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.
Discover more about Romans
—The Roman Empire: Rulers, expansion and fall
—7 Roman inventions: Incredible feats of ancient technology
—Could you stomach the horrors of 'halftime' in Ancient Rome?
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Poop-encrusted chamber pots from the Roman Empire reveal oldest known human cases of Crypto parasiteChamber pots from the frontier of the Roman Empire have provided the world's earliest evidence of humans infected with the Cryptosporidium parasite.
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1,900-year-old souvenir cup featuring Hadrian's Wall and Roman forts discovered in SpainArchaeologists think a broken bronze cup found in Spain was made for a soldier as a memento of his time stationed at Hadrian's Wall in England.
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Altar to Sol: A rare 1,900-year-old monument dedicated to the Roman god of light and used in a secret underground ritualAstonishing Artifacts This unique carved altar represents the triumph of light over darkness in ancient Roman religion.
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Roman mosaic shows topless woman battling leopard in arena, study findsA third-century mosaic shows a topless woman battling a leopard in a Roman arena.
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1,800-year-old nails discovered in 3 burials in Roman necropolis, possibly to 'protect' both the living and the deadArchaeologists excavating in Rome's Ostiense necropolis found three skeletons with iron nails on their chests, hinting at a ritual to prevent restless spirits.
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Equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius: The only surviving larger-than-life-size statue of a pagan Roman emperor — a rarity that Michelangelo refurbishedAstonishing Artifacts The giant, one-of-a-kind statue of a Roman emperor on horseback depicts him addressing his troops.
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Roman military fort discovered in Scotland far north of Hadrian's WallThe newly found fortlet was a good lookout point for Roman soldiers stationed along the Antonine Wall in Scotland.
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Babies weren't supposed to be mourned in the Roman Empire. These rare liquid-gypsum burials prove otherwise.Despite historical records saying otherwise, Roman babies were mourned at death, research into unique plaster burials from York reveals.
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A coffin holding a dead 'princess' fell from an eroded cliff over 100 years ago — archaeologists just solved a major mystery about herDendrochronological analysis of a mysterious log coffin that tumbled from a cliff a century ago reveals clues to life in Roman-era Poland.
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