An ancient city — complete with a forum and a theater — was recently uncovered alongside a popular tourist destination in Italy, according to officials.
In a translated announcement this month, the Italian Ministry of Culture said the city was found at the archaeological site of Fioccaglia in Flumeri, Avellino, alongside the Appian Way.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Appian Way is a roughly 350-mile-long road that runs from Rome to Brindisi.
With some parts dating back as far as 312 BC, the road was one of the most strategically important roads in Ancient Rome — and an unusual remnant of life in antiquity.
Officials said that the ruins were found with the use of drones, as led by a team of experts. The ruins date between the second and first centuries B.C.
The recent excavation "clearly identified the orthogonal layout of the city, with regular street axes and planned blocks based on the model of newly founded Roman towns," according to the statement.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member