SCAtoday.net - 601 CE and Earlier

Japan's Gosashi tomb opened to scholars

Fri, 16 May 2008 09:39:32 -0400

A 5th century royal Japanese tomb has been made accessible to scholars for research and study for the first time. Koji Takahashi, a Toyama University archaeologist, was one of the experts allowed into the Gosashi tomb, which "is revered as the resting place of Empress Jingu, the semi-legendary wife of the country's 14th emperor."

From banker to warrior: the transformation of Sergio Iacomoni

Wed, 14 May 2008 16:49:54 -0400

What makes an Italian banker decide to gird his lions and become a Roman gladiator? "One day, we were talking. We had played enough tennis, worked out with enough sports. So we decided: OK, now we'll be gladiators," said Sergio Iacomoni, who now calls himself Nerone.

Did smallpox kill Gloucester Romans?

Wed, 14 May 2008 12:11:06 -0400

Experts working on the recently-discovered mass Roman grave in Gloucester, England will be using DNA tests to determine what killed over 90 individuals. A first look at the remains points to a 2nd century smallpox outbreak that swept across Britain.

Germanic society in England may not have been as brutal as once believed

Thu, 8 May 2008 10:51:22 -0400

Recent scientific studies have suggested that the Germanic invaders of England may have imposed an apartheid-like system on the native peoples, but an article by John Pattison of the University of South Australia in Adelaide disagrees. "The evidence is compatible with the idea of a much more integrated society," he says.

Nero's gate discovered in Cologne

Fri, 2 May 2008 13:43:01 -0400

Constructions workers at the site of Cologne, Germany's new metro line have discovered a Roman gate believed to have been built by the Emperor Nero and dating from the 1st century C.E.

New dig may explain Stonehenge

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 23:44:29 -0400

Just a few weeks after beginning, the excavators now working at Stonehenge have had what they describe as a "breakthrough." Clues towards the original placement of the bluestones, the site's oldest elements, may reveal why Stonehenge was built.

Roman statues receive makeover at Bath

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:30:22 -0400

A collection of statues that ring the Roman baths in Bath, England have received a facelift to remove years of grime. The renovation project is just part of a plan to "create an unforgettable experience for all our daytime and evening visitors."

3rd century amulet places Jews in Austria

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 19:52:57 -0400

A gold amulet dating to the 3rd century CE inscribed with a Jewish prayer has been discovered in the grave of a Roman child in Halbturn, Austria proving that people of the Jewish faith inhabited the country at the time.

Ancient Colchester South Gate discovered

Tue, 8 Apr 2008 12:05:41 -0400

Archaeologists believe that they have discovered part of the South gate of the Roman wall at Colchester, Britain's oldest Roman town. The wall was destroyed in 1818.

Anglo-Saxon cemetery yields treasure

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 07:45:40 -0400

The discovery of a series of 5th century Anglo Saxon graves in Kent, England has created the need for an inquest before the Kent County Council due to the wealth of artifacts found with the graves.

Venice exhibit focusses on contributions of "barbarians"

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 08:51:44 -0400

A new exhibit at Venice's Palazzo Grassi endeavors to disprove the reputation of the "barbaric tribes" during Europe's Dark Ages. Rome and the Barbarians: Birth of a New World will be at the Palazzo Grassi until July 20, 2008.

Discovered Roman settlement will not stop modern cemetery plans

Sun, 24 Feb 2008 13:34:45 -0500

The recent discovery of a Roman settlement near Lincoln, England, will not hold up plans for the creation of a modern cemetery. Archaeologists believe that the settlement dates from between the 2nd and 4th centuries.

"Vortigern Studies" website concentrates on early British history

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 19:52:58 -0500

Robert Vermaat has created a website called Vortigern Studies which is "dedicated to the study of the period between the Roman occupation of Britain and the Early Middle Ages."

Ancient Roman lighthouse discovered

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 15:17:28 -0500

Turkish archaeologists found a 2,000 year old lighthouse at the ancient Roman port of Patara. Built in the time of the Emperor Nero, it may be the oldest such structure that remains intact.

Druid Grave Unearthed in U.K.?

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 07:51:32 -0500

Archaeologists excavating a series of 1st century graves in Colchester, England think one of them may belong to a Druid.