Tag: Amphitheatre

Caerleon Fortress Mapping Reveals Palatial Scale Building

Reconstruction of Caerleon - or Itca, by its Roman name - showing the newly discovered monumental suburb - Image copyright 7reasons Archaeology students learning to use mapping equipment have discovered a complex of monument buildings outside the Roman fortress at Caerleon, South Wales. The team says it will lead to a complete rethink about how Britain was conquered and occupied by the Roman forces almost 2,000 years ago.

The students from the Cardiff Universitys School of History, Archaeology and Religion were learning how to use geophysical equipment in fields outside the Caerleon fortress. Squeezed into the ground between the amphitheatre and the River Usk, the outlines of a series of huge buildings were revealed. The discovery of the settelement’s monumental suburb came as a surprise. It was thought the Roman legionaries had little use for this area outside the fortress walls.

Caerleon is one of the best-known Roman sites in Britain, so it was a great surprise to realise that we had found something completely new and totally unexpected, said Dr Peter Guest, Senior Lecturer in Roman Archaeology.

The biggest is enormous and must be one of the largest buildings known from Roman Britain.

It is difficult to be certain about what we have been found because nothing like this has been discovered in Roman Britain before.

The building’s ground plans do suggest that the structures were of some importance. They could have included markets, administrative buildings, bath-houses, store buildings, and possibly even a temple. But it is the largest, enormous structure that is most fascinating.

The biggest is enormous and must be one of the largest buildings known from Roman Britain. We can only guess what it was for, but at the moment were working on the idea that it had something to do with a harbour on the river, although it does look uncannily like a residential villa building if thats the case it was built on a palatial scale.

Caerleon is one of only three permanent legionary fortresses in Britain. The ancient military base was originally an Iron Age hill fort. When the conquest of Roman Wales started inthe first century AD, the locationbecame the headquarters of the Legio II Augusta.

Around Isca Augusta, the usual array of military buildings such as a hospital, a bath house, barracks, metal shops and granaries were built. The settlement even included an amphitheatre, which in medieval times became known as ‘King Arthur’s Round Table’.

An interpretation of the geophysical survey, shows the various monumental buildings outside the fortress - Image copyright GeoArch

Most of the fort is thought to have been demolished in the late 3rd century and by 4th century the Roman baths were nothing but a cattle pen.

The layout and scale of the buildings look like they should be at the centre of a town or city, continued Dr Guest, but here at Caerleon we seem to have the central public spaces without the surrounding city where are the people who would have used these buildings?

Perhaps they were intended for the legionaries of the Second Augustan, but it is also possible that this is the first evidence for Roman plans to develop the fortress at Caerleon into a major settlement in western Britain plans that for some reason never came to fruition. Thats the great thing about an archaeological discovery like this lots of new questions that we just dont have definite answers to at the moment.

Over the last four years, excavations at the site have uncovered eight previously unknown barrack blocks, three large granaries, a monumental metal workshop and a very large store building. Until 17 September 2010, the team of archaeologists will be at Caerleon for their final season of excavation. Taking place near the site of the new discovery, the team hope to uncover yet more information about the fortress and its inhabitants. Follow the Carleon Dig on twitter and its excavation blog on the British Archaeology website.

We will be spending six weeks in Caerleon this summer, excavating within the fortress walls with colleagues from UCL. We hope to reveal yet more information about the fortress and its legion and I am sure that our work will produce some really exciting results, said Dr Guest.

The dig is open to the public and wed be delighted to see people coming along with family and friends to find out more about the work we are doing.

Earlier this week it was announced evidence of a Romanfort at least twentyyears older than Itca Augusta has been uncovered at Monmouth, about 20 miles from Caerleon. It is thoughtthe fort covered most of the town centre and could hold up to 2,000 troops. Steve Clarke of Monmouth Archaeology told theSouth Wales Argus that theMonmouth Roman fortexisted in AD55 and is likely the oldest in Wales.

