Marble head of Roman Emperor Titus found
25 Jun 2009, 1310 Hrs

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Washington, June 25 Archaeologists have unearthed a hoard of ancient Roman treasures, including a marble head of the Roman emperor Titus, during an excavation outside the southern Italian city of Naples.

The long-term digging effort in Rione Terra, a cliff in the port town of Pozzuoli, has yielded remains of 12 ancient statues, columns and fragments bearing inscriptions from what appear to be monuments from the Republican and Imperial periods of ancient Roman history.

According to a report in Discovery News, among the most striking finds was the marble head of Emperor Titus, who ruled at the time of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D.

He was celebrated throughout antiquity for providing generous financial assistance to survivors of the eruption.

Bearing a crown of laurel leaves, the emperor's head was found in an ancient water tunnel.

Nearby there were four marble busts: a frieze portraying two human figures, two figures wearing a toga, and part of an equestrian statue.

Archaeologists also discovered the head of an Amazon warrior, the head of a woman depicted as a Roman empress from the late Julio-Claudian dynasty and a giant mask depicting a Gorgon.

"Unlike many ancient buildings in the town, which date back to Pozzuoli's golden age in the first century A.D., these marbles date to the 2nd century AD," chief archaeologist Costanza Gialanella told Discovery News.

"They belong to public buildings and houses and show that even after the rule of Emperor Augustus, this remained a wealthy town," Gialanella added. (ANI)

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