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Life-Size Hercules Statue Discovered In Ancient Italian Sewer System

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Kay Smythe News and Commentary Writer
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Italian authorities discovered an ancient, life-size marble statue of Hercules in a collapsed Roman sewer in late January.

The discovery was made during repairs to the sewer system under Rome, Italy. The statue appears to be from the imperial period, placing it from somewhere between 27 BC and 476 AD, according to the Guardian. It was located around the second mile marker along the historic Appian Way in Scott Park, one of the earlier strategic roads created by the Roman Empire.

“Today, after weeks of moving soil completely devoid of archaeological interest, Scott Park gave us a big surprise: a life-size marble statue that, due to the presence of the club and the lion’s coat covering its head,” the park wrote in a Facebook post, “We can certainly identify it as a figure of Hercules.”

The statue is being restored after potentially thousands of years under the ground, despite it being revealed in almost perfect condition, according to the Evening Standard. (RELATED: 1.2 Million-Year-Old Factory Found, Run By Mystery Human Species: Study)

Hercules is still believed to be little more than a Roman legend, described as the son of Jupiter and a woman called Alcmena, according to Ancient Origins. His legend described Hercules going through the “Twelve Labors,” a series of tasks that allowed him to gain immortality and cement his place amongst the Gods.