guy

Swiss divers located a long‑suspected Roman bridge pier (pile trestle) near Solothurn during archaeological surveys (see pictures). It confirms the wood dates to the 4th century AD and links the structure to a major Roman road between Italy and the Rhine. Salodurum (pictured below) was the Roman predecessor of modern Solothurn, Switzerland, a strategically placed settlement on the Aare River that developed into one of the key Roman centers in the region. It appears in major Roman sources such as the Itinerarium Antonini and the Tabula Peutingeriana, confirming its importance in the imperial road network. https://www.labrujulaverde.com/en/2026/06/remains-of-a-4th-century-roman-bridge-found-in-the-aare-riverbed-in-switzerland-at-ancient-salodurum/

There have been a few previous posts about the use of honey in wound care (see below). Here is an article that does a good job of summarizing honey’s long term survival. Honey found in sealed Egyptian tombs remains edible even after more than 3,000 years because it had overlapping antimicrobial defenses: extremely low water content that dehydrates microbes, natural acidity that inhibits bacterial metabolism, and slow‑releasing hydrogen peroxide produced by enzymes in the honey. Tomb conditions—cool, dark, sealed, and dry—kept the honey from absorbing moisture and prevented fermentation, allowing it to survive essentially unchanged except for darkening and crystallization. While its antibacterial potency fades over millennia as enzymes break down, the honey remains chemically stable and safe to eat, illustrating why it outlasts nearly all other foods and why ancient Egyptians also used it medicinally. Honey was one of the most reliable ancient wound treatments because it naturally protected injuries, prevented infection, and supported healing. Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans spread honey directly onto cuts, burns, and ulcers, where it acted like a natural bandage: it sealed the wound from dirt, kept the surface moist, and slowly drew out excess fluid. Its acidity, low water content, and enzyme‑driven release of hydrogen peroxide made it hostile to bacteria, so wounds treated with honey were far less likely to become infected. Because honey doesn’t spoil, ancient healers could store it for years, making it a dependable remedy in homes, temples, and battlefields. https://share.google/qjSk5zZYBZeG2sgPv

A Roman brooch from AD 100–160 is about to go on display at the National Museum of Scotland. It was uncovered near Pathhead in Lothian and stands out as a well‑made piece from the Roman era. What makes it notable is the mix of influences in its design. Even though it was found in Scotland, specialists believe it was produced in northern England, which points to regular movement of goods and styles across the frontier. Its look blends Roman techniques with local artistic elements, showing how people living at the edge of the empire combined different cultural traditions. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yr11w699zo

Archaeologists excavating the forecourt of Notre‑Dame Cathedral—opened after the 2019 fire reconstruction and the city’s plan to redesign the plaza—have uncovered a densely layered record of Paris stretching back nearly 2,000 years. The dig has produced hundreds of artifacts, including a fourth‑century coin bearing Emperor Constantine’s image (see above), intact medieval ceramics preserved in old latrines, and pottery fragments marked with mysterious reddish inscriptions that specialists have not yet deciphered. The Roman finds beneath Notre‑Dame amount to a late‑antique occupation layer—supported by a fourth‑century Constantine coin. This reveals a compact neighborhood of Roman Paris preserved under later medieval construction. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/notre-dame-cathedral-dig-of-the-century-treasures-found/

This beautiful Roman ring from Britain’s turbulent Imperium Britanniarum will go on display at the Museum of Somerset in Taunton. In 2018, metal detectorist Kevin Minto uncovered a gold intaglio ring and a hoard of Roman coins near Ilminster in Somerset. The find has since been acquired by the South West Heritage Trust. According to senior curator Amal Khreisheh, the ring is extraordinary not only for its craftsmanship but also because Roman gold jewelry from this period is exceptionally rare—most personal adornments in late Roman Britain were made of silver or bronze. The survival of a gold piece in such pristine condition is unusual. The context of the hoard is interesting: it appears to date to the turbulent decade between AD 286 and 296, when Britain was caught up in the breakaway “Britannic Empire” under Carausius and later Allectus. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp3pgy6ervko

There was already a post about this earliest image of Jesus. Many of these early images were found in Turkey (see below). Here’s an article about possibly this early image of Jesus after full restoration. Because the chamber had never been opened since antiquity, the pigments survived in near‑original condition, making this the most intact early image of Christ known. The Iznik fresco shows Jesus as the Good Shepherd, carrying a ram across his shoulders, depicted beardless with short‑cropped hair and dressed in the refined clothing of a Roman elite rather than the later Byzantine style; the preservation is so sharp that facial features, garment folds, and the animal’s outline remain visible. Archaeologists date the image to the early–mid 3rd century AD, placing it among the very earliest adult portrayals of Jesus, and its survival is owed to the sealed, oxygen‑free family tomb in which it rested untouched for roughly 1,800 years, making it the most intact example of pre‑Constantinian Christian iconography yet discovered. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/turkey-christianity-jesus-picture-iznik-archaeology-b2986393.html

