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blueiskewl · 8 months

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Four 1,900-Year-Old Roman Swords Found in a Judean Desert Cave

Apparently stolen by Jewish rebels, the incredibly well-preserved weapons are ‘an extremely rare find, the likes of which have never been found in Israel’

Archaeologists have discovered four 1,900-year-old Roman swords in a cave in the Judean Desert, which experts believe were captured by the Judean rebels during the Bar Kochba revolt and placed in a narrow crevice in the rock.

“We’re talking about an extremely rare find, the likes of which have never been found in Israel,” Dr. Eitan Klein, one of the directors of the Israel Antiquities Authority’s Judean Desert Survey, said in a video accompanying the announcement of the discovery. “Four swords amazingly preserved, including the fine condition of the metal, the handles, and the scabbards.”

The preliminary article on the swords is published in the volume “New Studies in the Archaeology of the Judean Desert: Collected Papers,” which explores new archaeological finds discovered in the Judean Desert Survey Project. A conference launching the book is taking place Wednesday in Jerusalem.

The four swords were discovered shoved into a small fissure in a cave near Ein Gedi National Park, near the Dead Sea. The cave is already well-known to archaeologists, as it contains a stalactite with a fragmentary ink inscription written in ancient Hebrew script characteristic of the First Temple period.

Recently, Dr. Asaf Gayer of Ariel University, geologist Boaz Langford of Hebrew University, and Israel Antiquities Authority photographer Shai Halevi returned to the cave to photograph the stalactite with multispectral photography, which can decipher additional parts of the inscription not visible to the naked eye. While inside the cave, Gayer spotted an extremely well-preserved Roman pilum — a shafted weapon — in a deep, narrow crack in the rock. He also found pieces of carved wood in an adjacent niche that turned out to be parts of the swords’ scabbards.

The researchers reported the find to the Israel Antiquities Authority and returned to the site with the Judean Desert Archaeological Survey Team, which is conducting a multi-year comprehensive survey of more than 800 caves in the Judean Desert to find and preserve archaeological remains before they are looted.

It was then that they discovered the four swords, three of which were found with the blades still inside their scabbards. Researchers also found ornate handles made of wood and metal with leather strips nearby. The arid climate in the Judean Desert helps preserve fragile artifacts that might otherwise be lost to the ravages of time, including materials such as leather and wood, which are rarely found in wetter parts of the country.

Three of the swords are Roman spatha swords, with blades 60 to 65 centimeters (23.5 to 25.5 inches) long. The fourth weapon, a ring-pommel sword, is shorter, with a 45-centimeter (18-inch) blade. The swords likely belonged to Roman soldiers and were stolen by Judean rebels who hid them in a cave either for later use or to avoid being caught with them.

“The blades have been preserved so well, they look like they could be picked up and used right now, even 2,000 years after they were forged,” said Langford. “You just realize that you are touching history, because here you are touching a find whose story you know.”

The Bar Kochba revolt, from 132 to 135 CE, also called the Second Jewish Revolt, was a Jewish rebellion against Roman rule in Judea led by rebel leader Simon Bar Kochba. Archaeologists believe the swords were likely hidden in the crevices inside the cave sometime during the revolt, as it was dangerous for Jews to be found with Roman weapons.

“This is a very rare and unique find on an international level that will shed light on the last moments of the war between the Jewish rebels and the Roman army at the time of the Bar Kochba revolt,” said Klein.

‘A unique time capsule’

The cave survey is being undertaken by the IAA in cooperation with the Archaeology Department of the Civil Administration in Judea and Samaria, and has been funded in part by the Ministry of Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage. Each body allocated about a third of the project budget.

Earlier this year, archaeologists carrying out the Judean Desert cave surveys discovered a rare half-shekel coin minted by the Bar Kochba underground economy.

The cave survey started in 2017 and helped archaeologists discover at least 20 new caves they had not previously known. In 2021, archaeologists announced that one of the caves contained previously undiscovered fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls, some 60 years after the last pieces of the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered.

Following the discovery of the swords, archaeologists carried out an extensive excavation of the cave, discovering artifacts from the Chalcolithic period (around 6,000 years ago) and the Roman period (around 2,000 years ago). At the entrance to the cave, researchers found a Bar Kochba bronze coin from the time of the revolt that could help pinpoint the dates when the weapons were hidden.

