2,400-year-old Hercules shrine and elite tombs found outside Rome's ancient walls

Archaeologists uncovered two chamber tombs and a probable shrine to Hercules near Via Pietralata, outside Rome's ancient walls, along with an ancient road and large stone basins. Bronze coins found at the site indicate use from the 5th–4th centuries B.C. through the first century A.D., officials reported.

Archaeologists have unearthed two chamber tombs and a nearby shrine likely dedicated to Hercules in the Via Pietralata area northeast of modern Rome. The site lies outside the ancient Roman walls but is now part of the city's suburbs. Excavations of the shrine began in 2022 after earlier signs of occupation were found in the 1990s. Officials report the project has also exposed an ancient roadway and two large stone basins that may relate to ritual activity. Key findings: - The burial complex includes two elite chamber tombs dated to the Roman Republic period, more than 2,400 years ago. - One tomb contains a stone sarcophagus and three cremation urns; the other holds an adult male skeleton. - A small cult building (a sacellum) nearby is thought to have been devoted to Hercules; the shrine once had a central statue that is now missing. - Bronze coins recovered at the site indicate use of the shrine between the 5th–4th centuries B.C. and the first century A.D., according to the archaeological team. - Some media reports have mentioned six bronze figurines of Hercules, but statements from the Italian Ministry of Culture do not list such finds. - Two monumental stone basins were built later; the largest is reported as about 28 meters long, 10 meters wide and 2.1 meters deep, while the smaller basin is somewhat shorter and nearly twice as deep. Researchers said these features could be linked to ritual use or, less likely, practical water collection. Summary: The finds add detail to the early suburban landscape of Rome and point to both ritual activity and elite burial near the city's edge. Officials say further scientific study and contextual analysis are planned to clarify the site's role in the ancient landscape.