Archaeology in Israel: Roman-Era Road
(March 2017)
An Israel Antiquities Authority excavation near Bet Shemesh prior to the installation of a new water-line in early 2017 yielded a phenomenal discovery: a perfectly preserved road dating back over 2,000 years. The six-meter wide ancient road stretches for a distance of approximately 1.5 kilometers, and runs somewhat parallel to the modern Israeli Highway 375. Archaeological experts deduced that the road was meant to link a Roman settlement that existed in modern day Beit Natif to the main road in the region. Many coins were recovered from between the stones in the road, including coins from the Great Revolt, coins from the Umayyad period, and a coin of Agrippa I minted in Jerusalem.
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