“This is a dramatic and exciting discovery, touching on a specific moment in time,” said Eli Escusido, director of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

Noting that not all are aware that the dry climatic conditions in the Judean Desert enable the preservation of artifacts that do not survive in other parts of the country, Escusido called the area a “unique time capsule” where it is possible to find “fragments of scrolls, coins from the Jewish Revolt, leather sandals — and now even swords in their scabbards, sharp as if they had only just been hidden away today.”

By Melanie Lidman.

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sulfies · 10 days

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Wolves In Romé pt2

pt1 here

“I know, I know… believe me I know exactly what you are going through” Ezio could swear he heard a scoff in response

The wolf under him gave a soft whine as he fastened the last knot of the bandage onto the poor animal. He was glad all his fingers were left intact from this encounter...

”I would say you almost sat better than me on my first time” Ezio entertained himself as he talked to the wolf, fingers smoothing the bandage he wrestled onto the beast. “And I do mean the arrow, you horndog… or hornwolf”

His tone teased but Ezio was not lying with his compliments even if the animal could not understand him. The wolf had sat surprisingly still, not that he had wanted to be bit, but he was fairly certain wolves didn't just let you pet and bandage them so he had expected at least a nibble or some puncture marks to remember by.

And now that Ezio had done the basics of medicine, the fact that he was crouched next to a grown wolf that he just helped was entering into his brain fully …. he did not know where to go from there.

His fingers reached back up to the furry ears, digging them into the thick fur to scratch at the spot that got the wolf to close his eyes in a sigh.

Definitely not a normal wolf.

”You must have an owner, Cuccilio… You are trained at least to human touch aren't you?”

The amber eyes slowly opened back, focused directly to his own.

”Those freaks were chasing after you for a reason hmm? Were they your owners? Please don't tell me they were your owners”

The wolf just tilted his head and sneezed on his face. Rude.

”Yea okay, spray your nasty sylva over my face… not like I saved your hide or anything” He said as he crossed his brows in a fake anger. The reply he got was a soft huff and whack of a tail on his leg. As if the wolf was playing along with his ramblings.

Ezio’s voice was low and soft in the night “Now what to even do with you…”

———-

“No way!”

“I couldn’t leave him in the city!”

”Ezio… No way!”

”And If I leave him in the woods his wound will just get infected!”

”SO YOU BROUGHT IT HERE?”

Here, being the doorstep of Leo’s studio in the middle of the night.

”Well he did follow me all the way here… he is friendly Leonardo, I swear!”

Leonardo glanced at the monster with blood-soaked fur mouth…

“It’s a wolf Ezio! Wolves are not friendly.”

”I thought you would be excited to see one! You told me one time how you wanted to study them…” Ezio placed his hands on his hips and… pouted like the grown man he is.

Leo sighed. “Yes a DEAD one, the kind that won't maul me to death.”

”Well, good thing this one won't!”

Leo glanced at the bloody mess sitting right next to Ezio listening to their conversation calmly… weird.

”Merda…” He looked back at Ezio’s grinning face “Where did you even find him Ezio?”

The other man rocked on his feet “He was getting hunted by those crazed wolf worshippers on the street… So I-“

”You thought it was a dog at first and jumped in, didn’t you…?”

Ezio snapped his mouth shut and looked to the side down at his new friend.

”It was dark…”

A snort came from the wolf and it looked back at Ezio with what could be described as a wolf's best attempt at an eye-roll… again, weird.

Another sigh… Leonardo leaned on his doorframe and watched the two most dangerous beings in all of Italy standing at his doorstep in silence for a few seconds.

”You cannot leave me alone with it…”

”I wouldn’t dream of it!”

”not even a second!” “I won't, I promise!”

Ezios grin went bigger as he made a step to go into Leo’s workshop only to get stopped by a hand on his chest.

”I am not kidding Ezio, I do not want to be wolf food!”

This time the wolf's snort was directed at him. Did he understand them? No… animals are animals.

Ezio looked down and with his head gestured to it. “Come on Cuccilio, Leonardo decided to be kind to us… for now”

His third sigh of the night left him and he stepped back,

“If it was anyone else but you Mi Amico… but you need to clean him.”

Ezio’s shoulders dropped in relief.

“Thank you, Leonardo, I owe you one”

“You owe me so much I should just have access to your banking records.”

Ezio laughs as he walks past Leonardo, giving his shoulder a pat. “As if you already don't~”

Leo glared at his friend, almost forgetting about the giant beast till it walked past him like he already owned the place!

“Ay… it's going to be a long night”

He walked toward his wine stash.