Guided tours of the Caerleon Roman fortress Priory Field excavation are available twice daily (11 am and 2.30 pm, except Mondays).Throughout the Summer Bank Holiday weekend (28th 30th August 2010) there are ‘Open Days’. As well as tours, there will be displays of the latest finds, a mini-dig, and the chance to talk to archaeologists about how they excavate ancient sites.

Newly-Discovered Roman Gladiator Skeleton goes on Display in York

A Roman skeleton discovered recently at ‘the world’s only well-preserved gladiator cemetery’ has gone on display in York. The skeleton, one of 80 found in the city over the past seven years, went on show at the Jorvik Viking Centre on Tuesday (June 22) and promises to be a hit with visitors.

The skeleton is one of the dig’s most important, bearing bite marks from a large carnivore. Experts have claimed it as proof gladiators were made to fight wild animals, such as bears and tigers, in the arena. The excavation itself has aroused huge interest across worldwide, and was recently the subject of a Channel 4 documentary on the grisly lives of gladiators in Roman Britain (read a review here).

John Walker, chief executive of York Archaeological Trust, tells York Press the gladiator’s display will allow locals the chance to see archaeology in action: “The skeletons have been the subject of global interest over the last week. We want to give people the opportunity to see for themselves some of the evidence that our archaeologists have worked with to develop their theories on the skeletons origins.”

York, Roman name Eboracum, was an important town close to the edge of the Roman Empire. Though the cemetery’s discovery suggests the existence of an amphitheatre like one beneath London’s Guildhall (watch a video on Roman London here), none such site has been unearthed in York.

‘World’s Only Well-Preserved Gladiator Cemetery’ Discovered in York

Around 80 gladiators have been discovered in what experts are calling the world’s only well-preserved gladiator cemetery, in the northern British town of York. The grisly find, made ahead of modern building works since 2004, includes the skeletons of men who had been killed with swords, axes and hammers – and one who had been bitten by a tiger.

Other telltale signs the 1st-3rd century AD men were gladiators are their arm asymmetry, testament to years of training with heavy weapons, and seemingly ritual decapitation. Though most losing gladiators were killed by a stab to the throat, the practice may have been due to some prevailing local custom. Burial items are sparse, but one 18-23-year-old man had been laid to rest with the remains of four horses and pig and cow bones.

Archaeologist Kurt Hunter-Mann of the York Archaeological Trust believes the dig’s evidence is pointing in one direction. “At present our lead theory is that many of these skeletons are those of Roman gladiators,” he says. “So far there are a number of pieces of evidence which point towards that interpretation or are consistent with it. But the research is continuing and we must therefore keep an open mind.

“It’s unlikely this individual was attacked by a tiger as he was walking home from the pub.”

“We could see that in quite a few cases the skulls had been chopped with some kind of heavy bladed weapon, a sword or in one or two cases an axe,” Hunter-Mann adds. “But they were buried with a degree of care. There are no mass pits. Most of them are buried individually.

“Other important pieces of evidence include a high incidence of substantial arm asymmetry – a feature mentioned in ancient Roman literature in connection with a gladiator; some healed and unhealed weapon injuries; possible hammer blows to the head – a feature attested as a probable gladiatorial coup de grace at another gladiator cemetery, Ephesus, in Turkey.”

Forensic anthropology expert Dr Michael Wysocki claims the most striking evidence is a series of bite marks suffered by one of the men. “The presence of bite marks is one of the strongest pieces of evidence suggesting an arena connection. It would seem highly unlikely this individual was attacked by a tiger as he was walking home from the pub in York 2,000 years ago.”

The find will fuel speculation as to the location of York’s Roman amphitheatre. Gladiator arenas have been discovered in several other major Roman cities in Britain such as London and Chester (watch a video on London’s Roman amphitheatre here). York, named Eboracum, was established by the Romans in 71AD, and boasts Roman baths and walls. Experts speculate it was once an upper-class Roman residence, and it is also home to the popular Jorvik Viking Centre. But Dr Wysocki believes this could be York’s biggest ancient coup to date: “These are internationally important discoveries. We dont have any other potential gladiator cemeteries with this level of preservation anywhere else in the world.”

