Archaeologists revealed in June the discovery of an ancient stone wall and earthworks used by Romans to corral the gladiator and revolt leader Spartacus and his followers.
The wall was hidden beneath leaves, coated in a layer of moss within the Dossone della Melia forest in Calabria, Italy, according to a press release from Archaeological Institute of America. It stretches for 1.6 miles, accompanied by a ditch typical of the Roman fossa and agger defense system.
Archaeologists believe the structure was built under the direction of Roman general Marcus Licinius Crassus to corral and contain Spartacus, the famed slave-turned-revolt leader. Numerous broken iron weapons such as sword handles, curved blades, javelin points and other metal debris suggest Spartacus attacked the wall in an attempt to free himself and his men.
Archaeologists identified a stone wall & earthwork extending over 2.7 km in the Dossone della Melia forest, Calabria, Italy. The wall,accompanied by a deep ditch, has been identified as part of structures built by the Roman general Marcus Licinius Crassus https://t.co/2xDVFKhDz2 pic.twitter.com/ghFPwzVgg5
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“We started studying weapons recovered along the wall, and the closest comparisons are with weapons from the late Republican period,” Italy’s Ministry of Culture archaeological superintendent Andrea Maria Gennaro told Live Science via email. “We believe we have identified the site of the clash.” (RELATED: Ancient Roman Ruins Uncovered Atop Even Bigger Historical Secret)
Spartacus and about 70 other enslaved gladiators made their way into the history books after escaping captivity in Capua and starting the Gladiator War (73 to 71 B.C.), the outlet noted. The rebels defeated the Romans over and over until Spartacus died at the Battle of Cantenna.
Ridley Scott’s ‘Gladiator II’ Trailer Drops, Exploding The Internethttps://t.co/QEdfDkB3B9
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“This barrier can be identified as the enclosure/fortification wall erected by [Roman general] Marcus Crassus in 71 B.C. to contain and trap Spartacus and his forces,” Gennaro said. “After trying to go to Sicily, Spartacus was not able to move along the coastal roads because of the presence of Romans, so the only way to go [to] the peninsula and escape was crossing [the] Aspromonte [mountain].” (RELATED: Residents Of Once-Lost Roman Estate Likely Watched Thousands Die In Ancient Cataclysm, Researchers Claim)
A local group of environmentalists tipped off University of Kentucky’s Dr. Paolo Visona to the wall’s existence. To me, this shows just how many secrets might be lurking beneath our feet, just waiting to reveal the truth of our past.
