Adrian Murdoch demonstrates once again that the ‘shadow emperors’ are a major lacuna in my education:
Category: Emperors
Vespasian’s Birthplace Redux
The incipit of a recently-dated piece from AdnKronos which seems to be being picked up by some other papers:
An international team of archaeologists claims to have unearthed the 2000-year-old birthplace of the Roman emperor, Vespasian, north of the Italian capital. Vespasian ruled the Roman empire in the first century A.D. and was behind the construction of the Colosseum, one of Italy’s most popular landmarks.
Archeologists believe they have located his birthplace in the Falacrinae valley near the hill town of Cittareale, 130 km northeast of Rome.
“Ancient Roman historian Suetonius says Vespasian was born in the Falacrinae valley area. Field surveys and information from locals have told us tell us this must be Vespasian’s birthplace,” one of the project’s directors, British archaeologist Helen Patterson told Adnkronos International (AKI).
Vespasian was the ninth Roman emperor, who reigned from 69-79 AD. He was believed to come from humble beginnings and founded the short-lived Flavian dynasty after the civil wars that followed Nero’s death in 68 AD.
During recent excavations, the archaeologists uncovered sumptuous marble floors and mosaics at the site of the 3,000-4,000 square metre Villa of Falacrinae, Patterson said.
The team of 30-60 archaeologists recovered pots, numerous coins, ceramic and metal artefacts from the site which is 820 metres above sea level, overlooking the surrounding Falacrinae valley.
The archeologists are hoping to recover more items in fresh excavations in July and August, Patterson said. [etc.]
Not positive about this, but I see nothing new here compared to reports (about which I expressed some skepticism) last summer …
via Italy: Birthplace of Roman emperor ‘found’ in Lazio – Adnkronos Culture And Media.
Our previous coverage:
Bronze Head of Augustus Found in Aosta
Haven’t seen coverage of this in the English press (or a photo, alas) … bronze head, probably Augustus, some 15cm high:
Il patrimonio archeologico valdostano si arricchisce di una testa bronzea risalente all’epoca romana. Il reperto è stato trovato nel centro storico di Aosta, durante alcune indagini (scavi) in piazza Roncas.
Si tratta di un’applique in bronzo raffigurante una testa virile di imperatore, probabilmente Augusto, alta circa 15 centimetri, e costituisce un reperto di grande importanza per le ricerche archeologiche in quanto si tratta della prima raffigurazione di un imperatore trovata in Valle d’Aosta.
Per l’assessore regionale alla Cultura, Laurent Vierin, “questo ritrovamento è testimone dell’importanza che rivestono gli scavi archeologici quale primo passo per una corretta ‘restitution’del patrimonio culturale”. Aggiunge: “La tutela e la valorizzazione riescono a dialogare e a riconsegnare alla comunità parti fondamentali del proprio Dna storico quali sono i beni culturali. Questo pregevole rinvenimento conferma l’importanza del patrimonio nella conoscenza delle nostre radici storiche”.
Una volta eseguite le necessarie operazioni di pulitura e restauro la testa bronzea potrà essere ammirata nei musei valdostani.
- RITROVATA IN CENTRO AOSTA TESTA BRONZEA DELL’EPOCA ROMANA (ANSA Valle d’Aosta)
Podcast – BBC Great Lives, Series 20, Nero
Christopher Biggins champions the life of the Roman Emperor Nero, a man whose modest talent for poetry was overshadowed by his debauchery, extravagance and tyranny.
Available as a “listen again” thing for only a week …
rogueclassicism 