Two Roman Republic-era tombs were discovered during preventive archaeological excavations ahead of an urban planning program near Via Pietralata on the northeastern side of modern-day Rome, the Italian Culture Ministry announced on January 14.
One of the tombs contained a stone sarcophagus and three cremation urns, while the second contained a male skeleton, which, according to archaeologist Fabrizio Santi, supports the idea that the area was occupied by a wealthy family.
Alongside the two tombs, a shrine believed to be dedicated to the deified Greek hero Hercules, a prominent symbol of protection to the Romans who had been worshiped in the area, was also discovered.
A stretch of an ancient road and two large "monumental pools" further indicated to archaeologists that the shrine may have belonged to Hercules, according to the ministry's statement.
Two tombs discovered in Roman suburb
Santi noted that further scientific study is needed to properly understand the function of the pools, and that the two pools may have been connected to "ritual activities or, less likely, productive or water collection."
While the tombs and the shrine were found within the modern city's boundaries, they would have been situated outside the ancient walls of Rome, highlighting the "narrative of archaeological Rome as a sprawling city," according to Italian Special Superintendent Daniela Porro.
"Modern suburbs thus reveal themselves to be repositories of profound memories, yet to be explored," Porro went on, noting the importance of preventative archaeology in urban development as a tool to further knowledge and "appreciation of our heritage."