The discovery will feature in forthcoming Channel 4 documentary Gladiators: Back from the Dead, which airs in the UK next Monday (14 June).

Colosseum to Open its Underground Corridors to the Public

The Colosseum may be almost 2,000 years old, but it’s certainly not letting the grass grow under its feet. New initiatives are continuing to draw tourists to the Flavian Amphitheatre, the most recent of which is the restoration of the corridors beneath the amphitheatre, where wild animals, slaves and gladiators would have waited prior to being lifted onto the the arena floor.

According to this BBC report, the sum of 23 million euros is being spent on restoring the Colosseum and preparing the network of underground tunnels, which will be opened to the public later this year.

The network of tunnels under the main arena floor consisted of several corridors with varying functions. One tunnel is thought to have led straight to the Ludus Magnus, the gladiatorial training school next to the Colosseum. Other passageways would have stored animals, some of which would have been imported from northern Africa, while others were designated as exit routes for disposing of dead bodies after the shows.

About six million tourists visit the Colosseum each year and, despite the standard entrance price of 12 euros (which includes entrance to the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill) the monument is still underfunded.

Other initiatives that have recently attracted attention to Rome’s most famous monument include an exhibition on authentic replica gladiator weapons and armour, as well as a visit from Russell Crowe, who played the title role in Ridley Scott’s film Gladiator, who was accompanied another famous Roman Francesco Totti, captain of AS Roma.

Last month (9 May) a piece of the Colosseum fell off, but no one was hurt. The news would have come as a worrying development for Rome’s archaeological authorities, following the collapse of part of the structural complex of the Domus Aurea in March.

Hidden Londinium: What Will be the Next Big Find From Roman London?

Roman London is mostly intangible, hidden and largely forgotten. Today it’s buried under tons of concrete and glass in the shape of the City of London London’s financial district with its busy streets, packed offices and underground networks. It’s not surprising that getting a peak at the remains of the Roman city founded soon after 43 AD is not easy, but archaeologists have excavated several large areas, often when construction projects and post-war reconstruction have provided opportunities to open up the ground. However, areas remain that have yet to be studied by a professional archaeologist, so what Roman structures could still be lurking under London, waiting for their chance to see the light of day again?

It’s an interesting question that may be impossible to answer. Some parts of the City may never be excavated or at least not within our lifetimes. The pressures of space and investor money make the probability of an archaeological excavation at some sites quite low. But the next best thing to hard evidence is an educated guess so by comparing the landmarks typically found in a Roman town with those already known in Londinium, could we come up with some of the missing Roman structures?

A Typical Roman Town?

First of all what are the main landmarks and buildings usually found in Roman towns? There are several ‘stock’ features, such as the forum and the Decumanus, but it’s also worth noting there were different types of Roman towns. Some were ‘colonia’ often towns built to house retired legions and others were ‘civitates’ more like a provincial market town in the middle of a native community. It’s not clear which status was assigned to London possibly neither, as it grew mainly as a trading town with sea access.

Colonia in particular and sometimes civitates too were usually built on a grid plan with streets laid out at regular intersections. Some of the main features of these types of Roman towns included the main north-south and east-west roads, the Cardo (Cardus Maximus) and the Decumanus Maximus, respectively. Other major landmarks would include the forum, near to the intersection of the Decumanus and the Cardo, a marketplace, an amphitheatre (for combative-type sports shows) and a theatre (for drama and musical performances).

You could also expect a basilica (used as an official public meeting place much like a town hall, rather than a religious building), the public baths (there were often several of these in larger towns), an inn (called a mansio) for travellers, several temples dedicated to a variety of gods, as well as the residential insulae. Sewers, hypocausts (under-floor heating systems), the city walls and burial grounds are other features usually found in Roman towns.

Many of these features have already been identified in the excavations of Roman London. Public baths have been found at as many as five different sites. The Roman amphitheatre lies beneath the Guild Hall off Gresham Street, the forum and basilica is approximately at the area of today’s Leadenhall Market and a third century AD Mithraic temple was found on Walbrook in 1954 (it was later moved to Temple Court, off Queen Victoria Street).

