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drjeball.bsky.social
#Roman & conflict archaeologist; Freelance archaeological writer; Lecturer in Ancient History at Manchester Met University; Honorary Research Fellow & University Teacher at the University of Liverpool.
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A loaf of #Roman bread, carbonised in the AD79 eruption of Vesuvius - striking to think the person who made the dough that day had no idea of the disaster that would arrive before the loaf could be eaten #Archaeology #RomanArchaeology AncientBlueSky

For #MosaicMonday and #Easter Monday a lovely image of a #rabbit, a detail from a mosaic showing Orpheus surrounded by enchanted #animals. Found in Antioch, modern-day Antakya, #Turkey. Dating 4th c. AD. On display at Museum Kestner Hannover. 📷 me 🏺 #archaeology

Wishing a very Happy Birthday to the city of #Rome, traditionally said to have been founded on 21st April 753 BC.

Part of a beautiful #Roman geometric corridor mosaic at Paphos (Cyrpus) - always amazing to see these intricate artworks in their original setting #MosaicMonday #Archaeology AncientBlueSky

new research suggests the rebellion that led the decline and fall of the Roman Empire in Britain was due in large part to drought #measuresofweather www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

For #Easter, a #Roman metal brooch in the shape of a rabbit (or hare), with traces of its original enamel decoration still adding a splash of colour. Animal-themed jewellery was popular in the Roman world, especially brooches 🐇 AncientBlueSky #Archaeology #RomanArchaeology #HappyEaster

The amazing Roman pharos (lighthouse) at Dover, still standing after almost 2,000 years! The tallest surviving Roman structure in Britain and one of only three surviving lighthouses from the former Roman Empire. 1st-2nd century AD. 📷 by me #RomanSiteSaturday #Archaeology

A #Roman terracotta flask, decorated with an image of two gladiators mid-fight; it was potentially a piece of mass-produced merchandise made for fans of the arena games - just as with merch today, but just some 1700+ years ago #Archaeology #RomanArchaeology

The front of a #Roman brooch in the shape of a tortoise, still with traces of the enamel decoration which once covered its shell. Animal brooches were very popular in the Roman world - this is a very cute example! 🐢 AncientBlueSky #Archaeology #RomanArchaeology

A beautiful selection of colourful #Roman glass vessels, including bowls, flasks, & pots. all made 1700-2000 years ago - they have survived in remarkable condition! On display in the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Vienna) 🏺AncientBlueSky #Archaeology #RomanArchaeology #AncientGlass

A #Roman arnelian cameo, made some 2000 years ago, carved with the image of a fish (probably a red mullet, one of the most prized delicacies in #Rome) - was the original owner a fisherman, or did they just like eating them? (📷 MFA Boston) #Archaeology #RomanArchaeology AncientBlueSky

A beautiful #Roman necklace, made largely from gold twisted into a thick collar, with an emerald pendant at the front & a large clasp at the back shaped like a flower, stuffed with a garnet. It was made some 1700-1900 years ago, probably in Egypt (📷 Art Institute Chicago) AncientBlueSky #Archaeology

An almost-complete set of #Roman lorica segmentata armour, found on the battlefield of Kalkriese (Germany), the (probable) site of the AD 9 Varus Diaster. Analysis of the armour suggests that a soldier died while wearing it - one of 10000+ casualties of the battle #Archaeology AncientBlueSky

An #AncientGreek terracotta bowl, the inside of which is decorated with a pattern of bird heads & what I think are plants, maybe reeds? It is at least 2500 years old, & was probably made on one of the eastern Greek islands #Archaeology AncientBlueSky

#FindsFriday Larger than life size bronze head of Hadrian, once forming part of a statue from Roman London. It may have graced the forum, but was later hacked from the body and thrown into the Thames where it was found by workmen dredging the river in 1834. #RomanBritain #Londinium #RomanLondon

Some incredibly exciting #Roman conflict archaeology news here: what looks like a Roman-period battlefield burial - a really significant site, as we don't ever really find these even on excavated battlefields. It may be related to Domitian's Dacian War www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...

