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A suspected mithraeum, a temple of Mithras, in Colchester, Britain, has undergone intense research. Built between AD 320 and 340, the site is now believed to have been converted into Britain’s earliest known Roman Christian church. Recent studies of the nearby burial sites suggest that the site later functioned as a Christian church. The religious site seems to have been in use until AD 400. The abrupt change in later burial patterns is more consistent with Christian burials (see quote below). Additionally, a coin hoard of at least 500 coins dating from after AD 330 has been discovered. This coin hoard would have been accumulated following Constantine the Great’s conversion to Christianity. Before the recent research, it had not been regarded as an early Christian church. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj0z4p4py1mo http://cat.essex.ac.uk/reports/CAR-report-0009.pdf Colchester has been the site of other Roman findings:

An altar from the Teotihuacan culture was found in Guatemala, the region of the later Mayan culture. The altar was believed to have been used for human sacrifices, especially of children. The remains of three children, no older than four years, were found at the sides of the altar. Of course, in an effort not to offend, this practice of child sacrifice has been described by the media as “nonviolent.” This has created some controversy. https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/tikal-altar-guatemala-jungle-used-sacrifices-mayan-teotihuacan-cultures/ The academic article on the research https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antiquity/article/teotihuacan-altar-at-tikal-guatemala-central-mexican-ritual-and-elite-interaction-in-the-maya-lowlands/78F1EE665FD51C6B41457872CDA20A80 A largely nonviolent depiction of human sacrifices in Mesoamerica from the movie “Apocalyptico.”

Corrected. Funny, though.

In AD 367, the Picts, Scotti, and Saxons launched attacks on Roman defenses in Britain. Dry summers are now believed to have led to famine and social pressures that precipitated the assaults. A recent study using oak tree-ring records suggests that severe drought was a catalyst for the Barbarian incursions, known as the Great Conspiracy (see Wikipedia article below). https://scienceblog.com/drought-toppled-roman-britain-before-barbarians/ https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/apr/17/british-rebellion-against-roman-legions-caused-by-drought-research-finds#:~:text=The researchers identified no other,the Picts into northern Britain”. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-extreme-drought-contributed-barbarian-invasion.amp The academic article: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10584-025-03925-4 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Conspiracy

After sharing on another site a story about a Vitellius aureus discovered in Britain and recently sold at auction (see the original UNRV post below), I received some pushback from the numismatic site Cointalk.com regarding Vitellius’s role in Britain. Here is my response. My response:

Fragments of a Roman wall painting have been unearthed in Villajoyosa, Spain. The villa’s foundation dates to the reign of Trajan (AD 98-117). Over 4,000 fragments of these wall paintings have been excavated. https://www.heritagedaily.com/2025/04/4000-fragments-of-roman-wall-paintings-unearthed-in-villajoyosa/154957

Approximately 4000 Roman-era bricks have been stored at a museum in Trier, Germany. They will finally be examined more closely after new research funding. Below is a brick with the stamp of Legio XXII Primigenia https://arkeonews.net/researchers-examine-4000-bricks-to-solve-the-secrets-of-an-ancient-roman-metropolis-of-trier/ https://aktuelles.uni-frankfurt.de/en/english/building-material-for-an-ancient-metropolis/ Here is the Wikipedia article on Legio XII Primigenia. The unit was first stationed in the Roman province of Germania Superior, guarding the Rhine border as part of the limes. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legio_XXII_Primigenia

Interesting point they make. Here’s the graph:

Here's a good video on why Britain doesn't speak a Latin-based language:

Ancient Celts meet Black Sabbath:

Here’s an interesting article showing the greater income inequality in the Han Dynasty than in the Roman Empire: https://phys.org/news/2025-04-economic-inequality-roman-empire-han.html#google_vignette Here is the academic article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-58581-0

Little surprise that these statues are now part of a new exhibit in Pompeii “Being a woman in Pompeii.” https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/priestess-statue-found-preserved-within-the-walls-of-pompeii-necropolis-set-to-star-in-new-exhibit-on-roman-women/

A Roman gold coin (aureus) was found in a farmer's field near Dudley, England, in the West Midlands. It depicted the ill-fated Vitellius, one of the four Emperors who struggled for power in AD 69, “The Year of the Four Emperors,” following the death of Nero in AD 68. Suetonius described Vitellius as an obese glutton. Vitellius defeated Otho before Vespasian eventually killed him in Rome. Vitellius was Emperor of Rome for just eight months (April 19 to December 20, AD 69). Interestingly, the coin fetched just £4,700 (approximately $6000 US). This is an excellent piece of history that reflects the influence of Vitellius in Britain at the time of the turmoil: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0mwm8nw914o A nice summary of the struggle for power after the death of Nero:

A well-preserved dog was found beneath a Roman stone foundation in Velzeke, Belgium. Although it is uncommon to discover such well-preserved bone from the Roman period in the local soil conditions, this dog was buried under a stone structure, shielding it from the elements. The 3,200-square-foot site where the remains were discovered: There is some suggestion that the dog was part of a ritual sacrifice. The Romans mostly looked at dogs as respected and protective animals. However, the sacrifice of dogs did occur in several Roman rituals and festivals: As mentioned in the article, the annual ritual of Supplicia Canum involved sacrificing dogs: Other festivals that involved sacrificing dogs were Robigalia and Lupercalia: Archaeologists discover well-preserved Roman dog in Belgium - The Jerusalem Post Ancient Roman Dog Unearthed Shockingly Intact In Belgium Here is an article from 1921, "The Dog as a Sacred Animal in Italy." A. M. Franklin: The Lupercalia • Chapter 8 Here is a pet dog that a family cherished (photo from the Getty Villa):

Pompeii is a destination I missed during my trips to Italy. This short video on the more than 40 public fountains of Pompeii is fascinating. This mundane but important engineering feat is incredible.

