ROMAN ROAD UNCOVERED IN THESSALONIKI, GREECE

A 280-foot section of a road built by the Romans nearly 2,000 years ago has been discovered by archaeologists in Thessaloniki, Greece's 2nd largest city.

The marble paved road was once the city's main travel artery. It was unearthed during excavations for a subway project that is due to be completed in 2016. Now the road will be raised and put on permanent display when the subway opens.

Some of the road's large paving stones were etched with the designs of children's board games and others bore the marks of cart wheels. Remnants of lamps, tools and bases of marble columns were also found. The road dates to the first century A.D. There was evidence of another road built by the ancient Greeks some 500 years earlier below the Roman road.

Other finds were made in 2008 as the subway project got under way. They included more than 1,000 graves, some filled with jewelry, coins and piece of art.

from the NY Times Arts Briefly section, June 28, 2012