Work on Rome’s future Metro Line C has uncovered an ancient Roman barracks and mass grave 30 feet (nine meters) below street level.
Of course, having been inhabited continuously for some 2700 years, this probably isn’t any great shock; every time you kick over a rock, you find another lost piece of history. However, these finds are exceptional for a variety of reasons.
An exceptional find
As reported by Phys.org, the barracks date back to the second century (101-200 CE) and were the home of the Praetorian Guard—the elite group of men used as bodyguards for Roman generals in the Republican era and for emperors in the imperial era. Of course, they went far beyond the bounds of modern bodyguards, fighting in various wars, suppressing mutinies, and occasionally throwing coups and crowning emperors themselves.
Credit: AP
The barracks perhaps emphasized their higher status: 39 rooms, decorated with black and white floor mosaics and a frescoed wall, span 9,600 square feet (900 square meters) of barracks.
“It’s exceptional, not only for its good state of conservation but because it is part of a neighborhood which already included four barracks,” said Rossella Rea of the Culture Ministry, according to Phys.org. “And therefore, we can characterize this area as a military neighborhood.”
Besides the enormous barracks, they have also uncovered a mass grave. 13 adult skeletons have been uncovered so far, along with a bronze coin and bracelet.
Much like Boston’s infamous Big Dig, the construction of Rome’s Metro Line C has famously been slow to complete, having been beset by multiple issues like corruption probes, funding shortages, and discoveries like this barracks. The construction launched in 2007; the future station where the barracks were found is scheduled to open in 2020, and officials intend to incorporate the finds with it.
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Image credit: Alessandra Tarantino/AP
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