FenHxNUP4cv3ef-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HtXRip27FenHxNUP4cv3ef-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HtXRip27FenHxNUP4cv3ef-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HtXRip27FenHxNUP4cv3ef-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HtXRip27FenHxNUP4cv3ef-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
AI reveals scroll's lost text after it was scorched by Mount Vesuvius eruption 2,000 years ago
By Laura Geggel published
Mount Vesuvius' eruption in A.D. 79 carbonized hundreds of scrolls and papyri in the ancient Roman city of Herculaneum. Now, AI has decoded part of a scroll.
![We see two ichthyocentaurs, which are part man, part horse and part fish, next to two cherubs on a half-circle wall.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Jv9Vsf3n8txU6EQ334oQ2g-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Jv9Vsf3n8txU6EQ334oQ2g-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Jv9Vsf3n8txU6EQ334oQ2g-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Jv9Vsf3n8txU6EQ334oQ2g-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Jv9Vsf3n8txU6EQ334oQ2g-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Jv9Vsf3n8txU6EQ334oQ2g-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Jv9Vsf3n8txU6EQ334oQ2g-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Jv9Vsf3n8txU6EQ334oQ2g-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Mythical hellhound and sea-centaurs painted on 2,200-year-old tomb discovered in Italy
By Kristina Killgrove published
Paintings of sea-centaurs, the hellhound Cerberus and other mythical beings cover a 2,200-year-old tomb unearthed near Naples in Italy.
![The skull from the cave is pictured before it was restored and an annotation has been added to mark 2 centimeters for scale](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BCxLwSs46HAS7cvPN5LDrQ-320-80.png 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BCxLwSs46HAS7cvPN5LDrQ-450-80.png 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BCxLwSs46HAS7cvPN5LDrQ-500-80.png 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BCxLwSs46HAS7cvPN5LDrQ-650-80.png 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BCxLwSs46HAS7cvPN5LDrQ-840-80.png 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BCxLwSs46HAS7cvPN5LDrQ-970-80.png 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BCxLwSs46HAS7cvPN5LDrQ-1024-80.png 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BCxLwSs46HAS7cvPN5LDrQ-1200-80.png 1200w)
Battered Roman-era skull with signs of violent trauma and a possible brain tumor unearthed in Spain
By Emily Cooke published
Archaeologists uncover a skull up to 1,800 years old with a lesion they say hints at a brain tumor. But not everyone agrees.
![An archaeologist takes a picture of the free-standing stone sarcophagus.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8vnsfwMNQFkXiyBe27hRu8-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8vnsfwMNQFkXiyBe27hRu8-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8vnsfwMNQFkXiyBe27hRu8-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8vnsfwMNQFkXiyBe27hRu8-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8vnsfwMNQFkXiyBe27hRu8-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8vnsfwMNQFkXiyBe27hRu8-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8vnsfwMNQFkXiyBe27hRu8-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8vnsfwMNQFkXiyBe27hRu8-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
'Exceptional' 1,800-year-old sarcophagus unearthed in France held woman of 'special status'
By Sascha Pare published
Archaeologists excavating an ancient necropolis have unearthed a Roman-era sarcophagus containing the remains of a second-century woman, who was buried with oil lamps and accessories.
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