Relics of Ancient Rome

I am writing my critical book review about ancient Rome, so this week I decided to look into any recent archaeological finds linked to the empire. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there have been a number of important artifacts and cities unearthed.
The discovery I found most interesting is being referred to as the ‘Tomb of the Gladiator,' which is pictured above from the BBC website. The tomb was found in October of last year along the Via Flamina roadway in Italy, which runs northeast from Rome to the coast. Construction was underway when workers came across ancient marble columns. The tomb is that of general Marcus Nonius Macrinus, who served Emperor Marcus Aurelius when he reigned from 161CE-180CE. Marcus Macrinus is thought to be the inspiration for Russell Crowe’s character in the film Gladiator. However, the real Marcus Macrinus was not sold into slavery and therefore did not return to seek vengeance on Rome. Instead, Macrinus was Emperor Aurelius’s favorite general and helped him attain many great victories.

Much of the tomb is still hidden in thick mud from the nearby Tiber River, but it is the same mud that has kept the ancient artifacts so well preserved. A video of some great pictures of artifacts at the dig can be found here. Numerous inscriptions and decorations have been discovered at the tomb site, some of which have led to new information about Marcus Nonius Macrinus’ life. Archaeologists have yet to discover the sarcophagus, but a set of ten inscriptions were found on pieces of the tomb that provide knowledge such as where the general was from, and what roles he played in the empire at one time or another. Macrinus was from Brescia in northern Italy and served as a police commissioner, a magistrate, and most notably, a close confidant to the Emperor who wanted the general to fight against invading Germanic tribes.

Interestingly enough, a year earlier in August of 2008, a massive statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius was found on an archaeological site in Turkey in the ancient city of Sagalassos. Fabulous pictures of the sculpture can be found here. Pieces of the statue are being found in rooms of the city’s Roman baths, which archaeologists have been working to excavate for nearly twelve years. The largest room, the frigidarium, was a cold pool for the Romans to soak in after a bath, and it is thought to have hosted a gallery of statues and sculptures. The statue of Aurelius would have stood an enormous fifteen feet tall with a three foot high head. Researchers found a five foot long arm with a hand that is holding what is left of a globe. They also uncovered a set of massive legs, intact from the knee down, where the feet are decorated in what would have been considered army boots.

Each of these ancient finds serve a great purpose in helping researchers to piece together the past. The stories of both great men are now a little more complete, and there is no telling what more can be learned. If archaeologists find Marcus Nonius Macrinus’s sarcophagus, it would be a monumental find that could give people of today an even better look into the lives of ancient people. New artifacts are being discovered all the time which vividly remind us of the great empires and ancient people that we still have so much to learn about.

Sources:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7675633.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7580745.stm
http://www.sagalassos.be/saga/en/albums/marcus_aurelius