Archaeologists excavating the ruins of a settlement north of Pompeii have discovered an exceptional ceremonial chariot that is almost intact. The ancient carriage is made from iron, bronze and tin...
The Goths, one of the major Germanic tribes of ancient times, were a key player in the events that marked the downfall of the Western Roman Empire. Although their era lasted only a few centuries,...
Living in the Mediterranean, daily life in ancient Rome revolved around the climate. Unlike the more northern Europeans of the past and today, the ancient Romans started their days early in the...
Lars Porsena was an Etruscan ruler mentioned in the earliest accounts of Roman history. His story is associated with Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, the seventh and last semi-legendary king of Rome. Lars...
Mad emperors, fierce warriors, brutal entertainment, and lascivious lifestyles. These are the familiar images of ancient Rome, but what was it really like? Rumors abounded regarding Roman emperors...
Desperate to jump-start a stalled economy, in 2020 Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte revived a long-dormant infrastructure project. If approved, it would lead to the construction of the longest...
Remote Italian towns and historic villages have begun selling homes for €1 euro ($1.13) in a new governmental ancient home scheme to stop a severe drop in rural populations. But before you rush off...
The Well of Santa Cristina is an ancient structure located on the Italian island of Sardinia. The name of the structure is somewhat misleading. In spite of its association with a Christian saint, the...
Today, Nicolaus Copernicus is hailed by many historians as the originator of heliocentrism, one of the first steps towards modern cosmology and away from the Aristotelian cosmology which had...
For almost 500 years, Classe was an important Roman seaport right up until the early Middle Ages. Protected by surrounding marshes, Classe was well placed for patrolling the Adriatic Sea , but the...
Rome’s famous blood bath viewing location, The Colosseum, is to be fitted with a €10 million euro ($12.3 million) high-tech retractable floor giving visitors an insight into the lives of ancient...
Saturnalia was a festival celebrated by the ancient Romans. Originally, this celebration was held annually for a day on the 17th of December, but the festival was so popular that it was extended to a...
A new study of ice cores at a previously unexplored ice dome in the Ötztal Alps on the border of Austria and Italy has examined the environment in which the Tyrolean Iceman, popularly known as Otzi,...
The remains of what appears to have been a unique funeral ceremony and Greek burial have been discovered at the ancient colony of Gela in southern Sicily. Founded some time between 689 and 688 BC,...
The Spartans of ancient Greece were always known as fierce warriors and determined fighters. Much of what we know about them is related to their military history and equally militarized society. Many...
Altamura Man was a Neanderthal who lived in southern Italy at least 130,000 years ago. His fossilized skeleton was uncovered by a team of cavers in 1993 AD, entombed within calcite mineral deposits...
Tourists from all over the world visit the Italian capital to see its remarkable Roman remains, such as the Colosseum. However, one tourist was so impressed with the ruins that she stole an ancient...
Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a master and his slave from Pompeii , victims of the cataclysmic volcanic eruption that destroyed the city. They were found in the heart of the ruins of...
The Riace Warriors (or Bronzi di Riace) are a pair of Greek bronze statues that were discovered in the sea near Riace, in the southern Italian province of Calabria. The statues date to the 5th...
The earliest history of ancient Rome is somewhat clouded in mystery. Judging from its glorious past that spanned many centuries, you would think that it was well documented and crystal clear. But...
Ancient regulars of the world’s oldest profession may have grown bored with the “usual” items on the coitus menu. That may be why ancient Rome enjoyed a thriving sexual ecosystem with robust variety...
The origins of the Papacy are traditionally traced to St. Peter, one of the original disciples of Jesus. The current pope, Francis I, is the 265th successor of St. Peter. Needless to say, all 266...
Add magic to natural philosophy and early chemistry knowledge and you have the ancient art of alchemy . Alchemists tried to change various substances into gold and looked hard for the elixir of...
Rasiglia is a small village located in the province of Perugia, in the central Italian region of Umbria. The village, which traces its history all the way back to the Middle Ages, is known also as...