Not Your Average Town…

But Londinium wasn’t an entirely typical Roman town and there were several differences between it and other colonia or ‘civitas’ in Britain. For a start, the streets of Londinium weren’t planned in a geometric grid system in fact they were completely irregular. Londinium also had a fort and a palace (near the north end of London Bridge), which were unique features not found in every Roman town.

The fort was built in 120 AD and was roughly in the area now occupied by the Barbican Estate. The area was known as Cripplegate from Medieval times until it was bombed during World War Two. The palace, on the other hand, is thought to have been built for the rogue-emperor Allectus at the end of the third century AD.

Londinium’s basilica, underneath Gracechurch Street, is said to have been the biggest basilica north of the Alps, which also suggests Roman London was exceptional in some way. Apparently it was built badly and hastily, only to fall out of use not long after it was built (hmm, does that sound familiar to anyone?).

Between Queen Victoria St and Poultry, in front of the Bank of England, stands the controversial building, No.1 Poultry. Its pink and cream stripes and sharp angles mark it out as one of London’s more eye-catching buildings, but one that’s been met with disapproval from critics and Londoners alike. However, it was also the site of a big excavation of Roman London. Archaeologists working at the site found part of the Decumanus, along with some stone residential buildings (one with a mosaic floor) and some timber shops.

Another excavation revealed a Roman amphitheatre underneath the Guild Hall, about 200m north of the Poultry site. The amphitheatre, made in stone, dates from around the second century AD and is one of the most important Roman structures to have been found in the city, although only one end of it has been excavated.

Scholars have also commented on the lack of Roman villas found near to the Roman city walls, even though there were many villas further away from Roman London, outside a radius of about 10 miles. This is a further indication that Londinium wasn’t your average Roman town. It may have had a special status. It certainly had some unique features and landmarks.

The question remains though with so much of the area of Roman London under concrete, what else could be left undiscovered?

The Discoveries of Tomorrow?

During the second century AD, Londinium’s population grew to between 45,000 and 60,000. Lugdunum in Gaul (modern-day Lyon) had a similar-sized population in the second century (it had 40-50,000) and, like Londinium, it was also a regional capital. While the two towns are situated in different geographical locations and have different climates, some comparisons can perhaps be drawn between the two.

For example, Lugdunum was served by four aqueducts. Of course, this doesn’t mean London also had four aqueducts for a start, London’s wet climate and the south of France’s long dry summers presented different requirements. The Romans did build aqueducts in Britain although not as many as were built in southern Europe, where there was a greater need for fresh water during the summers. The Romans in Londinium may have relied on wells and spring water but it’s possible that an aqueduct would also have been built.

Lugdunum also had its own mint, and it is certain that London also had a mint between 296 AD and 325 AD coins marked with L or LON would probably have been minted there. However, there is no mention of the location having yet been found.

Lugdunum also had several temples where Roman gods, as well as eastern gods and traditional Gallic gods were worshipped. While the remains of several Roman-era temples are known in London, it’s possible that others still lie undiscovered.

Another distinct possibility is that more Roman settlements will be discovered outside the Roman city walls. In 2003, Roman buildings were found during construction work at Shadwell, east London, which enabled archaeologists to rethink the history of Roman London. They previously believed that the Roman settlement extended no further east than the Tower of London.

Perhaps a Roman theatre could also reasonably be hoped for, as could further Roman homes or trading/industrial buildings. As for the rest it’s anyone’s guess what actually could lie beneath parts of the City. As London wasn’t a typical kind of town, it may well have several surprises for future excavators.

Watch the video below to see what HAS been found in Roman London.

HD Video: Londinium Tour (Part 1)

(Click here to read a transcript of this video)

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10 Ways to Experience Ancient Greece in London

The history of Athens and its many monuments is endlessly exciting for visitors and you don’t need to be in the city itself to get a taste of its glorious past. Wander around London, admire a few buildings, have a short visit to the British Museum and then finish your day with a trip to the cinema and you will feel like you’ve been to transported to ancient Greece. So here are 10 points of call for experiencing your very own “Athens day” in London.

