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Where was Cleopatra buried? In this National Geographic documentary special, lawyer-turned-archaeologist Kathleen Martinez searches for Cleopatra’s lost tomb. After over 20 years of searching, her excavations now lead in an unexpected new direction, a submerged site miles offshore in the Mediterranean. She has enlisted Titanic discoverer Bob Ballard, the Egyptian Navy, and a team of archaeologists and divers to help her explore this mysterious location that may finally answer over a thousand year old secrets. Cleopatra's Final Secret (Full Episode) Documentary Special | National Geographic | 1:06:19 National Geographic | 26.5M subscribers | 717,495 views | September 24, 2026

Street names in the Middle Ages tended to be functional and descriptive. Across England, it's still common to find yourself on the likes of Tanners Lane, Brewer Street and Butcher Row, and not having to think too hard about which trades used to flourish on those. Likewise, it won't come as a shock that a Steep Hill promises your lungs and leg muscles a good workout. Ranked as the fourth steepest street in England, this cobbled beauty rises through the heart of Lincoln, which was one of Europe's wealthiest medieval cities, but is now a relatively unsung gem, two hours...

According to the message of Titus Calpurnius Siculus, a Roman poet from the 3rd century CE, in ancient Rome, in the arenas of amphitheatres, bears were supposed to appear hunting for seals. The writer specifically mentions here an event during the reign of Emperor Nero (54-68 CE). The author does not specifically mention a polar bear or a bear living in a cold climate. As we know, however, only polar bears hunt seals. If this was true, it would confirm how far the Roman merchants could reach or how far they cooperated. Finally, let us not forget that the Romans...

We all have that one mysterious object in our kitchen drawer that we’ve kept because it looks “important.” You don’t really know what it attaches to or what it does exactly, and, of course, nobody in the house remembers buying it. But throwing it away feels like a decision you’ll somehow regret, so it just continues to sit in the drawer, eminating mystery. This is basically the same feeling archeologists and historians have when looking at the Roman dodecahedron. It’s a little metal object from Ancient Rome, and it’s so simple with so many deliberate features that you expect an...

Why did the world's most powerful empire almost never use archers in battle? The Romans had access to bows. They trained archers. Yet they refused to make them central to their military strategy -- even as enemies surrounded them with arrows. It wasn't ignorance or cowardice. It was a deliberate choice rooted in Roman military philosophy, engineering, and culture. The Romans built their empire on heavy infantry, disciplined formations, and controlled violence. Archers -- with their unpredictability, distance, and dependence on open terrain -- threatened everything Rome's military system was designed to achieve. In this video, we uncover why the...

The Romans may have loved their pets just as much as we do, yet with no internet on which to upload photos of their furry companions, the ancients had to make do with mosaic portraits of their beloved animals laid into their villa floors. An extraordinary example of one such pet-themed artwork has recently been discovered in what was an affluent household in Adramytteion, located beneath the modern settlement of Ören in Türkiye. Dated to the late second or early third century CE, the Roman-era residence consists of three mosaic-paved halls set around a central atrium. Within the north hall...

Solomon’s Stables is an underground structure located beneath the southeastern corner of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Despite its traditional name, there is no historical or archaeological evidence linking it directly to King Solomon (reigned circa 970–931 BCE). The name originates from medieval Crusader traditions, as they believed the vast underground halls were once used to house the horses of King Solomon. The structure consists of a series of vaulted halls supported by massive stone pillars, showcasing a sophisticated architectural style that dates back to the Herodian period (circa 37 BCE–70 CE). The stables were historically part of the Temple...

Three Unfinished Roman Megaprojects | 12:20 toldinstone | 648K subscribers | 13,841 views | September 12, 2026

Trajan's Baths in Oppian Hill will host a new museum where visitors to Rome can admire the Great Mosaic and the Painted City, two massive ancient artworks buried near the Colosseum that are estimated to date from the 1st century... The "Painted City" fresco and "Great Mosaic" were discovered in an underground gallery during excavations in the 1990s of the Baths of Trajan on the Oppian Hill near the Colosseum. After being hidden underground for centuries, its blues and terracotta colors are still clear but faded... The Painted City is a ten-square-metre fresco belonging to a building that predates Trajan's...

Rome authorities have tightened security around the Colosseum and other popular tourist attractions in the Italian capital due to a rise in crime. In late August, the area around the ancient amphitheater was officially declared a "red zone" - an increase in the presence of law enforcement officers and their powers were expanded. The special regime will be in effect until at least December 24, 2026, write CNN. The reason for the increased security was, in particular, a series of incidents in the Colosseum area. In July, about 50 young people attacked police officers using fireworks, as a result of...

