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Larderello, a hotspot of geothermal power.
Stabilimenti, Italy

Devil's Valley

Once an ancient Roman bath, now a hotbed of geothermal energy and a hub for energetic innovations.
The Roman gravestone mounted in the wall of the church.
Herrsching am Ammersee, Germany

Roman Gravestone

A carved grave marker from the 2nd century is mounted in the alcove wall of this Bavarian church.
Archaeologists have unearthed what are probably the only surviving examples of Roman-age boxing gear at Vindolanda, in northern England.
sports

Found: A Pair of Boxing Gloves From 2,000 Years Ago

The leather items are considered to be the only surviving examples from the Roman era.
Vittoria Traverso February 20, 2018
The Flavian Amphitheater
Pozzuoli, Italy

Flavian Amphitheater of Pozzuoli

Italy's third-largest Roman arena gives a peek into the underground operations beneath the ancient spectacles.
Left, the Trojan archer from the 5th-century BC Aphaia Temple in Greece, and right, a reconstruction of how it would have looked.
art

Rediscovering the Blazingly Bright Colors of Ancient Sculptures

And why most of us grew up believing classical sculpture is white.
Anika Burgess February 14, 2018
Someone about to roll some dice.
games

How the Design of Dice Evolved Over Time

2,000 years of dicey odds.
Christina Ayele Djossa February 6, 2018
The pillar of shame.
Zadar, Croatia

Pillar of Shame

Now harmless, this looming post struck fear into the heart of medieval troublemakers.
Talk about vintage.
objects of intrigue

You Can (Probably) Still Drink the World’s Oldest Bottle of Wine

But it won't taste good.
Anne Ewbank January 29, 2018
Minerva's shrine.
Chester, England

Minerva's Shrine

Western Europe's only representation of a Roman goddess still in its original location sits in an unassuming park.
A staircase excavated from the tuff leads to a depth of 120 feet (40 meters).
Naples, Italy

Naples Underground

A labyrinth of ancient tunnels hidden below the city holds the ruins of 2,500 years of history.
An original puzzle lock discovered in the Rhine River in Germany.
objects of intrigue

The Fashion and Mystery of Ancient Roman Puzzle Locks

Put something complicated, useful, and stylish on your finger.
Eric Grundhauser January 12, 2018
A fresco from Pompeii shows people playing something resembling a board game on a small table.
games

The Impossible Task of Reconstructing the Rules to an Ancient Board Game

How would you figure out Monopoly with no instructions and half the pieces missing?
Natasha Frost January 11, 2018
A close-up of lamprey meat.
Gastro Obscura

Lamprey

A prehistoric sea monster sucks blood, then gets cooked in its own.
Archaeologists examine a ballast pile near Naxos.
shipwrecks

Found: Roman Shipwrecks Off the Greek Island of Naxos

Amphoras and anchors at a popular stop on east-west trade routes.
Vittoria Traverso December 19, 2017
The ditch overlooks Pegwell Bay, a shallow inlet that may have been used as a landing site by Roman ships.
military history

Found: The Site Where Julius Caesar May Have Landed in Britain

Is this Rome's first beachhead in the Isles?
Vittoria Traverso November 29, 2017
The tauroctony in the Mithraeum at Santa Maria Capua Vetere.
cults

The Ancient Roman Cult That Continues to Vex Scholars

The Mithraic Mysteries worshipped a pagan god from subterranean temples buried throughout the empire.
Kerry Wolfe November 13, 2017
The sundial celebrating Marcus Novius Tubula's electoral victory.
sundials

Found: A Celebratory Roman Sundial, Two Millennia Old

A tribune of the people is still celebrating his electoral victory.
Natasha Frost November 8, 2017
Marmore Falls.
Marmore, Italy

Cascata delle Marmore (Marmore Falls)

Romans built the world's tallest artificial waterfall in 271 BC.