Here is another Roman-themed commercial:

This is the scholarly article on the study of the two vessels preserved from the Vesuvius explosion in AD 79. The residue of these two incense burners was analyzed and one vessel supported the extensive trade with possibly either India or Sub-Saharan Africa. Above is the incense burner from Pompeii. Above is the incense burner pictured in situ above at Boscoreale, about 2 km (1.2 miles) from Pompeii. Below is the Boscoreale vessel. The article shows that Pompeian household incense burners contained local woods and plants, but the Boscoreale vessel held imported Burseraceae resin (likely Canarium/elemi) — material that came from either sub‑Saharan Africa or India. This is the first archaeological proof that global incense trade reached everyday Pompeian domestic ritual. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antiquity/article/ashes-from-pompeii-incense-burners-residue-analyses-and-domestic-cult-practices/CDE44811873BBC667EC3E7A19042EC62

There was a previous post about chickens in Ancient Rome (see below). Here is a short video on the role of the chickens in predicting a military defeat. https://elektratig.blogspot.com/2012/04/let-them-drink-since-they-wont-eat.html?m=1

The rose petal drop at the Pantheon was Sunday for the Pentecost celebrations. Here is a previous post about the celebration:

Troy was special to the Romans because they believed it was their ancestral homeland: the place from which Aeneas fled to found the line that led to Romulus, Remus, and Rome itself. That mythic connection made Troy a site of identity, legitimacy, and imperial propaganda. An excellent article in “Archaeology” magazine explored the popularity of the ancient city of Troy in the ancient world. The article, by Ben O’Donnell, “Trojan Tourist Trap,” examined how Troy became a vacation spot and pilgrimage destination for the Romans. Troy was special to the Romans because they believed it was their ancestral homeland. After Troy fell, Aeneas eventually founded the line that led to Romulus, Remus, and Rome itself. That mythic connection made Troy a site of Roman identity. The denarius shown above depicts “Aeneas Carrying Anchises.” It is a late Republican silver coin struck for Julius Caesar in 47–46 BC and portrays one of the most powerful scenes in Roman myth: the Trojan hero Aeneas escaping the burning city, carrying his aged father Anchises on his shoulders and the sacred Palladium, a symbol of divine protection. The Palladium on this coin is the small statue Aeneas holds in his right hand as he carries his father, Anchises, on his shoulders. It’s a tiny, upright figure—usually depicted with a spear and shield—representing the sacred image of Pallas Athena, which, according to legend, protected Troy. By depicting Aeneas rescuing it from the burning city, the coin signals that Troy’s divine protection passed to Rome, reinforcing Julius Caesar’s claim to Trojan and divine ancestry. https://archaeology.org/issues/may-june-2026/collection/trojan-tourist-trap/the-unexpected-world-of-the-odyssey/ Here’s a previous post about the Greek city of Sparta as a Roman theme park vacation spot:

Archaeologists in eastern Croatia uncovered 302 late Roman coins at a 4th‑century Danube frontier watchtower near Mohovo—likely the last trace of a small garrison that hid its pay during a moment of crisis. Mostly from the 4th century AD, many of the coins were minted under Valentinian I (AD 364–375)—a frontier‑focused emperor born in nearby Cibalae (modern Vinkovci). The Mohovo tower sat between larger forts at Ilok and Sotin, forming a visual‑signal chain along the Danube. Ilok & Sotin: fortified sites controlling Danube crossings. https://greekreporter.com/2026/05/16/roman-coins-croatia/ A previous post on the Roman watchtower discovery:

This is an interesting short video of what the Parthenon probably looked like with its painted marble. This is a follow-up to a previous post (see below):

A Roman gravestone, removed from Italy during WWII and relocated to a backyard in New Orleans, Louisiana, has finally been returned to Italy. (See the previous post about the find below.) The gravestone was for a second-century AD Roman sailor of the Praetorian Fleet Misenensis. It had been missing from a museum in Civitavecchia, Italy, since the Second World War. The gravestone was part of a repatriation ceremony in Rome (pictured below). Other artifacts returned to Italy included a first-century AD head of Alexander the Great, a satyr looted from Herculaneum, two Egyptian statues, Byzantine coins, and Greek ceramics. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-was-this-ancient-roman-soldiers-gravestone-hidden-in-a-louisiana-backyard-archaeologists-solved-the-mystery-and-helped-return-the-artifact-to-italy-180988761/