The ancient city of Sidyma, now on the Lycian Way, is ringed by an impressive Roman necropolis. Scenic Routes to the Past explores a collection of ancient Roman temple tombs, mausoleums, and sarcophagi scattered through fields near the ruins of Sidyma. Discover the architectural details of these historical burial sites, featuring intricate ceiling carvings, decorative stone motifs, and the remnants of grand structures set against the landscape of the Lycian Mountains. The Tombs of Sidyma | 6:48 Scenic Routes to the Past | 62K subscribers | 9,159 views | September 4, 2026

The earliest confirmed archaeological layers at Andriake date to the 3rd century BCE, though many researchers believe the harbor served Myra as early as the Classical period. The synagogue is currently dated to the 5th–6th century CE based on inscriptions and architectural context; further publication of the excavation is ongoing. This documentary follows current archaeological interpretations and distinguishes established evidence from open academic questions. Andriake: Lost Roman Harbor Almost Untouched for 2,000 Years | 21:47 Rumiseus | Lost Civilizations | 1.44K subscribers | 31,173 views | August 29, 2026

Marketed as a Neolithic and Roman find, the site was in fact assembled with concrete and grouted stone blocks. A man in northern Italy has been sent to prison after Italy's highest court gave final confirmation to his conviction for illegally constructing a fake ancient theater and presenting it to the public as a genuine archaeological site, charging visitors an entrance fee of up to 40 euros. The structure still stands in Arcugnano, in the province of Vicenza. It consists of tiered stone seating built from stacked stones that were worked to look ancient. The columns are fake too, made...

In the second century A.D., Roman emperor Hadrian commissioned a temple dedicated to the gods. To this day, the Pantheon still possesses the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world. How do these ancient Roman concrete structures withstand the test of time? Well, superior engineering for one. For example, skilled artisans used lighter aggregates higher in the Pantheon's dome. Roman seawalls owe their extreme longevity in part to their “self-healing” capacity. Exposure to seawater facilitated the continued growth of crystalline structures in the concrete. Researchers have also focused on volcanic ash as a secret to the durability of Roman concrete...

A Roman cavalry mask. Found on the remote Baltic island of Gotland. Altered centuries later, with its right eye deliberately removed and buried beneath a longhouse -- possibly echoing Odin's sacrifice of his eye for knowledge. But why was a Roman object, made hundreds of miles away, being ritually transformed in Scandinavia? And what does it have to do with Sutton Hoo, Anglo-Saxon England, Viking helmets and the strange movement of Roman culture across Europe? The Hellvi Mask may be one of the missing links between Rome, Scandinavia and the warrior culture of early medieval Britain. A Roman Mask BURIED...

This video explores some of the Byzantine ruins hidden beneath the streets of modern Istanbul. I'd like to thank the management of the Ring Stone Hotel and Alp Watmough for making my filming possible. YT Summary: toldinstone explores the architectural palimpsest of Sultan Ahmed, tracing remnants of the Great Palace of the Byzantine emperors hidden within modern structures. From repurposed cisterns and sarcophagi to surviving ramp towers, the narrative uncovers how historical layers continue to shape the fabric of daily life in contemporary Istanbul. Istanbul's Hidden Byzantine Ruins | 9:34 toldinstone | 645K subscribers | 19,389 views | August 15,...

Scorching summer heat and prolonged drought have dramatically lowered the Tiber River in central Rome, revealing the long-submerged stone remains of a nearly 2,000-year-old bridge once known as Nero’s Bridge. According to a report from CNN, the rare sight has drawn locals and tourists to the riverbanks for a fleeting glimpse of the ancient structure that normally lies completely underwater. The Tiber’s flow, fed by tributaries from the northern Apennine Mountains, has dropped below 80 cubic meters per second—roughly half the seasonal average—according to Rome’s civil protection coordinator Giovanni Giganti.

A Roman-era shipwreck has been found off Mazara del Vallo, along with hundreds of amphorae on the seabed. Culture Minister Giuli has hailed the discovery as "extraordinary"... A Roman-era shipwreck, probably dating from between the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, has been located around three miles off the coast of Mazara del Vallo, at a depth of 46 metres. On the seabed, the Italian Ministry of Culture reports, there are hundreds of amphorae, mostly of the Dressel 1A type, two lead anchor stocks and another structure made of the same material. The discovery was made during a joint inspection carried...

Xanthos, the ancient center of Lycia, boasts the longest extant Lycian inscription, an array of pillar tombs, and a Roman theater adapted for bullfighting in late antiquity. The Mysterious Tombs of Xanthos | 8:44 Scenic Routes to the Past | 61.4K subscribers | 16,252 views | July 17, 2026 Chapters 0:00 Introduction 0:42 Theater 2:03 Harpy Tomb 3:03 Lycian Acropolis 4:22 Inscribed Pillar 5:33 Roman Agora 6:13 Nereid Monument 6:55 Decumanus Maximus 7:56 East Basilica

Born during the Roman Empire's consolidation, Titus Flavius Domitianus was the youngest son of Emperor Vespasian and brother to Titus. As The People Profiles explores, their career included notable military campaigns and a dramatic rise to power during the turbulent Year of the Four Emperors. Emperor Domitian - Rome's Tragic Tyrant Documentary | 55:45 The People Profiles | 1.66M subscribers | 185,137 views | April 10, 2024