Necropoli del tempio di Antonino Pio e Faustina, Ancient necropolis at Roman Forum, Italy
The necropolis of the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina is an ancient burial ground with forty-one graves located in front of the temple within the Roman Forum. The tombs sit directly beneath grass-covered ground and represent different periods of early Roman burial practice.
Archaeologist Giacomo Boni uncovered this burial ground in 1902 and found tombs dating from the 10th to 5th centuries BCE. The discovery showed that people lived and died at this location centuries before the temple was ever built.
The burial ground shows both cremation and inhumation practices, with grave goods and urns revealing how early Romans treated their dead. These remains tell us about the beliefs and daily life of people who lived on the site long before the temple was built.
The tombs are marked by grass-covered patches that outline their shapes near the southwest corner of the temple. Walking around the area requires comfortable shoes since the ground is uneven and exposed to the open air.
The grave goods show connections to eastern Italian cultures and suggest early contact with Sabine civilization mentioned in Roman legends. These artifacts help explain the complex relationships between different peoples who shaped the early Roman world.
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