1. Clay tablets With Linear B

Get to grips with the language of ancient Greece by discovering the clay tablets inscribed with Linear B. These clay tablets are inscribed with the earlist form of the Greek language (linear B).Tablets in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford describe the business and administrative side of palace life, and examples in the British Museum record the number of sheep at Phaistos. Interestingly, some of these tablets describe the offering of oil to deities. So that’s why we’re running out of the stuff!

The tablets were only a small part of archives found in the Palace of Knossos on Crete. The fire which destroyed Knossos baked the clay hard and this disaster preserved these tablets. This is probably one of the few time where people are actually pleased that there was a fire, as without all the heat the tablets probably wouldn’t have survived!

2: The Parthenon Metopes

Not only are these metopes in the British Museum carved with illustrations of a vicious fight between centaurs and lapiths but when we look at them we can see exactly what the ancient Greeks thought of their culture and how they wanted foreigners to view it. When we look at the eye-gouging and hair pulling we are meant to identify the human forms (lapiths) with the Greeks and the Centaurs with the enemies of the Greeks/barbarians, so of course in these sculptures the lapiths have to beat the centaurs!

3: The Caryatid from the Erectheion

This sculpture of a maiden is one of six which act as pillars supporting the roof of the Erectheion on the Acropolis (the others are now in the new Acropolis Museum in Athens). The caryatid wears a simple robe called a peplos and the robe follows the lines of her body so you can see that one of her legs is bent, almost as if she’s getting a bit tired of holding the weight of the roof!

4. Block from the west frieze of the Temple of Athena Nike on the Acropolis

Only fragments of the frieze which ran around the temple remain, and this fragment displays Greeks fighting Greeks. The story seems to be centred around a warrior in the centre who has fallen to the ground and is surrounded by his comrades fighting it out with spears and swords.

5. St Pancras’ New Church in London

St Pancras is one of the most famous Greek revival buildings. St Pancras was begun in 1819 and was built to imitate the Erectheion of the Acropolis in Athens. It even has caryatids like those of the Erectheion, although those of St Pancras are on the North and South of the building and guard the crypt of the church. It also has a propylon and portico in what is called the Ionic style.

6. Amphora Portraying Achilleus Killing Penthesilea (the Amazon Queen)

This vase is from about 540-530 BC and is in the black figure style. The black figure style is easy to remember as you just have to look at the vase and see if the figures portrayed are black and if they are then it’s most likely from the BF period. This vase shows these two warriors fighting: Achilleus is clearly the winner as his spear is stuck firmly in Penthesilea’s throat whilst hers is only grazing his chest! In later versions of the story Achilleus and Penthesilea were supposed to have fallen in love just before her moment of death and are sometimes portrayed gazing lovingly into each others eyes as he kills her. In fact, this scene is often described as one of the most erotic depictions of murder!

7. Stop for a Break Outside the British Museum

After all this artefact-spotting, you’ll probably want to sit down and take a break – Athens-style of course. London is full of Greek restaurants, but for real authenticity, you can’t beat the entrance to the British Museum.

Not only does the BM house one of the largest collections of ancient Greek antiquities outside of Greece itself but it is also built to remind visitors of the power, greatness and glory of ancient Greece. It’s an incredibly impressive building that only becomes more impressive when you set foot inside – the ceiling of the Weston Hall is covered with designs which are like those from classical Greek buildings.

At the south entrance the BM has columns and a pediment which emulates Classical Greek architecture. It’s the perfect place to grab a pic-nic snack and contemplate your next move.

8. Central Scene of East Frieze of the Parthenon

The caryatid seems to have the weight of the world on her shoulders!

This chunk of relief sculpture is from the East frieze of the Parthenon. At first glance, this scene looks a little odd because it seems to be dominated by people folding a cloth. So what’s so special about this material? The theory is that this cloth was Athena’s sacred robe. During the Panathenaic festival this special robe was carried through the streets of Athens on a custom-made cart, much like a modern-day parade.

