Fresh tombs of one of Rome's most implacable foes have been discovered in Italy's mountainous Abruzzo region. Some of the tombs have been dated to the Second Century BC, when Rome was still trying to subdue the warlike peoples that lived in the region.
Others date as far back as the 8th century BC, before Rome was founded.
A particularly interesting find was a 2nd-Century BC chamber tomb containing terracotta ware, jewelry and a dagger.
"It's fascinating to see how these people used to leave the dead with the objects they used in life: lances and swords for warriors and weaving and household tools for the women," said Abruzzo culture chief Elisabetta Mura. Abruzzo archaeological official Vincenzo D'Ercole said the new tombs had been located thanks to aerial photographs provided by the Italian Air Force.
"We've known about the tomb site for some time. It's huge - some 2,000 square metres. So we asked the Air Force to give us a hand in spotting tombs". Roman legions were continually harried by warriors sweeping down from the Abruzzo hills.
Eventually Rome had to come to an agreement with the tribes, giving up their ambitions of conquest.
