Roman Civilization

Tracing Treasures of Ancient Rome to a Village That Looted Its Own Heritage

Investigators say they have figured out how bronze statues from a shrine built 2,000 years ago in Asia Minor to venerate the emperors of Rome ended up in museums around the world.

Scrolls That Survived Vesuvius Divulge Their First Word

Experts hope that the techniques used to retrieve hidden text on delicate papyrus could lead to the recovery of lost classic works.

America Is an Empire in Decline. That Doesn’t Mean It Has to Fall.

The Roman Empire is both an illuminating precedent and a cautionary tale.

Nero’s Theater Believed to Be Found in Rome

A dig at a palace set to become a hotel has unearthed traces of a theater that archaeologists hypothesize was built by Nero, the emperor with a disputed reputation for tyranny and debauchery.

Scalpel, Forceps, Bone Drill: Modern Medicine in Ancient Rome

A 2,000-year-old collection of medical tools, recently unearthed in Hungary, offer insight into the practices of undaunted, much-maligned Roman doctors.