The ancient city of Rome became the heart of a sprawling empire that lasted for hundreds of years, and we're still unearthing ship-loads of Roman artifacts, mystifying treasures and even forts around 2,000 years later.
At Live Science, our expert writers and editors follow the work of historians and archeologists to bring you the most compelling discoveries and facts about the Romans. From their unusual superstitions to the rise and fall of the once-mighty empire, check out the latest news, features and articles about the Romans.
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'The Romans were probably never going to go away': In new 'Almost History' podcast, listen to how history might have played out if Carthage had defeated the Roman RepublicA new podcast from All About History magazine dives into an alternate reality of what may have happened during the famous battles between Carthage and Rome.
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How did the Romans build such straight roads?Life's Little Mysteries The Romans have a reputation for building straight roads — but how did they do it?
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Lavish Roman villa discovered outside Rome's walls may have been frequented by Hadrian and Marcus AureliusThe villa, which came to light because it was illegally excavated, was found in an area frequented two millennia ago by the emperors Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius.
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Roman bath clog: The world's oldest shower shoes were found at a fort along Hadrian's WallAstonishing Artifacts The Romans were the first to wear clog-style footwear to the baths to protect their feet from the hot floor and to better navigate slippery surfaces.
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Italian teenagers discover 1,800-year-old Roman luxury house underneath their high school gymAfter being notified by mischievous high school students, archaeologists uncovered a large and luxurious second-century Roman house near the Colosseum.
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The Romans and Vikings left few genetic traces of their occupations of Britain, research suggestsDespite their occupations of Britain, the Romans and Vikings didn't leave much of a genetic mark on Britons. The Anglo-Saxons, though, were a different story.
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Doctor's kit found on Mount Vesuvius victim in PompeiiA man who died in Pompeii during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79 was carrying a medical kit with him, new scans reveal.
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High-status Roman woman was buried in a lead coffin with jet hairpins and exotic resins, archaeologists findA burial of an elite Roman-era woman who appears to have been buried with exotic resins has been discovered in Colchester.
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Athena bowl: A silver and gold vessel of the goddess and her owl, buried in a German forest 2,000 years agoAstonishing Artifacts The ornately decorated metal bowl was found as part of a hoard containing dozens of pieces of ancient Roman tableware.
6 CommentsAstonishing Artifacts
