A 2,100-year-old shipwreck off the coast of Turkey has revealed thousands of luxury dishes of a type once prized by Cicero, the famed Roman statesman whose writings later influenced America's Founding Fathers — with an expert calling the find "quite rare." The recovery was recently announced by Turkish officials, the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA) reported Sept.28.Pictures show divers working among piles of ancient pottery, with ceramic plates and bowls scattered across the sandy seabed.ONE OF HISTORY'S MOST FAMOUS SAYINGS ABOUT ROME MAY BE WRONG, NEW STUDY SUGGESTSThe artifacts include 122 different forms and sizes of plates, bowls and trays, including dishes used for nuts, soup and fish.Researchers believe the ship was traveling from Rhosus to Rome when it struck a shallow area during a storm and sank, according to AA.
The wreck lies about 138 to 180 feet below the surface.A 2,100-year-old shipwreck discovered off the coast of Turkey contained thousands of luxury ceramic dishes linked to ancient Roman trade.(Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry/Anadolu via Getty Images)The discovery is particularly significant because the ceramics are believed to have originated in Rhosus, a production center mentioned in the writings of Cicero — though there's no evidence that the recovered dishes belonged to Cicero himself.Cicero, one of ancient Rome's most celebrated orators and politicians, significantly influenced the U.S.' Founding Fathers, especially Thomas Jefferson and John Adams.DIVERS UNCOVER HUNDREDS OF ANCIENT RELICS NEAR SHIPWRECK UNTOUCHED FOR 2,100 YEARSIn a letter to his friend Atticus in 50 B.C., the statesman wrote that he had ordered ceramic vessels from Rhosus for him, according to AA.Taco Terpstra, a professor of classics and history at Northwestern University, told Fox News Digital that the discovery offers an unusual opportunity to connect ancient artifacts with historical writings.The ancient shipwreck contained luxury tableware of a type once prized...