—-----

He was finally clean, getting his face dried with a rough towel as he lay on the ground of the workshop.

Desmond was surprised Leonardo actually let them in. At this point, he was concerned both for Ezio and Leo’s rational thinking ability because he personally, under no circumstances, would allow a wolf covered in human blood into his home.

“Now, you are clean… as you can be at least, Cuccilio”

“Really? You are still going to call it a puppy?”

Ezio looked back to his friend who was sitting at his table sketching Desmond’s form on the ground. Getting used to having a wolf in his studio with the help of a glass or two.

Now that the initial shock, some-don't ask-how, was gone the artist was happy to get his observations.

“Well… he doesn't have a name-”

“And he should not, you will get attached the moment you name him Ezio.”

Ezio scoffed “No I wo-”

“Yes, you will.” Leo smiled down at his friend from where he sat, trying to get Desmond's back muscles right on his paper.

He was getting sketched by The Leonardo da Vinci, in his studio, as a wolf…

His tail thumped on the ground slowly.

“I get helping the poor thing, Ezio, but surely you aren’t planning on keeping him?”

Desmond’s ears perked up at that. Ezio put the dirty towel he used to wipe his face away. His other hand still underneath his maw, holding it lightly, while middle two fingers scratched lightly at a spot that gave Desmond’s tail a bit more speed.

Oh no… Desmond knew exactly what Ezio was thinking.

“I mean… I always wanted a dog.”

“Ezio-” Leo started but Ezio cut him off. “He is clearly not a normal one, Leo… took an arrow to the leg and didn't even try to nip when I ripped it out of him..”

His free hand joined to scratch his neck and even if baffled at his stupidity Desmond couldn't stop himself from leaning into it when it was digging into just the right spot.

“Look, he even lets me pet him. I don't think he is a wild one at all… most likely trained.” He looked back at his friend with a grin. “It's a tamed wolf, Leo! I mean-”

“Per l'amor di dio Ezio, You can barely look after yourself, do you have time for a pet? Let alone a wolf?!” His dear friend mused in a concerned tone.

Desmond looked back at Ezio who was still just petting him with a soft excited smile.

Oh no…He already made up his mind, didn’t he?

“Oh, who am I talking to…You already made up your mind the moment you brought him to my door didn't you Amico?” the only sane man in the room parroted Desmond’s thoughts.

Ezio turned to look back at his friend his smile turning to a sheepish grin. “Come on Leonardo… when will I ever come across an animal like this again?”

“And you plan on what? Making him a dog assassin? Teach him how to jump roof to roof?”

Desmond sneezed at the image that came to his mind of a wolf in an assassin getup.

“And does it even want to be kept?”

That made Ezio look back at Desmond, his face showing an expression that said he had not thought of that aspect… Desmond realized he also had not.

He did follow Ezio willingly to here almost automatically but he didn't need to stay here… he could just go, he should just go but… then what? Yes, he was a wolf now, but Desmond was human first and his mind was, surprisingly, still his.

He didn't know a thing about being a wolf! Would he survive? Did he even understand wolf talk or howl or whatever they do?

Did he want to be a wolf?

No, he thought.

He did not want to run through the woods every day hunting for a meal to not starve, sleeping in the open cold air, and waking up with no one to talk to.

No, he decided. He would not run to the woods.

“Bené… you make a good poi-” Ezio’s somber tone was cut off as Desmond slowly sat up, trying to not move his injured leg too much and plopped his head right on Ezio’s lap, nuzzling into his leg as he sighed softly. Looking up he met his eyes, rich brown ones looking back at him.

“Per carità… forget I even asked” Leonardo’s voice supplied in exhaustion.

Ezio’s grin returned full force, eyes twinkling like the first time he let him pet and Desmond found that he could get used to being a lapdog if it made Ezio this happy.

The three sat there in the night as Ezio’s hands found their way back to Desmond’s fur, Leonardo’s pencil strokes filling in the silence between them.

After a good while as Desmond’s eyelids grew heavier, he heard Ezio’s deep voice speak up again “Now can I name him?”

A well-repeated sigh came as an answer “What do you have in mind?”

“Something strong, a good Roman name for a good Roman wolf…”

Desmond’s ear twitched, half listening as the soft rumble of the assassin's voice lulled him to almost sleep.

“Aldobrandino…”

WHAT?!

#assassin's creed #ezio auditore #desmond miles #fanfic #wolves in rome #His name means little old sword and apperiently its a real roman dog name lmao #poor desmond #he went to loving new home

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