6 October 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Ancient helmets, temple ruins found at a dig in Velia southern Italy

A discovery that “sheds new light on the history of the mighty Greek colony” by Velia.

Archaeologists in southern Italy have discovered ancient warrior helmets and the ruins of a painted brick wall at a site that might have been a forerunner of a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, officials said Tuesday.

The ruins discovered at Velia, a major tourist destination in Italy, were discovered atop what had been an acropolis of one of Magna Graecia’s most prominent towns, according to Italian Culture Minister Dario Franceschini. Velia is located 40 kilometers (25 miles) southeast of Paestum, a well-known ancient Greek temple site.

Excavations by Francesco Scelza, which began last summer on top of what used to be the city’s acropolis, just below the still prominent remains of the temple dedicated to Athena, have unearthed the remains of a rectangular building of considerable size. (At 18 meters long and 7 wide, it dates back to the sixth century BC.)

Archaeologists in southern Italy they have discovered the ruins of a painted brick wall and ancient warrior helmets at a site that might have been a forerunner of a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena
Archaeologists in southern Italy have discovered the ruins of a painted brick wall and ancient warrior helmets at a site that might have been a forerunner of a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena. Photo: ANSA

In 540 BC, a major naval battle took place off the coast of Corsica between the Phokaians, the Greek colonists who settled in the Corsican city of Alalia, and the Etruscans, who were allied with the Carthaginians. In the conflict, the Greeks understood the situation better but were forced to abandon Alalia and flee to the south of Italy, where they founded Hyele and later renamed Elea (Velia for the Romans).



📣 Our WhatsApp channel is now LIVE! Stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates, just click here to follow us on WhatsApp and never miss a thing!!



Velia is famed for being the home of an ancient Greek school of philosophy, including philosophers Parmenides and Zeno. It was part of Magna Graecia, the area of southern Italy colonized by Greek city-states. The settlement at Velia occupied an upper part, or acropolis, of the area as well as hillsides, and was surrounded by a wall.

Archaeologists in southern Italy have discovered the ruins of a painted brick wall at a site that might have been a forerunner of a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena
Archaeologists in southern Italy have discovered the ruins of a painted brick wall at a site that might have been a forerunner of a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena. Photo: ANSA

The recently completed excavation at Velia unearthed a pair of helmets in good condition, the remains of a building, vases with the Greek inscription for “sacred” and metal fragments of what possibly were weapons, the culture ministry said.

State Museums Director Massimo Osanna, who formerly had long directed excavations at Pompeii, Italy’s most celebrated excavated site, said the area explored at Velia probably contained relics of offerings made to Athena, the mythological Greek goddess of war and wisdom, after a key naval battle in the nearby Tyrrhenian Sea.

Related Articles

World’s Largest Geoglyphs Found in the Thar Desert

29 May 2021

29 May 2021

A massive spiral encompassing 100,000 square meters unearthed in the Indian desert may be the greatest drawing ever drawn. The...

2000-year-old anchor discovered at the bottom of the North Sea

26 September 2022

26 September 2022

A possible Iron Age anchor made from wrought iron was found at the bottom of the southern North Sea during...

The ruins of a temple dedicated to Goddess Kubaba found for the first time in ancient city of Kastabala, southern Türkiye

17 December 2023

17 December 2023

Ruins of a temple belonging to the goddess Kubaba were found in the Ancient City of Kastabala. The ancient city...

45,000 years ago, Neanderthals in the Swabian Jura used complex tool-making techniques

13 September 2021

13 September 2021

Findings that will change our perception of Neanderthals’ sophistication A team from the University of Tübingen have proved that Middle...

New discoveries announced at Sanxingdui Ruins

20 March 2021

20 March 2021

Chinese archaeologists announced on Saturday that some new major discoveries have been made at the legendary Sanxingdui site in southwestern...

Ancient shipwreck dating back to the 2nd century BC was discovered off the coast of Croatia

14 September 2021

14 September 2021

A shipwreck dating to the 2nd century BC has been discovered in the shallow waters of the Adriatic Sea near...

Archaeologists discover one of the largest Phallus Relief Carving of ancient Rome

28 August 2022

28 August 2022

According to an announcement by the region’s local history museum, a large Roman-era relief carving of a phallus has been...

Ancient Hawaiian Petroglyphs Reappear on Oahu’s Shoreline After Years Beneath the Sand

25 July 2025

25 July 2025

A remarkable piece of Hawaii’s cultural legacy has resurfaced this month, as ancient Hawaiian petroglyphs were once again exposed along...

A hungry Badger uncovers the largest collection of such coins ever discovered in northern Spain

11 January 2022

11 January 2022

Archaeologists have uncovered a rich trove of 209 Roman-era coins in northwestern Spain, due to the apparent efforts of a...

New suspect in greatest act of vandalism in the history of dinosaur study

29 May 2023

29 May 2023

Researchers from the University of Bristol are rewriting the history of paleontology’s darkest and most bizarre event. Vandals with sledgehammers...

Hiker found a place of holy worship at an altitude of 2,590 meters in the Swiss Alps

15 March 2023

15 March 2023

A trekking enthusiast stumbled upon an ancient Roman coin buried in rubble in a remote area high in the Alps...

3700 years old Brain and skin remnants discovered at Bronze Age settlement in western Türkiye

5 September 2023

5 September 2023

Archaeologists discovered, well-preserved brain and skin remnants of two individuals dating to the Bronze Age during excavations at Tavşanlı Höyük...

A Large Roman Pottery Production Center was Found in Poland

2 April 2021

2 April 2021

A large Roman pottery production center was found in Poland. The production center was discovered near the village of Wrzepia,...

Medieval Rye: From Humble Weed to Powerful Staple – New Study Reveals Surprising Farming Secrets

27 May 2025

27 May 2025

Discover how medieval rye cultivation was far more advanced than previously believed. New research reveals intensive farming and fertilizing techniques...

Metal signature of Roman 19th Legion identified at Teutoburg battle site that shook Rome in AD9

5 December 2022

5 December 2022

Researchers in Germany have identified the metallurgic signature of the Roman 19th Legion in artifacts recovered from the Battle of...