Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2018 13:01:49 GMT
A rich Roman nobleman's face has been recreated 2,000 years after he died in a British fortress - and scientists say he looked like a cross between Richard Burton and Sylvester Stallone.
Archaeologists believed the mystery Roman may have been wealthy and had possibly retired from the Army when he died aged about 40.
The skeleton in a stone coffin was unearthed near Newport, South Wales, not far from the Roman fortress at Caerleon.
Archaeologists believed the mystery Roman may have been wealthy and had possibly retired from the Army when he died aged about 40.
The skeleton in a stone coffin was unearthed near Newport, South Wales, not far from the Roman fortress at Caerleon.
Experts used the same technology as police to discover how the face belonging to a murder victim's skull would look.
'We have a lot of wonderful objects in our collection but people are really interested in other people.
'I think it's because of the human connection.
'I think it's because of the human connection.
Scientists carried out isotype analysis on the enamel of one of the skeleton's teeth.
That revealed the man in the coffin had spent his childhood years, between the age of five and eight, lived in Wales.
Curatorial officer Dr Mark Lewis said the man was living at a time when the Caerleon Roman fortress was at its height - having been established for 125 years.
It would have been supplying the legion, serving up to 6,000 soldiers.
Dr Lewis said: 'The fact that the man had been buried rather than cremated as most of the people were at that time was a clue to the fact he was probably well off,' he said.
'What we can learn from the latest evidence is that he may have been a very wealthy merchant who may have been supplying the fortress.
'He may have been high up in the administration of the fortress.
'He may have even served in the army and come home to Wales for retirement.'
'There is something in our natural make-up that allows us to connect to other human beings.'
Staff at the museum are now carrying out DNA tests on the skeleton to discover more about the mystery Roman citizen.
Visitor Michelle Leyton, 24, said: 'It is amazing to think this man was living 2,000 years ago - and that he looks a bit like a cross between Richard Burton and Sylvester Stallone.
'Richard Burton played a Roman in Anthony and Cleopatra - and of course Stallone has the Italian blood.'
That revealed the man in the coffin had spent his childhood years, between the age of five and eight, lived in Wales.
Curatorial officer Dr Mark Lewis said the man was living at a time when the Caerleon Roman fortress was at its height - having been established for 125 years.
It would have been supplying the legion, serving up to 6,000 soldiers.
Dr Lewis said: 'The fact that the man had been buried rather than cremated as most of the people were at that time was a clue to the fact he was probably well off,' he said.
'What we can learn from the latest evidence is that he may have been a very wealthy merchant who may have been supplying the fortress.
'He may have been high up in the administration of the fortress.
'He may have even served in the army and come home to Wales for retirement.'
'There is something in our natural make-up that allows us to connect to other human beings.'
Staff at the museum are now carrying out DNA tests on the skeleton to discover more about the mystery Roman citizen.
Visitor Michelle Leyton, 24, said: 'It is amazing to think this man was living 2,000 years ago - and that he looks a bit like a cross between Richard Burton and Sylvester Stallone.
'Richard Burton played a Roman in Anthony and Cleopatra - and of course Stallone has the Italian blood.'
