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Surprisingly, archaeologists have made an unexpected discovery of a seemingly “hidden empire” amidst an ancient Roman settlement in Spain.
The team originally set out in 2023 trying to find at least one settlement in the Sierra de Cádiz region of Spain, and were surprised to discover 57 Roman-era sites, which they called “unprecedented.”
The researchers believe the surprising discovery could be linked to ancient trade and communication routes in the region, and are now embarking on a second phase of research to unravel how the sites are linked. This is the first time such a wide-ranging analysis of Roman settlements in the region has been undertaken.
The 57 Roman sites were discovered in the central valley of the Guadalete River, with a focus on the areas around Arcos de la Frontera, Bornos, Villamartin and Puerto Serrano. These sites appear to have been connected by the Guadalete River in ancient times, leading experts to speculate that they were part of a hidden Roman Empire.
To discover the settlements, archaeologists used georadar technology, which is designed to detect hidden objects underground. The team believes the findings will shed new light on the Roman presence in the Guadalete Valley more than 2,000 years ago.
“The aim of the study was to understand the interaction between the settlements in the Bay of Cádiz and the Guadalete River basin during the Roman period, an aspect that has not been well understood so far,” the researchers explained in the report.
While it is known that the Romans settled near the Guadalete River after their conquest of Spain in 264 BC, the exact date of construction of these newly discovered structures remains uncertain.
In a statement, Lara, a professor of archaeology at the University of Cadiz, stressed the importance of the find, saying: “The data we have collected provide a solid archaeological information and documentation basis to continue research in this field in the coming years.”
“Our main goal is to continue excavation and surveying using non-traditional techniques and tools. We will also study the context of our findings and analyse the material we record, which will give us a comprehensive picture of the Roman settlement and the surrounding area around the Bornos and Arcos de la Frontera reservoirs,” she added.
Posts Archaeologists unearth ‘hidden empire’ at lost Roman settlement First appeared in Daily Star.
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