A #Roman gold necklace with small round beads made of emerald, carnelian, & banded onyx, with a larger garnet set in gold at its centre. It was made about 2000 years ago for a lucky original owner! (📷NY Met Museum) AncientBlueSky #Archaeology #RomanArchaeology

Talking all things Julius Caesar with some of my undergrad classes today, & a great pleasure to do so - sometimes I am amazed at the insights they draw, as well as loving how the ancient world helps them to understand wider historical themes. Keeps me challenging my #Roman history assumptions!

view into the #Roman city of #Pompeii, with Vesuvius providing a dramatic backdrop #RomanSiteSaturday #Archaeology #RomanArchaeology AncientBlueSky

With #Roman mosaics, sometimes the simple geometric patterns are just incredibly eye-catching, almost hypnotic #Archaeology #RomanArchaeology #Mosaics AncientBlueSky

It might be medieval rather than #Roman, but despite it being more recent than my usual material (at 1000-1200 years old) I'm utterly enchanted by this glass vessel decorated with an animal design running around it (although I'm not certain what animal it is supposed to be...) (📷 Corning Museum)

In honour of #NationalPuppyDay, a #Roman sculpture from #Pompeii of four little pups curled up together & sleeping peacefully - a lovely piece of ancient art, made more than 2000 years ago #Archaeology #RomanArchaeology AncientBlueSky 🏺

The Ribchester Roman cavalry sports or parade helmet (although some might argue they were perfectly suited for battle too…), part of a hoard probably buried beneath the floor of a barracks in the fort c.AD120 #RomanSiteSaturday British Museum. 1 of 2

A #Roman tile from Xantan (Germany), marked with some animal prints on the surface - from a cheeky creature who walked over the surface before it was properly dry, or an efficient way for the makers to work out if the clay was ready for firing..? #Archaeology #RomanArchaeology AncientBlueSky

Denmark have installed these traffic lights to celebrate their Viking connections, and we've never wanted to be Danish more.

An adorable #Roman toy horse on wheels, with a small hole in the nose for a string to pass through to pull the little guy along the floor. It has some painted detail including a blanket/saddle on its back; it is 1800-2000 years old - but looks just like a modern toy! 🐴 (📷BM) AncientBlueSky

A Hellenistic Greek/#Roman glass bowl, made of spiraling bands of blue, yellow, & clear glass, the pattern extending down to the bottom of the bowl. It was made about 2100-2200 years ago, & shows some great craftsmanship on the part of the maker #Archaeology #AncientGlass AncientBlueSky

The remains of a #Roman dish of eggs, found buried in the ruins of #Pompeii - it is quite moving to think that these were set out for a meal but never eaten, the eruption striking before they had the chance. Amazing to see something as delicate as egg shell managing to survive! AncientBlueSky

For the #IdesofMarch, here's one of the most famous coins to ever be minted: the silver denarius of M. Junius Brutus commemorating the assassination of Julius Caesar. It depicts two daggers, a slave's cap of freedom (pileus), and the inscription EID MAR. 🏺 #ancientbluesky 43-42 CE. #MetMuseum 📸 me

Once again loving this interpretation of Caesar’s last words #IdesofMarch 🗡️

A 1500-1800 year old #Roman red woolly sock, found in #Egypt - it has a split toe, one side for the big toe, the other side for the rest, so you could wear it with flip-flop type sandals (apparently socks with sandals was a thing in the ancient world..!) AncientBlueSky #Archaeology #RomanArchaeology

A #Roman glass bangle, made of an aqua-coloured glass with a striped band around the outside, found at the fort of #Vindolanda (Britain) - most bangles like this were broken in antiquity, so this example is a rare treat! AncientBlueSky #Archaeology #RomanArchaeology

A thermopolium (a #Roman fast food) in Herculaneum,still clearly showing the countertops into which vessels full of hot food would have been available for customers to purchase - I wonder what the speciality of this place was..? 🏺AncientBlueSky #RomanSiteSaturday #Archaeology #RomanArchaeology

A beautiful #Roman necklace, made of emerald beads with delicate gold links between them. Amazingly, it was made 1900-2000 years ago, in the early Imperial period, for a lucky original owner (📷 NY Met Museum) 🏺AncientBlueSky #Archaeology #RomanArchaeology

Late #Roman glass bowl, decorated with a beautiful & busy pattern of plants, flowers, insects & different species of birds (including a flamingo on the left 🦩), in a lovely Nilotic scene. It was made 1500-1700 years ago (📷 Corning Museum) AncientBlueSky #Archaeology #RomanArchaeology

A #Roman tombstone dedicated to Vivius Marcianus, a centurion in the Legio II Augusta, by his wife Januaria Martina. It gives no biographical information, but he is depicted as a full-length figure, holding a centurion's vine-staff in his right hand, & maybe a scroll in the left 🏺AncientBlueSky

It might not be #Roman, but for me this is one of the highlights of the NY Met Museum collection - a bowl standing on a lovely pair of human feet! It was made more than 5500 years ago, in predynastic Egypt AncientBlueSky #Archaeology