From the real gate to hell to new things you didn't know about gladiators, here are 8 mysterious
discoveries from Ancient Rome.
8.
The Gates to Hell
In the ancient city of Hierapolis, stories of animals being led through the Gates of
Hell instilled fear in the hearts of many Romans and gave the city an infamous status.
However, the truth about the site in the fabled city is actually more fact than fiction.
The very land was formed from the calcium-rich water which bubbled up to form its chalky
foundation.
Founded as a thermal spa in the 2nd century BC, Hierapolis became well-known for its hot
springs, as well as a center for worshiping Pluto called Ploutonion.
With people flocking to the city for its restorative nature, legend of its healing powers spread.
Adding to the mythology, priests often sacrificed bulls at the mouth of the cavern of Ploutonion,
claiming the animals were killed by the power of the gods.
Since the people couldn’t really see it, who was to say otherwise.
No one was going to question the Gods, or the priests.
A report from a Greek scholar named Strabo contributed to its legendary status.
After visiting the temple in the first century BC, he described Ploutonion as being “full
of a vapor so misty and dense that one can scarcely see the ground”.
He also stated that “any animal that passes inside meets instant death”, which only
made the temple even more infamous and scary.
Although this made early settlers believe the god of death was responsible, there is
a more mundane reason explaining why animals kept dying.
Archaeologists discovered natural gas deposits when excavating the hot springs in 2018.
By tracing these seams to the ruins of Ploutonion, the noxious gases underground were found to
be the culprit.
7.
The Exploded Skulls of Pompeii
When Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, it caused complete devastation on the surrounding area.
The roofs of local buildings collapsed from the build-up of stone deposits expelled from
the volcano.
Residents in the path of explosive fire and volcanic ash was overwhelmed by intense clouds
of heat.
Over time, iconic representations of the destructive power of the eruption have been portrayed
by fiberglass casts of the bodies where they fell.
But the injuries to the people of Herculaneum is even more violent than once expected.
For two days, residents of Pompeii and Herculaneum suffocated from the intense ash avalanches,
but recent research points to the effects of the intense heat on the bodily fluids of
those in the volcano’s destructive path.
Although some of the residents of Herculaneum were sheltered in nearby boat houses, not
everyone was as lucky.
Those out in the open, stranded on local beaches, were at the mercy of the extreme heat.
In the 1980’s, new excavations of a dozen waterfront chambers in Herculaneum revealed
the remains of over 140 victims.
Investigators did extensive tests on the remains and found that the victims did not necessarily
die from inhaling noxious gases and ash but from the intense heat of the eruption itself.
Red and black residue encrusted on the bones, which were also fractured in places, were
tell-tale signs that the high heat caused the tissue of the victims to vaporize and
their bones to crack and explode.
With clear fractures in skull bones recovered, which researchers say are similar to those
found in cremated bones, one cannot ignore the extraordinary find that makes one of the
world’s worst natural disasters that much more gruesome.
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6.
Shackled Skeletons in France
In 2014, a group from the French National Institute of Preventive Archaeological Research
unearthed a mass grave.
Contained within the sprawling necropolis, researchers understandably found a number
of skeletons, including some double burials, parents and juveniles, and a child buried
with a number of vases.
However, the most peculiar find was that of three skeletons with shackles affixed around
their necks.
Located in a grave just west of a large amphitheater in the French city of Saintes, the bodies
had large iron shackles which were ‘hot-riveted’, meaning there was no way to remove them other
than to heat the iron with the heat of a furnace.
Another adult skeleton was found to have what explorers called a “bondage collar”.
Since the amphitheater was built as a way for the emperor, Claudius, to watch gladiator
fights, it is easy to imagine that the remains were those of men made to fight to the death
for the entertainment of the masses.
However, with the discovery of a small child who had a smaller constraint on its wrist,
one can only speculate.
The fact that there were no belongings or goods found among the skeletons suggests those
unfortunate souls buried there were slaves or at the very least of a lower social status.
Either way, this discovery points to a dangerous time in history when one’s survival was
uncertain.
5.
Decapitated Roman Cemetery in London
Finding old bones is not uncommon when large cities undertake new building projects.
But when the city of London, England started an excavation project to build their new rail
system, workers unearthed an ancient Roman cemetery.
But it is the condition of the bodies that proved to be the biggest mystery.