They probably didn’t have to wait in line too long. https://people.com/king-charles-queen-camilla-visit-colosseum-state-visit-italy-11709382

A few videos on find.

It has been announced that a necropolis of around 20-30 tombs has been discovered in Liternum, Southern Italy (near modern Giugliano in Campania). One of the tombs had an inscription of a suspected gladiator. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-14579163/ancient-gladiators-lost-TOMB-2-000-years-Roman.html

Plans are underway to restore the inscription on the monument to Darius the Great (550-486 BCE) in Persepolis (modern Iran). There are cracks in the inscription that need to be repaired before they become irreparable. Restoration of Darius the Great's inscription at Persepolis to begin after severe erosion The inscription of Darius the Great is on the verge of destruction (+photos) It appears to be a remarkable structure deserving of preservation.

A Roman settlement, including three Roman homesteads, has been discovered in Northwestern Germany, specifically in Delbrück-Bentfeld. Notably, these are situated 90 miles away from the recognized Roman frontier, known as the Limes Germanicus. This finding suggests a more significant interaction between the Romans and the local German population from the 1st to the 3rd centuries AD. https://arkeonews.net/unveiling-a-roman-settlement-beyond-the-empire-new-discoveries-in-delbruck-bentfeld-germany/ Extensive Roman settlement found beyond the borders of the Roman Empire Article on the Limes Germanicus Exploring the Limes Germanicus – images from Rome’s Germanic Frontier FOLLOWING HADRIAN Scene at the dreary Limes from the movie “The Fall of the Roman Empire” Excellent video on the Limes Germanicus: Below is a thread on a military site discovered nearby at Paderborn, Germany.

A Roman military burial site has been uncovered beneath a soccer field near Vienna, Austria. Approximately 150 skeletons, believed to be those of Roman soldiers, have been discovered, many showing signs of various bone injuries. Dating indicates that this burial site dates back to AD 80-130, partially coinciding with the Danubian campaigns of Domitian and Trajan. The remains were all male, averaging 5 feet 7 inches (1.7 meters) in height, which is slightly taller than the typical Roman legionary. This implies that some of those buried may have been Germanic soldiers. The skeletons were estimated to be between 20 and 30 years old and, apart from the signs of battlefield trauma, were in good health with no indications of debilitating infectious disease. This supports the belief that the site functioned as a battlefield burial ground rather than a field hospital for sick soldiers. https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/romans/mass-grave-of-roman-era-soldiers-discovered-beneath-soccer-field-in-vienna https://archaeologymag.com/2025/04/roman-era-battlefield-mass-grave-in-vienna/ http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/72825 Sensational Roman find in Simmering - Presse-Service Press_info_Excavation_Hasenleitengasse_EN.pdf - Nextcloud Official video: Presse_Grabung_Simmering_Schnittmaterial_© Pavel Cuzuioc Filmproduktion.mp4 - Nextcloud

Two life-sized statues have been found in Pompeii. The woman may have been a priestess. She is holding laurel leaves used in religious ceremonies. https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/02/science/life-size-statues-pompeii-tomb-scli-intl/index.html https://pompeiisites.org/wp-content/uploads/04_E-Journal_A-Monumental-Tomb-with-a-relief-of-two-spouses-in-the-funerary-area-of-Porta-Sarno.pdf

Strabo (63 BCE - AD 23)wrote in his Geographica (Book IV, Chapter V) that dogs have been a historically vital resource in Britannia: Strabo, Geography, BOOK IV. These articles examine the significance of a burial pit for dogs located just southwest of London, at Nescot. These dog remains were part of Roman Britain. 2025-03-nescot-dog-insight-romano-british.pdf https://www.sciencenewstoday.org/unraveling-the-mystery-of-the-nescot-ritual-shaft-dogs-sacrifice-and-roman-britain In the quote above, many of the dogs found at Nescot resembled the modern Maltese in size. The modern Maltese is a small dog recognized for its compact build and silky white coat. Typically, these dogs weigh between 4 to 7 pounds (1.8 to 3.2 kg) and stand about 7 to 9 inches (18 to 23 cm) tall. Below is a previous post on small-dog breeding in Roman Turkey:

A 3-year-old Israeli girl has discovered an ancient Canaanite scarab while hiking with her family. (Scarabs are amulets and impression seals (shaped like scarab beetles) and were popular throughout ancient Egypt.) The scarab is 3,800 years old and was found in Tel Azeka, which is mentioned in the Bible as the site of the battle between David and the Philistine giant, Goliath. https://www.timesofisrael.com/three-year-old-girl-finds-canaanite-seal-where-bible-says-david-battled-goliath/

Here’s a needed review of the Cimbrian War