A team of Greek researchers unearthed unique jewelry, coins and other precious artifacts while excavating tombs near the ruins of the ancient city of Corinth. Experts estimate that the newly found objects date from the 4th to the 1st century AD.
Unique jewelry and coins unearthed near ancient Corinth
A team of scientists led by Elena Korka of the Greek Ministry discovered rare artifacts in eastern Corinthia, at the site of the ancient village of Tenea, during excavations at a burial site with two burial chambers. Characteristic rooms built when Greece was part of Rome. Empire, as Newsweek reports. The Greek Ministry of Culture announced in a statement that the Greco-Roman burials were most likely built during the Hellenistic period, after the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC, until the Battle of Corinth in 146 BC.
Archaeologists suggest that five of the better equipped tombs probably belonged to wealthy residents of ancient Corinth. The bodies were found along with elaborate gilded copper leaves, a gold ring, precious stones, and gold and copper coins from the surrounding area as Newsweek reported. Other items typical of the ritual burial of the dead include perfumes, gold artifacts, gold leaf, and beautifully crafted glassware and pottery.
Gilded copper leaves, a gold ring, precious stones and coins were found. (Photo: Greek Ministry of Antiquities)
Some graves are organized in circles
Furthermore, researchers also excavated from the excavation area many different graves. Interestingly, the 14 tombs are arranged in a circle – a common Roman tradition. These tombs yielded gold and silver coins, vases and lamps depicting the goddess Venus and the two cupids. “Roman builders also reused the limestone foundations of previous Greek structures to build mausoleums for wealthy Roman people,” says Elena Korka. Evidence of earlier Hellenistic tombs was also found in other areas of the excavation site, including a small statue of a dove.
Tenea excavation site in 2017. (Photo: Greek Ministry of Antiquities)
Greek culture conquered its Roman conquerors
Using the term “Greco-Roman,” historians describe the period of Greek history following the Roman victory over the Corinthians, at the Battle of Corinth (146 BC), until Emperor Constantine The Great Emperor accepted the city of Byzantium as this city. capital of the Byzantine Empire. Regardless, some Greek cities (such as Pergamon) managed to maintain partial independence and avoid taxes. Most importantly, however, the Greeks were able to maintain cultural autonomy from their Roman conquerors in the early days of the empire thanks to their rich civilization. Many temples and public buildings were built in Greece by emperors and wealthy Roman nobility, while this would become the longest period of peace in Greek history.
Items found include goldware, glassware and ceramics. (Photo: Greek Ministry of Antiquities)
Although some Roman nobles considered the Greeks petty and inferior, the majority of Romans embraced Greek literature and philosophy. The Greek language became the favorite language of educated and elite Roman citizens, such as Scipio Africanus, who tended to study philosophy and looked to Greek culture and science as an example. to follow.
Likewise, most Roman emperors admired things of a Greek nature. For example, Hadrian was known to have loved the Greeks and before becoming emperor he served as the eponymous archbishop of Athens, where he built the famous Arch of Hadrian.
Hadrian’s Arch, Athens. ( CC BY-SA 3.0 )
In particular, Corinth – which was partially destroyed by the Romans in 146 BC – was rebuilt in 44 BC as a Roman city under Julius Caesar. Roman Corinth was more prosperous than any other Greek city at the time and according to various historical accounts, it had up to 800,000 inhabitants in Paul’s time. It was the capital of Roman Greece, equally devoted to merchants and entertainment.
In general, one can say that life in Greece continued under the Roman Empire much as before (minus the civil wars). And although Greek city-states exhausted by hundreds of years of war (in most cases against each other) were conquered by Roman armies on the battlefield, Roman culture itself was conquered by the Greeks. conquered Greece, a fact best emphasized by Horace’s quote, “Graecia capta ferum victorem cepit” (roughly translated: Captive Greece has captured her rude conqueror).