Of the 52 bodies uncovered when an area in Suffolk, England was excavated for a new housing
development, only 17 of the bodies were placed in the usual position on their backs.
The remaining bodies had been decapitated.
To make the discovery even more strange, the heads of the unfortunate victims were either
placed between their legs or their feet.
This was not the first time traces of the Roman settlement were found in the area.
In 1964, archaeologists uncovered Roman pottery, coins and other burials.
However, furthering the mystery, the majority of the bodies had been buried face-down, with
four of the decapitated skulls placed next to skeletons that they did not belong to.
Although Roman settlements are a common find when unearthing lands throughout England,
this discovery provides striking evidence that a possible cult or pagan belief system
was the reason for such strange burial practices.
4.
Ancient Roman Barracks
Similar to the discovery made in London, an excavation in Rome led to the discovery of
bones when the city was making way for its Metro train line.
The commuters having to deal with all the traffic in Rome were not amused.
When I was there, the guide told us that whenever they try to build anything new or improve
the city for the future, they find the past and everything has to stop so its as if the
people of the past were still there, interfering with everyone’s life!
Unless of course, you are an archaeologist or historian, then I imagine you are in paradise!
Beneath the surface, a treasure was awaiting workers when they uncovered an ancient barracks
that once housed the Praetorian Guard, private military bodyguards used to protect Roman
Emperors.
Located near the Colosseum, the complex was found to include 39 rooms with elaborate Mosaic
floors.
Bronze coins and bracelets, as well as human bones, were also unearthed during the excavation.
Rather than simply remove the artifacts for preservation, the city planned to create an
“archaeological station” to show off their finds.
That’s a great way of integrating the past, so people can enjoy it while using public
transport, don’t you think?
3.
The Existence of Female Gladiators
While most historical films are known for depicting Roman gladiators as fierce, male
warriors, recent discoveries are evidence that female gladiators once battled as well.
In a sculpture from Halicarnassus, an ancient Greek city, two female gladiators, Amazon
and Akhillia are shown.
Depicted with shields, swords, and other armory to protect their arms, the scene also shows
that the breasts of one of the figures was not covered.
Another discovery by a team from the Museum of London lends further evidence to the fact
the female gladiators did exist.
In a grave uncovered in 1996, the cremated remains of a woman were discovered in the
village of Southwark.
The skeleton’s pelvic bone was in the tell-tale shape of a female’s.
A bronze statue at the Hamburg museum bears a striking resemblance to the Halicarnassus
sculpture, with its clothing and curved sword, are further evidence that female gladiators
are not simply the stuff of myths.
2.
Skeletons Holding Hands
Although the discovery of human remains is often difficult for archaeologists, one particular
discovery in northern Italy offered a tiny glimpse at a potential love story.
Discovered in Modena in 2011, a couple was found in an 11-tomb necropolis.
Although they were poorly preserved, the male and female skeletons were holding hands, with
the female’s head turned to gaze at her male companion.
The female was also found to be wearing a bronze ring, lending further fuel to the belief
that they were a couple.
Because the tomb in which they were found was quite simple, it is believed they were
not particularly rich.
However, anthropologists conducted further research to determine their ages and the possible
causes of their deaths.
A find such as this is extremely unique, but three years earlier, another couple was found
in a similar position in a site near Mantua.
The Italian village is located just south of Verona, where Shakespeare’s iconic story
Romeo and Juliet, was set.
The couple was positioned in a similar way, locked in an embrace and holding hands, showing
that even after leaving this earth, the love of a couple can last long after they are gone.
1.
The Roman Dodecahedrons
A number of bronze objects called the dodecahedron have been found in lands of the former Roman
Empire.
The 12-sided geometric object was usually made from bronze, with a few rare items made
from stone have also been found.
Each flat side of the object also had a circular hole in the middle and each point is embellished
with a small knob.
Over 100 of these objects, which range from 4 cm to 11 cm, have been found throughout
Europe, with some discovered in France and Germany.
Because there have been no reports of what the objects were used for, archaeologists
remain puzzled, leading to a number of theories about the dodecahedrons.
Fortune tellers, measuring devices, and even flower or candle holders are just a few ideas.
However, because so many of the objects have been found in burial sites, experts believe
the items are actually religious artifacts.
Whatever they were created for, the intricately designed items are yet another puzzling discovery
of the ancient Roman world.
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