9. Colossal Marble Head of Asklepios

This head is absolutely enormous and its worth seeing just so you can imagine how big the whole body must have been when it was all together. Asklepios was one of the ancient Greek gods and was associated with healing people and medicine. In fact, on some pharmacies nowadays you see a picture of what looks like a walking stick covered in snakes and this is the rod that Asklepios is often pictured carrying around.

10. Take in a Movie, or a Play

A trip to any theatre or cinema is a great way to experience ancient Greece. You only need to step inside, sit down and marvel at how the sound carries to every part of the room and how everyone (no matter where you’re sitting) can see the screen/stage.

The ancient Greeks built many amphitheatres to show their plays and some of them, like the one at Epidauros, are still in use. Nowadays, theatres and cinemas use the very same technology that the Greeks used to make sure that everyone can see and hear all of the action as it happens! With any luck, you might catch a re-run of Spartacus.

If you have any Athenian hotspots to add to our list, please add your suggestions in the comments below.

Videos from Leptis Magna: Rafa Vjajes visits the Roman Jewel of Libya

Following on from Herb Schmitz’s visit to the stunning Roman ruins of Leptis Magna (you can watch Heritage Key’s video interview with Herb on his visit to Libya here), one of the most prominent members of Heritage Key’s Flickr group has also recently visited the North African site and shot some videos of the various ruins. Rafa Vjajes is a Spanish photographer who often visits heritage and cultural sites around the world, and you can find many of his photographs in Heritage Key’s Flickr pool and see his stunning shot of the Roman Theatre at Sabratha which I featured as a Daily Flickr Find.

Leptis Magna is one of the most stunning archaeological sites from the Roman Empire, and many of the ancient remains are still in an excellent condition, having been preserved under sand for centuries. Heritage Key recently showcased a high resolution image provided by GeoEye of the site of Leptis Magna, where the true expanse of the Roman ruins can be seen from above. The area boasts many of the typical features of an ancient Roman city, many of which were captured by Rafa Vjajes on film.

The Amphitheatre of Leptis Magna

The Amphitheatre of Leptis Magna was one such structure which still remains intact today, and was constructed into the natural slope of soft sandstone, and in close proximity to the sea. With a capacity of 16,000 people, the amphitheatre would be host to gladiator battles against either one another or wild animals as well as public executions. It was a destination of entertainment for the citizens of Leptis Magna, and the architectural magnificence of the building is still evident in these well preserved remains of the amphitheatre.

Rafa Vjajes took video from inside the amphitheatre’s main arena itself which lies partially in ruin. Nevertheless, the condition of the structure is amazing considering the centuries it has survived and Rafa’s videos give a new insight to how the area would have looked in its day.

The Arch of Septimus Severus

There is also video footage of the road leading up to the Arch of Septimus Severus and the area surrounding it, showing the dominance of the structure. The Arch would have served as a monument which anybody approaching the city would have been able to see, and therefore required a dominating presence in its landscape. The arch was built to commemorate the “son of Leptis Magna” who went on to become Emperor Septimus Severus, and has now been partially restored by archaeologists. The arch was one of many monuments built to celebrate the return of the Emperor to his hometown in the 3rd Century BC.

The Hadrian Baths

Another key part of Roman Life revolved about the baths. The Hadrian Baths of Leptis Magna were constructed under the rule of Emperor Hadrian as part of his reconstruction programme. The main swimming pool of these Roman baths was located in an open courtyard, paved in marble and featuring a mosaic at the bottom of the pool. Despite the ruined state of many of the columns, it’s still easy to make out the pool and the general structure of the site.

You can follow Rafa Vjajes’ travels around the world through his Flickr photostream, which he regularly updates with hundreds of amazing photographs, or visit his personal website to see a portfolio of his work. You can also read more about Leptis Magna on Heritage Key, as well as being able to see stunning photography of the Roman ruins by Herb Schmitz and watch the video interview as Herb talks about his experience of visiting Libya.

