Ancient Roman city found off Libyan coast
December 7th, 2009 - 1:18 am ICT by IANSRome, Dec 6 (IANS/AKI) Italian archaeologists have discovered the remains of an ancient Roman city submerged off the coast of Libya.
The remains of the city date back to the 2nd century A.D. and were found by archaeologists and experts from Sicily and the University Suor Orsola Benincasa of Naples, involved in the ArCoLibia archaeology project.
The discovery took place on the Cape of Ras Eteen on the western side of Libya’s Gulf of Bumbah, as archaeologists were searching the area for shipwrecks and the remains of ancient ports.
Archaeologists instead found walls, streets, and the remains of buildings and ancient tombs. After a careful analysis, the experts realised the area extended for over a hectare.
Experts also said that the city could have been destroyed by a strong tsunami after an earthquake which struck the eastern coastal region of Cyrenaica in 365 A.D.
According to a statement released by Sicilian authorities, the city flourished through the manufacture of imperial dye, a purple pigment used to colour the clothing of the Roman elite.
The dye was very expensive in Roman times.
–IANS/AKI
rd/rn
- 2,000-year-old ship found near Rome - Apr 30, 2011
- Another building collapses at ancient Pompeii - Dec 01, 2010
- Man held in Italy for beating wife for removing veil - Aug 17, 2012
- 100 works of renaissance artist Caravaggio found - Jul 07, 2012
- Skull of Mona Lisa model found? - May 28, 2011
- Fugitive Italian mafia leader arrested - May 04, 2012
- Did Libya witness biggest theft in archaeological history? - Oct 31, 2011
- Nearly 50 mafia men held in Italy - Jun 07, 2012
- Manchester City's Balotelli saw a table of cocaine - Nov 09, 2011
- Italy may deploy troops to fight mafia - Apr 29, 2010
- Most of Pompeii site at risk of collapse - Nov 10, 2010
- 16 Italian judges held in anti-mafia operation - Mar 20, 2012
- Police move to crush mafia in Italy - Jul 13, 2010
- Facebook helps save woman from sex-slavery in Italy - Nov 10, 2010
- Militants whip drunk Malians 80 times - Jul 11, 2012
Tags: ancient roman city, ancient tombs, archaeology project, benincasa, careful analysis, cyrenaica, dye, earthquake, eastern coastal region, italian archaeologists, libya, libyan coast, naples, ports, purple pigment, rn, roman times, rome, shipwrecks, sicily