Daily Flickr Finds: Rafa Vjajes’ Sabratha Roman Theatre

Located on the coast of north-west Libya, Sabratha was incorporated into the Roman Empire during the second and third century AD as a trading post, when it flourished as an outlet for wares being exported from Africa. The city, nearby to Leptis Magna, was most notable for a fantastic Roman theatre which was built during 175-200AD as part of the reconstruction of the city under Emperor Septimius Severus’s rule. The remains are some of the finest examples of Roman architecture today, as is captured in a beautiful panorama in Rafa Vjajes’ photograph.

The three storey structure had over 25 entrances and the seating, stage and backstage rooms are still present, making it the most intact Roman amphitheatre today. With the capacity to hold 5,000 people, and a stage backdrop of 25 metres, the theatre was constructed using 108 columns over 3 storeys.

Reconstructed in the 1930s by an Italian team of archaeologists, and then reopened by Mussolini to be used to hold plays, many of the original materials used in the construction have been replaced with new alternatives. Travertine marble has replaced much of the synnadic marble and white marble used in the original structure.

Read more about Sabratha here at Heritage Key, and be sure to look through Rafa Vjajes’s Photostream at Flickr!

Emperor’s Private Amphitheatre Discovered in Major Find at Portus, Rome’s ‘Other’ Harbour Town

Several major archaeological discoveries have been made at the site of one of Rome‘s ancient harbours. An oval amphitheatre, a 90m canal as well as many smaller objects (including marble statues) have emerged during excavations of Portus, the cargo port of ancient Rome, about two miles north of its better-known counterpart, Ostia Antica.

The team of archaeologists working at the site is led by the University of Southampton, who are working with Cambridge University, the Superintendency for the Archaeological Heritage of Ostia and the British School at Rome.

Amphitheatre Fit For an Emperor

The amphitheatre, which could have seated many hundreds of spectators, was found inside a big imperial palace complex. The site of Portus lies next to Fiumicino runway Rome’s international airport and is 20 miles outside Rome’s city centre. As with its famous neighbour Ostia, Portus is now an inland site, since the coastline has moved further out due to silt from the Tiber.

The site was also excavated in the 1860s by Rodolfo Lanciani, who uncovered half of the amphitheatre and mistook it for a theatre. The other half has come to light during the excavation by the Portus Project team.

‘Grossly Under Studied’

Professor Simon Keay, an expert in Roman archaeology at Southampton University and the British School at Rome and director of the Portus Project, told the BBC that the oval-shaped amphitheatre is similar in size to the pantheon and is at the eastern end of the imperial palace. He emphasised that it is very unusual to find a building of this architectural quality near to a harbour: “Its design, using luxurious materials and substantial colonnades, suggests it was used by a high status official, possibly even the emperor himself, and the activities that took place there were strictly private. He also believes that it may have been used for private performances inside the palace.

Professor Keay added: “The site has been known about since the 16th century but it has never been given the importance it deserves. It has been grossly under studied.”

Although Ostia is what we now think of as the ancient port of Rome in fact during much of the imperial period Portus was the principal harbour. Building work began on the hexagonal harbour of Portus during the first century AD during the reign of Claudius it was completed by Nero, and then enlarged by Trajan. It received most of the capital’s food supplies as well as imported materials such as marble and glass from Rome’s provinces. The ceramic containers found during excavations of the site provide evidence of the variety of trade that was done at Portus. It is ironic then that the smaller port of Ostia is far better known today.

Photos by the University of Southampton.

First Century Roman Amphitheatre Revealed at Tiberias by Sea of Galilee

Archaeologists in Israel have uncovered an amphitheatre in Tiberias, overlooking the sea of Galilee. It has taken 19 years of research and excavation work to enable the site to be made public by the team of experts, led by the late Professor Izhar Hirshfeld from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Yossi Stefanski.

The team now believes that the amphitheatre dates from the first century AD, which would mean it was built near the time when Tiberias was founded in 20 AD (by Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great, during the reign of Tiberius). According to Dr Wallid Atrash, an archaeologist from the Israel Antiquities Authority, the site would have been a central meeting point for the community of Tiberias and could have seated more than 7,000.

According to a report in Haaretz, the site will be named after Amir Drori, the first director of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

Photo by the Israel Antiquities Authority.